In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a technological advancement—it’s a transformative force. As organizations strive to keep pace with these changes, the concept of organizational readiness becomes paramount. How can healthtech and healthcare organizations ensure they are prepared to harness the full potential of AI?
In this episode of Ascendle Unscripted, host Michael Cinquino delves into the critical topic of organizational readiness in the tech and healthcare sectors. Joined by Susannah Parnin-Mitchell, VP of Operations at Ascendle, and Bridget Bell, VP of Business Development at Cardamom Health, the discussion explores what true organizational readiness looks like and how companies can prepare for AI integration.
Defining Organizational Readiness
Organizational readiness involves receptivity—being open to incoming changes and acknowledging the unknowns. Bridget emphasizes the importance of listening and having an open mindset to make things happen. Susannah adds that readiness is multifaceted, involving various lenses through which readiness must be verified.
Components of Readiness
Key components of organizational readiness include people, process, technology, tools, and strategy. Readiness is a constantly moving needle, requiring organizational alignment and involvement from all stakeholders, including physicians in healthcare settings. Strategic alignment is crucial to ensure AI use cases genuinely benefit the organization and its customers.
Practical Applications and Ethical Considerations
A practical example of AI integration in healthcare is predicting patient no-show rates. Bridget explains how AI can help identify trends and improve patient outreach, ultimately enhancing patient care and organizational efficiency. However, biases in AI systems must be addressed, and well-educated AI tools are necessary to account for social determinants of health.
Susannah advises starting with lower-risk use cases to get accustomed to AI and reduce errors. She highlights the importance of thoughtful integration and strategic alignment to ensure AI applications are genuinely beneficial.
Leadership and Change Management
Effective leadership is crucial for driving change and ensuring successful AI integration. Bridget outlines key behaviors of effective leaders: curiosity, confidence, credibility, conciseness, and concreteness. She emphasizes the importance of translating the “why” behind changes to different parts of the organization and maintaining a positive forward momentum.
AI in Healthcare: Successes and Challenges
AI has been successfully applied in various areas of healthcare, from automations and predictive analytics to robotic surgeries and EHR consolidation. Virtual medicine and wearable devices are making healthcare more accessible, especially in rural and underserved areas.
However, potential pitfalls of AI include increasing cognitive load for users and ethical concerns in clinical applications. Susannah stresses the need for continuous evaluation and thoughtful integration to ensure AI genuinely enhances user experiences.
Predictive vs. Preventive Medicine
Predictive medicine goes beyond preventative measures by using data to foresee potential health issues. Empowering individuals with data to take charge of their health is crucial. Bridget acknowledges that not everyone will engage with this model, so providing access to meaningful data without forcing users into it is important.
Key Takeaways
- Receptivity and Multifaceted Readiness: Organizational readiness involves being open to change and verifying readiness through various lenses.
- Strategic Alignment: Aligning AI use cases with organizational goals is crucial for genuine benefits.
- Effective Leadership: Leaders must exhibit curiosity, confidence, credibility, conciseness, and concreteness.
- Successful AI Applications: AI can enhance healthcare through automations, predictive analytics, and virtual medicine.
- Addressing Biases: AI tools must account for social determinants of health to avoid biases.
- Empowerment Model: Providing meaningful data empowers individuals to take charge of their health.
Final Thoughts
As the episode concludes, Michael asks Susannah and Bridget to finish the sentence, “The future belongs to organizations that…” Susannah responds, “The future belongs to organizations that can align their strategy with emerging technologies in a way that genuinely serves their end user or end customer.” Bridget adds, “The future belongs to organizations that adapt to the changes happening around them and adopt meaningful tools to maintain positive forward momentum despite challenges.”
This episode of Ascendle Unscripted provides valuable insights into organizational readiness and AI integration in healthcare. By focusing on strategic alignment, thoughtful integration, and effective leadership, organizations can navigate the complexities of AI and drive meaningful transformation.
Ascendle is here to help – contact us today to learn how we partner with our clients to assess AI implementation options, ensure organizational alignment, and determine the best-fit technology solutions.
Get notified about new Ascendle Unscripted episodes when they drop! Subscribe here.
