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 Today in Health it, we are discussing Sanford Health's AI BET pays off.

Welcome back today in Health It where we dive into the latest advancements in healthcare information technology. I'm Sarah. I'm joined by my co-host, Kate. Good morning, Kate. Good morning. Today we're exploring an intriguing article titled Sanford Health AI BET Pays Off. Everyone Reported Improvements.

That's right. So this piece highlights how Sanford Health's implementation of artificial intelligence tools has led to significant improvements across the health system. It's a compelling case study for healthcare IT leaders aiming to harness AI effectively.

Definitely. Sue Falls, South Dakota based Sanford Health, one of the systems where we have members of our 2 2 9 community with Brad Rimer and Dr. Roxanna Lupu plans to expand an ambient AI documentation tool to an additional 200 clinicians.

So let's break down five items, Kate from the article and discuss the implications for healthcare IT leaders. The first one, Sanford Health expanded an ambient AI documentation tool to an additional 200 clinicians, as noted, resulting in notable enhancements and clinical documentation processes.

And this expansion underscores the potential of AI to streamline administrative tasks, reducing the documentation burden on clinicians and for health IT leaders.

It highlights the importance of selecting and scaling AI solutions that directly address clinician pain points.

It automates routine documentation, and by doing so, clinicians can focus more on patient care, potentially improving both efficiency and outcomes.

So moving into our second point, the article notes that clinicians reported improvements after the AI tools implementation indicating a positive reception.

The acceptance is crucial because successful AI adoption depends not only on technological capabilities, but also user buy-in and healthcare IT leaders should prioritize user engagement and training to ensure smooth transitions. When introducing new technologies

engaging clinicians early in the selection and implementation process can lead to solutions that are more closely aligned with their needs, which can foster a culture of collaboration and innovation.

And it's addressing a key point that you and I cover often, which is physician burnout. By alleviating documentation burdens, AI tools can play a role in reducing physician burnout, which is a significant issue

Absolutely. I don't have too many discussions where that doesn't come up. So reducing administrative tasks allows physicians to dedicate more time to patient interactions, enhancing job satisfaction, and potentially improving retention rates, not to mention the effect it has on patient care.

And if you're the leader listening to this, consider how AI solutions can be leveraged to support clinician wellbeing, which is integral to maintaining resilient healthcare workforce. And it goes so far beyond just a tool that helps alleviate burnout. This is the integration of the tool, the workflow, the components that go into it, your chart prep, all the different aspects that are involved in implementing some of these solutions they have to be thought of.

And. Terms of the broader ecosystem of what those systems working together looks like to actually create more streamlined approach, which can reduce overall burnout.

And the next point involves the strategic investment in ai. So Sanford Health's commitment to expanding AI tools demonstrates a strategic investment in technology that in turn can enhance healthcare delivery.

And this

approach suggests that when AI implementations are thoughtfully planned and executed, and I'm gonna say I hope your governance models are in tune for all of these things, that you can yield tangible benefits. Healthcare IT leaders should develop comprehensive AI strategies that align with organizational goals and patient care objectives.

Sure. And it's also essential to establish metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of AI tools, ensuring they deliver the anticipated value and inform future tech investments.

I would say having the ability to measure the value of the AI products and implementations is really key in some of these pilot phases as well.

Because scalability and future expansion are a component of this as our last point, the successful scaling of AI documentation tools at Sanford Health indicates the potential for broader applications of AI within their health system.

And the scalability suggests that AI solutions can be adapted to various departments and functions offering widespread benefits.

And for those of you listening today, you should assess the scalability of AI tools and consider how they can be integrated across different areas to maximize their impact within your

This is such a great study because Stanford Health is a rural organization, but they are large, so it's kind of a unique organization. But this study offers several insights that can be applied really across healthcare. The first be user-centered design, so engage end users in the development and implementation of AI tools to ensure they meet clinical needs and encourage adoption training and support, provide comprehensive training and ongoing support To facilitate smooth transitions and effective use of new technologies, establish clear metrics to assess the impact of AI implementations on efficiency, patient outcomes, and clinical satisfaction. And then finally, consider the potential for scaling AI solutions and develop strategies for broader integration within the health system.

Because if you're thoughtful about integrating these tools, then your organization can enhance efficiency, improve patient care, support clinician wellbeing, and to the point that we discussed earlier in the week, really creating that basis of trust by which decisions can be made and the willingness to try some of the newer tools that are coming out.

With the understanding that they may or may not be the right solution and longer term adoption, but you have the foundation by which you understand where they could most effectively be integrated.

Good point. So as AI continues to evolve, staying informed about successful implementations, like Sanford Health's can guide healthcare IT leaders in making informed decisions about adopting similar technologies.

And that's it for today's episode. Join us tomorrow when we talk about Google Health, unveiling AI innovations to transform global health outcomes. Kate, thank you for joining me today. Thank you, Sarah.

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