At HIMSS24 last month, a new group of healthcare leaders announced the formation of the Trusted and Responsible AI Network, or TRAIN, which aims to operationalize responsible AI principles to improving the quality, safety and reliability of AI in health.
Network members include AdventHealth, Advocate Health, Boston Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Duke Health, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Mass General Brigham, MedStar Health, Mercy, Mount Sinai Health System, Northwestern Medicine, Providence, Sharp HealthCare , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Microsoft are technology support partners.
Additionally, the network is partnering with OCHIN, which serves a national network of community health organizations with systems, expertise, clinical insights and relevant technology, and TruBridge , a partner and conduit to community healthcare, to help ensure every organization, regardless of resource, has access to the benefits of TRAIN.
We recently spoke with Wes Cronkite, chief technology and innovation officer at TruBridge (formerly CPSI), to discuss why TruBridge decided to join TRAIN, why the voice of public health is important in initiatives like TRAIN, how rural and community healthcare facilities can prepare for integrating AI into their workflows, and the risks and benefits he he noticed.
Q. Why did TruBridge decide to join TRAIN?
ONE. With more than 46 million Americans living in rural areas, supporting public health care through innovation and the provision of modern technology is vital. Rural healthcare deserves a place in the AI conversation, which is why my team and I have a personal passion for advocating for organizations that deliver healthcare that we serve.
TruBridge has a 45-year history of supporting public health care. TRAIN gives us the opportunity to further enhance the communities we work with while leveraging our deep network of insights. Working alongside respected leaders such as Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Mayo Clinic, TruBridge can help innovate community care through implementation and development AI is conscious.
Our customer base has a diverse patient population and data that plays an important role in ensuring AI solutions are free of bias, especially those that could negatively impact patients. rural health care providers. Providing responsible and effective AI applications is an essential part of TruBridge’s commitment to community care.
Q. Why are public health voices important in initiatives like TRAIN?
ONE. Rural communities have specific needs and considerations that must not be overlooked. Their voices are vital to the future of AI development in healthcare.
As I mentioned, millions of Americans live in rural areas, yet their needs are often overlooked in the broader discussion of health care. Highlighting their voices is imperative to the use of fair, unbiased AI tools in healthcare.
For example, community healthcare organizations need workflows tailored to the unique social determinants of health seen in rural America. Bringing a rural health lens to the table allows us to tailor our processes to fit the needs of those in rural communities.
Q. How can rural and community healthcare facilities prepare to integrate AI into their workflows? What risks do you foresee? What benefits do you foresee if properly integrated?
ONE. Preparing the workforce for AI implementation and adoption is critical for successful integration into rural and community healthcare organizations. Upskilling and retraining employees are essential steps to take now. For example, employees must be willing to integrate AI into their workflow and be trained on new processes.
Secure data exchange and patient privacy are also top considerations. Through TRAIN, we focus on building trustworthy and responsible technology. This includes focusing special attention and effort on building platforms that meet healthcare privacy and secure data exchange standards across all delivery environments .
From a benefits perspective, TruBridge sees countless opportunities to reduce clinical and administrative burdens through the responsible and safe use of AI in healthcare. If properly integrated, this technology will help healthcare organizations improve operational efficiency while providing more effective care.
Integration provides an opportunity for providers to meet community needs while streamlining reimbursement and improving outcomes.
Ask. Please share examples of how TruBridge works together with rural healthcare providers to deploy AI technologies tailored to their unique needs.
ONE. Innovation is paramount in our partnerships with rural healthcare providers. Each year,
TruBridge hosts the Dream Factory, an internal research organization where we face real challenges
customers and build new, innovative solutions. It’s a unique approach that meets customers exactly where they are and tailors our solutions to minimize the problems they face.
For example, we frequently see rural health care providers struggling with staffing shortages and lack of training. Too often, clinicians are forced to jump into the provider environment without the proper tools to equip them to deliver care effectively.
To address this need, Dream Factory serves as a pilot for generalized AI deployments to accelerate training on specific RCM and EHR systems. This training helps streamline healthcare delivery and eliminates the time spent learning new technology so providers can start caring for patients faster and better.
We find meaningful ways for AI to help facilitate quality interactions between patients and physicians throughout the care journey.
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