Staff shortages in healthcare can be alleviated by the use of artificial intelligence but workers are often reluctant and skeptical about its use.
Almost two-thirds of global healthcare leaders report increased levels of burnout and stress in their workforce, adding to concerns over delayed patient care, a recent survey found. Delays in care due to staff shortages are an issue for more than three in four healthcare leaders (77%)—causing concerns about increased waiting lists for appointments (60%), longer waiting times for treatments or procedures (57%), or delayed or limited access to screening, diagnosis and preventive care (54%).
And, most healthcare leaders (92%) agree that using technology to automate repetitive tasks or processes is critical for addressing staff shortages in healthcare.
But, nearly two-thirds say healthcare professionals are skeptical about the use of AI and automation technology, which could be barriers to successful tech rollouts.
The findings are among the key conclusions in the Future Health Index 2024 report from global technology company Philips.
“This year’s report shows how innovations including AI are helping to free up time for staff and reduce wait times for patients,” said Shez Partovi, chief innovation and strategy officer at Philips. “However, as health systems roll out AI tools to save time and reduce barriers to care, it’s critical to bring staff along on the journey to ensure an inclusive AI rollout with patient and clinician experience is at the forefront.”
His words were supported by Professor Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci, M.D., cardiologist and CEO of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in London.
“As health leaders, we need to focus on increasing the adoption of digital technologies to improve efficiency and reduce the workload, but not without engaging with healthcare staff to ensure adoption of these technologies is embraced,” she said.
The report is based on responses from nearly 3,000 healthcare executives in 14 countries.
Generative AI adoption in healthcare is set to rise within the next three years, according to the report. Fully 85% of healthcare leaders across the surveyed countries are either already investing or plan to invest in generative AI in that period, the report said.
Widespread concerns remain, however, over potential data bias in AI, possibly exacerbating disparities in health outcomes. All the more reason to make AI more transparent and interpretable for skeptical professionals.
Virtual care may also help bridge the staffing gap, the report said. More than half of healthcare leaders say such care allows for more flexible work schedules and helps create new career opportunities for staff.
Similarly, patients can benefit from an increasing focus on remote patient monitoring with leaders looking to expand services in that field, according to the report.
Facing financial challenges, addressing the sustainability gap
As well as facing financial challenges, healthcare leaders are also grappling with the need to reduce their environmental footprint.
An overwhelming majority of healthcare leaders (96%) say their organizations are experiencing financial challenges.
Such challenges also limit the ability of healthcare organizations to implement innovations. Almost three in five healthcare leaders are unable to invest in new or more advanced technologies or have to delay such investments.
At the same time, healthcare executives realize they cannot cut or streamline their way to long-term financial stability with 89% of them using or planning strategies to serve more patients or expand services, the report said.
Healthcare leaders are also actively investing in sustainability strategies to reduce their environmental impact, including recycling waste, reducing or eliminating hazardous substances, water conservation, and reducing energy usage. Most executives (86%) say reducing CO2 emissions should be a top priority for healthcare organizations.