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Healthcare technology is accelerating at an exponential rate. Surgical robots are popping up in more orthopedic operating rooms and surgeons are plotting out surgeries with advanced navigation software. Until recently, many people viewed artificial intelligence (AI) as a novel, whiz-bang innovation. Today, it’s emerging as a vital asset within the healthcare sector.
“Data is everywhere inside the operating room, but has been severely underutilized,” said Samuel Browd, M.D., Ph.D., Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Proprio, which introduced a sensing and imaging platform for leveraging data collected during spine surgery. “We have a huge opportunity to capture it intentionally, segment it into strategically informed action and ultimately improve patient outcomes through enhanced surgical insight, performance and feedback.”
Dr. Browd said the healthcare industry should be looking to develop intelligent and intuitive technologies that collect clean, informative datasets that fuel truly effective AI.
“While much conversation has centered on AI within surgical robotics, the conversation needs to be steered toward data enabling human performance first,” he added. “The next five to 10 years will see a full transformation of the operating room, moving from a largely analog-based set of modalities to compelling new technologies that take advantage of the hyper-fast progress we are seeing in computational fields outside of medicine.”
David Berger, MD, MHCM, CEO of the SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and Martin Alexander Gershon, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., Managing Partner and CIO of Endeavor Life Sciences Venture Funds and Venture Studio, recently shared what it takes to introduce emerging technologies like AI to the market. What follows is their roadmap for working with hospitals and enrolling C-suite decision makers in the vision of healthcare’s digital future.
Implementing Change
AI holds tremendous promise to radically improve our healthcare system with improved predictive value in personalized medicine, logistics and productivity. Its implementation across various technological platforms can empower administrative personnel to streamline their operations and position hospitals as centers of personalized digital transformation.
According to research by McKinsey, using AI will dramatically improve the quality of care, enhance patient and staff experiences, simplify administrative work and optimize overall system management across the main areas of healthcare. The Big Tech giants — Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Nvidia — are driving many of these changes.
McKinsey also reports that investments in AI are rapidly increasing and will continue to affect healthcare. In fact, over 55% of all Google’s investments are now in healthcare, and according to Morgan Stanley, Apple will generate over $300 billion in revenue from healthcare sales by 2027.
Some companies are finding it difficult to navigate the complexities of AI integration into hospitals. Health system executives need to evaluate scores of AI and digital health company vendors. Indeed, the number of companies pitching to health system decision makers ballooned with the rise of AI.
A core headwind in integrating AI and digital technologies into hospitals is the disconnect between company reps and the C-suite hospital decision maker.
The integration of new technologies is often a rate-limiting step in the process of advancing changes within the industry. Effective change means that any innovative technology must be integrated into the existing infrastructure of a hospital. The C-Suite gatekeeper’s concern in this process is implementing the technology, its cost, the ripple effects it will produce and most importantly, whether it will work as described and provide the solutions promised.
All companies should understand the hospital C-suite’s concerns around the implementation of new technology. Specifically, company reps must be prepared to answer the following:
Will you take responsibility for all administrative hurdles? Customers want assurance that the company will answer all inquiries and assist with completing documentation. Additionally, customers want the company to track the progress of all approvals and follow up as necessary.
Do you have previous experience with change management? Although the hospital may have performance improvement personnel who are skilled in change management, the company needs to have people who also understand this complex process and know how to work collaboratively with the hospital’s team.
Is there a clear understanding of the responsibilities of both parties? The signed contract must document which part of the implementation each party needs to cover. Conflict can arise if something unexpected comes up during the process. In this case, the company must be prepared to accept responsibility to move things forward.
Does the new digital solution increase work for people who will use it? Companies must ensure that the hospital is ready and equipped for change. The implementation is likely to fail if the organization is not adequately prepared.
Ariadne Labs has established a framework to evaluate organizational readiness for change, and companies should consider using this approach:
- Is there a clear leadership commitment to implement the proposed solution?
- Is there organizational capacity for implementation or are there other competing priorities?
- Is there a well-established method for process improvement and change management?
- Is there a culture of successful change management within the organization?
If the answer is no to any of the questions, the company must evaluate whether it can provide the missing elements. If there is any doubt that the company can resolve the issues, it is better to walk away than to risk a failed implementation.
The final issue concerning implementation that the company needs to resolve is whether the hospital leadership is willing to work together to improve the product’s utility. Digital solutions are usually not “finished” platforms. They require testing in real-world settings to get it right. Companies need to ensure that this is understood, and that the hospital client is committed and able to work with the company to iterate and optimize the product.
More Effective Healthcare
We are at the dawn of a new era in which hospitals will be reshaped in every facet. The hospitals of the future will no longer be illness centers. They will no longer be hotbeds of infection. They will no longer be there to diagnose, cut and bandage. They will be centers of healing.
This process needs to begin with integrating new technologies, which is a slow-moving process.
Successfully integrating new technologies like AI into the healthcare system in a timely and ethical manner will require new collaboration models and investment in foundational technologies and talent. Leaders in healthcare, Big Tech and venture investors must come together to assess new emerging technologies as data-driven results continue to drive innovative solutions.
Dr. Gershon, who is also the host of the BetterHealth Webinar Series and Senior Executive Investor-in-Residence for Healthcare at Techstars, will discuss the keys to change leadership to drive growth at OMTEC 2024. Reserve your spot at the conference to learn about ways to stay ahead of the innovation curve.
