The newest member of the healthcare system’s C-suite? Chief AI Officer
The era of the chief AI officer in healthcare is here. CAIOs are starting to appear at large hospitals and health systems—the latest development as more providers free up resources and create strategic leadership roles to drive enterprise-wide AI adoption, rather than relying on siloed IT departments or distributed, ad hoc projects.
A recent survey from global consulting firm Berkeley Research Group found that three-quarters of healthcare and pharmaceutical professionals expect AI to be widely adopted in the next three years. Yet only 40% have reviewed or plan to review AI regulations.
While there is much optimism about the potential benefits of AI, such as improving diagnostics and reducing administrative burdens, industry stakeholders still have significant concerns about data privacy, cybersecurity and the need for regulatory measures.
Tom O’Neil is a managing director at BRG and knows some of the first AI chief officers in healthcare. He has extensive experience in the private and public sectors, and has led boardrooms and C-suites in the consumer, financial services, and healthcare industries. We asked O’Neil to outline what boards and C-suites should consider when adopting AI-specific roles in health systems.
Q. Why do you think hospitals and health systems should have a chief AI officer or a similar title?
A. AI in healthcare presents many opportunities and challenges for life sciences companies, providers, and payers in the healthcare ecosystem. Not surprisingly, an evolving best practice in the industry is the appointment of a chief AI officer.
The role has become increasingly important in leading organizational approaches that integrate AI into clinical workflows, reduce burden on physicians, improve the quality of care for patients, establish accountability, and ensure strong governance for successful AI implementation in healthcare.
BRGs AI and the Future of Healthcare Report published earlier this year found that current IT and security governance models held by industry professionals are inadequate to manage AI development and deployment, and that IT cannot exercise sole oversight over AI. Given the complex ethical and regulatory landscape surrounding AI, a chief AI officer can provide the leadership and experience needed to help navigate regulations and mitigate potential risks through effective collaboration.
Q. What should a Chief AI Officer do?
A. A chief AI officer provides long-term strategic vision and alignment for organizations. In addition to implementing AI projects, CAIOs also consider the broader implications of AI, such as changes in business operations and culture. The CAIO ensures that AI systems are developed and deployed ethically, transparently, and responsibly.
To achieve this, the CAIO oversees data privacy, mitigation of algorithmic bias, and responsible use of AI while ensuring patient trust and maintaining the highest standards of care.
Dennis Chornenky, chief AI advisor at UC Davis Health and former CAIO for UnitedHealth Group’s Optum division, says the CAIO’s primary responsibility is to accelerate the adoption of AI capabilities while ensuring a balance between safety and innovation.
Q. Who should a Chief AI Officer report to and why?
A. The short answer is that it depends on the size and maturity level of the organization and the amount of resources allocated to AI within the organization.
Ideally, a chief AI officer will report to a leader in the C-suite to drive change that will implement a successful AI program across the organization. Most likely, chief AI officers will report to the CIO or chief digital officer, but they could also report to the COO, CFO, CMO, or even the CEO.
Q. Why should provider organizations determine whether to implement the role and how will they collaborate with AI centers of excellence?
A. Healthcare providers should consider implementing this role as the CAIO would create accountable leadership with the required expertise and strategic acumen to prioritize workflows appropriately and in a timely manner, improve the quality of care using clinical AI tools, and ultimately ensure that the organization can compete effectively in the marketplace given the increasing importance of AI in healthcare.
Once appointed, CAIOs will be required to develop and lead AI centres of excellence, which are specialised organisational units that will embed AI and have significant financial resources and the necessary skills and experience to successfully implement AI.
Successful AI centers of excellence don’t just exist within an organization’s IT department. AI projects that impact clinical practice and patient care must involve collaboration of individuals with expertise in technology, quality of care, legal and regulatory compliance, and business ethics.
The organization should assemble a multidisciplinary team with people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, including a passionate chief physician, operational experts, technology specialists, and legal/compliance reviewers.
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