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Artificial intelligence. “AI.” Machine learning. Robotic process automation.

These terms may sound like lingo straight out of a sci-fi thriller, but they are actually becoming commonplace in healthcare as hospitals are challenged more and more to offer better value and higher quality with less resources.

Decoding the Terms:

Though all terms above reference new and increasingly popular technology, they each utilize a specialized process.

Artificial Intelligence or “AI” is typically technology created to mimic human thought processes while machine learning—often coupled with AI—utilizes data—and LOTS of it—to make connections that can improve processes and care. These predictive analytics may, for example, be able to conclude that patients sharing certain characteristics may need earlier interventions because they are more likely to have a certain condition or event—such as a heart attack.

RPA—Robotic Process Automation—utilizes software applications to handle high volume, repeatable tasks that don’t necessarily need to be completed by an employee. For example, perhaps a patient was recently discharged from the hospital following a knee replacement. An RPA solution may be used to send automatic notifications to remind them when to pick-up prescriptions, schedule therapy appointments and attend follow-up visits.

AI Uses in Healthcare:

“Read any research report, peer-reviewed journal article or credible industry survey on the possible use cases of artificial intelligence in health care, and the words “endless,” “unlimited” or “infinite” usually appear in the first few sentences. That’s because most experts agree that AI has the potential to solve many of the field’s most vexing challenges,” reported the American Hospital Association’s Center for Health Innovation (AHA).

Though the potential use of AI in healthcare is vast, the AHA categorizes the uses of AI in four broad areas: Administrative, Financial, Operational and Clinical.

Administrative Uses—AI technology can help with automating business processes that are manual, repetitive and structured. With this, patients may begin noticing the use of software to make the admission, check-in and appointment scheduling processes more convenient and streamlined.

Financial Uses—Many financial tasks are administrative in nature and thus, repetitive and manual. AI can help financial departments in hospitals by automating processes such as billing and collections, claims management and insurance verification. Typically, verifying patient benefits is manual, timely and error-prone. AI can be incorporated to optimize this process by making it more accurate and faster.

Operational Uses—It’s easy to “see” bedside patient care, but behind every clinical patient encounter is an extremely complex system of departments working together to ensure that caregivers have exactly what they need, where they need it and when they need it.

Imagine if your surgeon started a procedure and was unaware the tools he needed were out of stock—materials management. Imagine if a patient in the ER was connected to a lifesaving device after a stroke and the hospital unexpectedly lost power—facilities management.

From an operational standpoint, AI can be used to track, analyze and monitor medical supply usage while helping to predict shortages and overstocks. Additionally, AI may be able to assist with facility management by alerting teams to ongoing maintenance needs and helping to predict failures.

Clinical Uses—AI in patient care is helping clinicians make more accurate diagnoses and better treatment decisions. This technology can help caregivers identify at-risk patients earlier and possibly prevent adverse events by helping clinicians identify patients who may become “at risk” if certain interventions are not taken right away.

Interventional AI can also help clinicians more accurately and quickly diagnose certain conditions by creating recommendations based on evidence-based medical information, a patient’s unique characteristic and other clinical indicators.

Additionally, “wearables” also fall into the clinical AI category. These devices—such as smart watches that track blood pressure—allow for continuous monitoring of a patient’s status and offer triggered alerts when care is needed.

The Goal:

Some AI technology clearly touches the patient by making care more convenient and diagnoses more accurate, but even those solutions that are streamlining back-end processes and enhancing predictive abilities in nonclinical departments affect patients by allowing front-line staff to devote more time to patient care. St. James Parish Hospital’s leadership team remains committed to this same goal.

Our strategic plans include updating our Electronic Health Record capabilities, restructuring processes and redesigning patient flow in order to allow us to more seamlessly tap into different AI solutions that can benefit our patients well into the future.

Most recently, we welcomed a clinical AI solution with the addition of our 3D Mammography technology. This particular solution was nationally recognized for its ability to enhance cancer detection, reduce unnecessary callbacks and decrease radiologists’ reading times.

We are committed to both continuing to monitor advancements in AI and integrating those solutions that fit our mission to offer excellent, quality, compassionate healthcare.

Mary Ellen Pratt is St. James Parish Hospital CEO. She can be reached at info@sjph.org.