
Does ROI Even Matter in Healthcare Anymore?
In a system already under incredible pressures, with more seemingly arriving every day, ROI becomes about not spending less but spending smarter.
In a system already under incredible pressures, with more seemingly arriving every day, ROI becomes about not spending less but spending smarter.
Providers stand to gain a lot by making smart AI and automation decisions, but that value depends on investing in the right places. It may be tempting to plug in a single-point solution to fix an immediate challenge, but a more strategic, long-term approach will unlock greater value.
Sentara Health has rolled out Regard’s AI-powered chart review and discharge summary tool across all 12 of its hospitals. The tool has delivered consistent benefits when it comes to patient safety and documentation accuracy, said Joseph Evans, Sentara’s chief health information officer.
If healthcare leaders hope to demonstrate ROI on AI investments, reduce clinician burnout, and meet compliance requirements, they must first ensure the integrity of their clinical data.
AI doesn’t need to be a black box — and hospitals don’t need to invest based on blind faith. With the right structure, questions, and metrics in place, healthcare leaders can cut through the hype and make decisions that actually drive value.
Application rationalization shouldn’t be a cleanup project — it should be a pillar of the M&A investment thesis, with clear ROI tied to cost savings, risk mitigation, and innovation readiness.
Healthtech companies have to navigate a maze of complex regulations, prove their financial model, and win over multiple stakeholders. Finding the right balance between patient protection and innovation is crucial.
The trouble is that our technical colleagues know how to build beautiful products, but most have not worked within the four walls of healthcare, very seldom within the operating room. As a result, they do not know what will work or what is sufficient to drive engagement. What's needed is collaboration.
Riverside Health is reporting an increase in revenue and net margins as a result of adopting Abridge’s ambient AI technology. The tool listens to doctor-patient interactions and generates clinical notes — which not only alleviates physicians’ burnout, but also improves their documentation accuracy. The Virginia-based health system saw a 14% increase in HCC diagnoses documented per encounter.
When systems integrate better, every minute saved by removing roadblocks is a minute given back to clinicians and patient care. It’s time for vendors in this space to treat interoperability as a core business strategy rather than a buzzword or another box to check as they’re going through the motions.
Without a clear picture of which solutions are working and which ones aren’t, it’s difficult for providers to scale AI across their enterprise. As hospitals transition their AI efforts from experimentation mode to the widespread adoption phase, experts agree that more rigorous, real-world evidence is needed.
As healthcare leaders look for the low-hanging fruit for AI and automation investments in the revenue cycle, there are three things that should be considered to achieve maximum impact on labor effectiveness.
The conversations in Nashville reinforced the idea that while innovation remains essential, vendors must navigate the fine balance between bold ideas and real-world implementation, demonstrating not just promise but tangible outcomes.
Health systems aren’t seeing a ton of ROI when it comes to their AI investments quite yet, as use of the technology is still in an iterative stage. However, Mount Sinai CEO Brendan Carr thinks that is likely to change in the next couple years.
During a recent panel, three health system executives shared some of the most important lessons they’ve learned from the digital initiatives they’ve worked on in the past couple years. Some of their nuggets of wisdom included starting with a problem instead of a solution and being sure not to use financial ROI as the only metric for success.