While healthcare organizations have no shortage of questions concerning how best to implement AI into their operations, a new survey shows a significant majority have been taking serious strides in that direction over the last year alone.

According to a new survey from Optum of 500 executives, confidence and investment in AI to improve healthcare are high, with an 88 percent increase in the number of organizations who said they have implemented an AI strategy, compared with an earlier Optum survey in 2018.

One driver of the confidence, the survey found, comes from the fully half of respondents expect to see a tangible cost savings in three years or less as a result of investing in AI, compared with 31% in 2018. 

Surveyed health industry leaders included hospitals, insurers, life sciences and employers. Leaders estimate they will invest an average of nearly $40 million during the next five years, which is $7.3 million more than Optum’s estimate from last year.

“These findings validate that AI is vital to holistically transform health care,” said Dan Schumacher, president and chief operating officer of Optum, in a statement. “It’s encouraging to see executives’ growing trust in, and adoption of, AI to make data more actionable in making the health system work better for everyone.”

As to what areas of operation executives will focus their AI investment on, 50% of respondents said their organizations will invest first in automating business processes, such as administrative tasks or customer service, with roughly a third pointing to personalizing clinical care recommendations, such as drug therapies, and the same percentage prioritizing accelerating research for new therapeutic or clinical discoveries.  

Use of artificial intelligence to support non-clinical applications include:

    •    51 percent to automate prior authorizations.

    •    47 percent to provide individuals with relevant health actions using personalized communications.

    •    45 percent to manage electronic health records.

    •    43 percent to detect fraud, waste or abuse in reimbursement.

    •    38 percent to select appropriate care settings.

When it comes to what might be holding back investment in AI, nearly 90% said employees are not being trained quickly enough to keep up with the growth of AI. Potential solutions included establishing partnerships, creating training programs, working with consulting firms and postponing projects.