Expect More From Your Enterprise Image Exchange: 5 Questions to Ask About Your Current Solution
April 23, 2024
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From June 14-16, the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) held its Annual Meeting and InformaticsTECH Expo in Austin, Texas. Medical imaging professionals including physicians, informatics leaders, researchers and scientists gathered to discuss innovative solutions to current radiology challenges.
PocketHealth Co-Founder and CEO Rishi Nayyar took the stage with fellow industry leaders from Canon Medical, Merge by Merative, Blackford and Nuance Communications in an #AskIndustryPanel moderated by Nina Kottler, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Clinical AI at Radiology Partners.
The panel centered on the driving factors behind AI and machine learning (ML) adoption, creating value in AI and ML workflows and communicating ROI and value messaging. Below, we provide an overview of the discussion and highlight key points and takeaways from the panelists.
During the panel, speakers discussed the benefits of AI in healthcare and how AI-enabled tools and platforms can positively impact staff, patients and ROI.
According to Nayyar, one of the key benefits of AI for healthcare organizations is cost reduction. Effective AI solutions allow organizations to optimize staff allocation, terminate unnecessary contracts and drive more efficiency. AI can also improve the patient experience by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to make decisions about their care. For example, providers can use AI to help patients understand their medical reports and provide guidance on next steps.
The panelists also emphasized the impact AI can have in improving workflows for radiologists and other healthcare professionals. When the right tools and solutions are integrated, AI can reduce workload, drive staff efficiency and ultimately increase productivity.
Change management was a central discussion point among panelists. According to speakers, stakeholders must identify how AI adds value and fits into their current workflows before implementing a solution. Participants agreed that there are no off-the-shelf solutions that will work at every organization.
Care providers and staff need to see value before adopting new technology. Therefore, it’s important to understand the priorities and challenges of each group within the healthcare ecosystem. Stakeholders can also identify teams that will be most impacted by AI and create custom value propositions to address their needs. This involves demonstrating ROI and creating a strong use case that justifies investment in AI. Without a clear use case, it becomes challenging to allocate resources for new solutions.
Participants stressed the importance of maintaining relationships with IT as a core part of integrating AI solutions. From getting buy-in to piloting new tools and effectively implementing applications across teams, engaging IT early and keeping them involved is crucial.
IT departments play a significant role in championing new technology and getting buy-in from senior leadership. They often have a heavy workload that impacts teams across the healthcare system. Therefore, demonstrating how AI can save time, enhance patient care and lead to increased efficiency can turn IT into internal champions.
One example of this is when Imaging Partners of Orange County (Imaging Partners of OC) incorporated PocketHealth for Patients into its image sharing workflow. Prior to integrating PocketHealth, Imaging Partners of OC’s growing tech stack had increased the IT department’s workflow. This meant that any new solution not only needed to improve efficiencies but also needed to be easy for everyone to use.
With the support of the IT department, implementing PocketHealth was smooth and easy, taking less than six weeks. This integration improved efficiencies for the IT team and also seamlessly connected with their existing infrastructure.
During the panel, Nayyar highlighted the role patients will play in the future. “Patients will drive the next wave of AI adoption,” he said. Nayyar noted that while AI advances radiology and clinical workflows, it’s imperative that patients aren’t left out. AI is frequently mentioned as a tool for driving efficiency, but the potential to generate revenue through improved patient experience, retention and referrals shouldn’t be overlooked.
AI can transform the patient experience if it provides patients with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their care. According to Nayyar, products that improve communication while also empowering patients to take an active role in their care journey will drive demand and lead to greater adoption.
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