HCA Healthcare’s strategic approach to scaling artificial intelligence

Hospitals and health systems face mounting pressure to improve patient care while managing workforce strain, rising costs and operational complexity. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to address these challenges. Only 13 per cent of healthcare systems have developed a clear organisational strategy for integrating AI into clinical workflows. Although organisations recognise the need to invest, they struggle to determine where to begin amid numerous options and significant capital requirements. HCA Healthcare has adopted a comprehensive AI strategy — supported by a robust governance framework — to help ensure AI technology is used safely and effectively. HCA Healthcare’s AI strategy emphasises co-design with clinicians, rigorous validation of impact, change management and governance to help ensure that adoption is safe, effective and trusted. This paper presents an overview of HCA Healthcare’s AI strategy, along with four early initiatives that illustrate how AI comes to life in clinical, operational and administrative functions in its hospitals. These initiatives, as well as the strategy behind them, demonstrate how AI can enhance patient experience, support caregivers and improve operational performance. For example, at one site, an AI tool used across more than 1,000 nursing departments cut scheduling time from hours to just 2 to 3 hours per cycle, enabling nurse leaders to devote more time to patient-centred care. HCA Healthcare’s AI strategy ensures that investments in AI balance innovation with accountability to enable sustainable and transformational impact that other health systems can consider. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.