You gotta walk before you can run.

That may be the easiest way to sum up the findings of the 2019 OptumIQ Annual Survey on AI in Health Care, which, while it was released last fall, provided many of the insights Robert Musslewhite, CEO of OptumInsight, recently shared with HealthcareITNews in anticipation of the upcoming HIMSS20 in Orlando.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Musslewhite stresses the utmost importance of AI across the healthcare sector, but he points out that last fall’s survey found a majority of healthcare stakeholders are inclined to trust AI more for what it can do for them on the administrative side of their operations rather than on the clinical.

“This ‘walk before you run’ approach means organizations are more likely to apply AI to operational tasks first,” he explained. “We believe AI-driven administrative applications will continue to serve as the foundation for more comprehensive AI strategies that ultimately will include clinical and research applications.”

For the survey, HealthcareITNews reported, “industry leaders told Optum they see AI as most pragmatic today for non-clinical applications, including a variety of administrative challenges such as automating pre-authorizations, managing electronic health records, and detecting fraud, waste or abuse in reimbursement.”

Still, Musslewhite said the survey found increasing enthusiasm for AI from those who have already engaged it, with many respondents telling Optum they are starting to see tangible results and positive impact from their use of AI. According to Musslewhite, this signals a broader, growing eagerness across the industry to apply advanced technologies and data analytics more broadly to critical decision areas.

“As more healthcare organizations invest in and implement AI technologies, there is an increasing demand for AI talent – people who have experience working with and putting AI into action,” he added. “Many organizations seek deeper expertise on how to use these technologies and leverage ongoing breakthroughs and improvements. To meet this growing need, increasingly they are engaging and partnering with outside firms that can bring needed talent and scale.”

So what does this enthusiasm translate to in investment terms?

According to Musslewhite, “we asked 500 U.S. health industry leaders including hospitals, health plans, life sciences and employers for their perspectives, (and) these leaders told us their organizations plan to invest an average of nearly $40 million in AI over the next five years.”

The goal for healthcare leaders, said Musslewhite, with a clear eye on the conversations to be had at HIMSS20, is “to create a more integrated and collaborative experience. For care providers, this includes using technology, data and advanced analytics to deliver precise, actionable insights at the point of care. For healthcare payers it includes using modern technologies embedded across the system to make information flow more easily. And for employers, it includes digital innovations that make their employees’ healthcare experiences simpler, smarter and more compassionate.”