As the holiday and flu season approaches, healthcare providers are increasingly relying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance patient care. AI’s role in transforming healthcare has been significant, from streamlining workflows to improving personalized treatment, yet it continues to evolve. This upcoming period presents a unique opportunity to witness AI’s growing impact in bridging care gaps and personalizing patient care at a time when healthcare systems face peak demand.
With major players introducing new AI tools specifically designed for the healthcare community, the potential to support medical staff and improve patient outcomes is immense—though challenges, particularly around addressing disparities, persist.
How AI Has Transformed Healthcare So Far
AI’s integration into healthcare has yielded transformative results, particularly in analyzing vast datasets and automating processes that once burdened clinicians. From predictive analytics that anticipate patient needs to AI-driven tools that enhance clinical decision-making, AI has demonstrated its ability to improve both patient outcomes and provider efficiency. Microsoft’s AI tools, for instance, help providers extract meaningful insights from large datasets, enabling more personalized care, improving early detection of diseases, optimizing treatment plans, and reducing the administrative workload that often takes time away from patient interaction.
However, while AI has advanced in many areas, it still faces challenges in breaking down care barriers for underserved populations. Healthcare data systems remain fragmented, and AI models sometimes inherit biases from incomplete or unrepresentative datasets. Joe Petro, CVP of Health & Life Sciences Solutions at Microsoft, noted at HLTH 2024 that while progress is being made, AI tools are “not quite enough” in addressing these challenges. The industry is moving forward by enhancing interoperability and removing silos between data models, but there is still room for improvement in creating more inclusive AI-driven solutions.
Bridging Gaps for Emerging Populations
While AI has made remarkable strides, there’s still much room for improvement in addressing healthcare disparities and biases. AI plays a crucial role as a “translator” and “router” in healthcare by connecting data across systems. Through approaches like “federated learning,” insights generated at one healthcare site can benefit others, democratizing access to critical data insights while maintaining patient privacy. This interoperability fosters more inclusive, patient-centric care by breaking down data silos, which is essential to bridging gaps in healthcare access and quality across diverse populations.
However, existing data frameworks—often governed by “data owners, custodians, and processors”—can create unintentional barriers for underserved groups. Many AI models risk inheriting biases from the data they are trained on, which may not always represent the diversity of patient populations. Efforts to actively identify and mitigate these biases are essential to making AI solutions more equitable, ensuring that they benefit both underserved and well-represented groups alike.
Reducing the Administrative Burden on Providers
AI’s ability to reduce administrative burdens is another significant benefit, especially during high-demand seasons like the holidays. AI-powered tools streamline repetitive tasks such as documentation, scheduling, and data entry, allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care. With leaders like Daniel Yang, VP of AI and Emerging Technologies, spearheading these initiatives, Kaiser Permanente is leading the way in leveraging AI-driven efficiencies to free up clinicians’ time, directly improving patient experiences and outcomes.
GE Healthcare’s recently announced CareIntellect also aims to reduce the resources needed to integrate care applications, starting in oncology. By centralizing workflows and enabling real-time data access across multiple platforms, CareIntellect supports clinical teams in making timely, informed decisions. Together, innovations like CareIntellect and Microsoft’s AI models illustrate how technology can streamline healthcare operations, reducing the strain on overburdened staff during peak patient seasons.
Looking Forward: Addressing Disparities in Patient Care
Despite these advancements, ensuring AI addresses disparities in patient care remains a challenge. AI holds great promise for personalizing care, but as its role in healthcare continues to grow, concerns over biases must be addressed. Many AI models risk reinforcing existing healthcare inequalities if the data used to train them is not representative of diverse populations. Without careful design and ongoing monitoring, AI could perpetuate healthcare disparities rather than reduce them.
Moving forward, the healthcare industry must prioritize developing AI systems that actively combat these biases. AI models should be intentionally designed to address unique challenges faced by underserved populations, such as linguistic and cultural differences and socioeconomic barriers. The ethical implications of AI must be at the forefront to ensure advancements benefit all patient groups.
AI as a Seasonal Ally
As we head into the holiday and flu season, AI is poised to be a critical ally in healthcare. By reducing administrative burdens, enhancing personalized care, and improving access for underserved populations, AI can help healthcare systems better manage the increased demand for services. However, as the AI hype continues to grow, it’s essential to recognize where the technology still has room to evolve, particularly in addressing healthcare disparities. The future of AI in healthcare lies in its ability to provide equitable, personalized care to all patients, regardless of their background.
As providers prepare for an influx of patients, AI’s potential to support personalized, efficient care is becoming increasingly clear. If healthcare leaders can continue to innovate while ensuring fairness and inclusivity, AI will be a key driver in transforming healthcare—not just during flu season, but well beyond.
Amber Maraccini
Amber Maraccini is Principal CX Advisor at Medallia.
