Copyright Forbes
AI is often described as a gamechanger in health care. But the real challenge isn’t just adopting the technology—it’s choosing the right problems to solve. Many early AI pilots in health care focused on administrative or financial “back office” tasks: automating scheduling, billing, or claims processing. But some hospitals are leveraging AI to address a core front line challenge: the chronic shortage of health care workers. In 2030, it’s predicted that there will be a shortage of nearly 400,000 doctors and nearly 2.5 million nurses across OECD countries. This shortage is contributing to overwhelming workloads among health care workers. But by deploying AI where clinicians feel the strain the most — their administrative burden—hospitals can help tackle a problem that directly impacts both patient outcomes and staff well-being. One example that can inform this effort is The Ottawa Hospital, which is embedding AI into the core of its operations as it designs its new campus. Their goal is to identify pressing needs and apply AI in ways that enhances the experience for staff, patients, and the health system as a whole. Humans and AI side by side One of the most promising innovations in front line health care work is the use of “digital teammates.” These AI avatars can autonomously perform complex tasks and collaborate with humans. And they can take on time-consuming activities, freeing up health care workers to focus on what matters most, patients. Digital teammates can engage in a range of administrative and interactive tasks, such as prescription follow-ups and wellness check-ins. The Ottawa Hospital is in the process of piloting a digital teammate named “Sophie.” As a digital worker, Sophie has been designed to free staff from routine tasks and paperwork so they can spend more time with patients. But she’s more than a chatbot: Sophie can answer questions drawing on vast pools of knowledge in a way only AI can supply. She also interacts with patients and has the ability to respond effectively to almost any situation presented to her. Sophie is being tested across several use cases with deployments planned in the coming months. Among her tasks will be supporting pre-operative admissions as well as other administrative tasks. By building Sophie into its current and new campus vision, The Ottawa Hospital is rethinking how hospitals can design workflows from the ground up, where humans and AI work side by side. How to get started For hospitals considering embedding AI to ease the workload of health care workers, The Ottawa Hospital’s approach can offer a roadmap: Test use cases carefully. Pilot projects should be tested for risk, usability, and responsiveness with staff, patients, and clinicians before wide rollout. Communicate amplification, not replacement. It’s critical to communicate that AI isn’t here to displace health care professionals. It’s here to augment their capacity and help them thrive. Engage end users early and often. Staff, patients, and adjacent stakeholders should have input from the very start of any AI implementation, especially those involving digital teammates and interpersonal interaction. Consulting with staff and stakeholders can not only help create avatars or personas that best reflect the real world but it can also build trust and buy-in. Think beyond the tech. AI success isn’t just about algorithms. It’s about seeing around the corner to what problems could be solved next. Effective AI springs from humans thinking long-term and having the vision to rethink their processes in response. Measure what matters. Build mechanisms for quality control into an AI implementation that measures outcomes based on real patient and clinician experiences, not just efficiency metrics. Building trust in an AI approach AI is still new in health care, and digital teammates are even newer. And AI should not be used without appropriate risk governance and compliance, which can differ depending on where you sit in the world. Ultimately, the success of AI in health care will depend on building trust—among staff, patients, and the broader public. The Ottawa Hospital’s story shows that when AI is applied thoughtfully, focusing on the right problems, it has the potential to lighten the load for health professionals while at the same time enhancing patient care. AI, of course, won’t replace compassion, skill, or judgment. But it can create the breathing space clinicians need to deliver them. And that’s exactly the kind of problem worth solving.
