Empowering Your Practice with AI: Challenges and First Steps
Over the last 25 years, we have witnessed several industry evolutions from policy changes that altered the delivery of health care, advancement of medical therapies that have fundamentally changed patient outcomes, to the adoption of the Electronic Health Record (EHR). However, the AI evolution which we are experiencing may provide the most rapid and impactful progression to date. This evolution brings unprecedented leadership challenges and complex questions with no single answer.
Many of the benefits of AI have been well documented, from intelligent patient management in which AI tools optimize patient scheduling and streamline patient flow minimizing patient wait time and improving patient outcomes. To one that is near and dear to me, AI tools and platforms aimed at preventing physician and provider burnout. While, yes, many of the challenges have been well documented as well, the path for healthcare leaders to embrace, implement, and optimize AI remains undefined. In thinking about this path, we have identified several of the challenges that exist and the first steps to get started in overcoming them as a modern healthcare practice leader.
The Challenges
Paradox of Choice. With the rapid proliferation of AI products entering the market, we have found this to be a gatekeeping step in many leaders’ AI journey. The number of products paired with the marketing hype in this space can create a sense of selection paralysis leading to delayed adoption and a fear of buyers’ remorse.
Integration, Interoperability, and Cost. With many practices still operating from their legacy EHR systems, that may seem like they were just adopted, integrating new AI tools and platforms can pose a significant and costly challenge to create compatible infrastructure.
Data Privacy and Security. We currently are operating in an environment of increasing cyberattacks and any one attack can cripple your medical practice. Ensuring new AI tools, which rely on immense amounts of patient data, operate under strict compliance regulations is imperative and anxiety inducing all in one.
Workforce Adoption. Once a new AI tool or platform has been selected, the new challenge of implementation and adoption arises. Recent reporting from KPMG indicates that up to 80% of healthcare AI initiatives fail citing poor change management and workforce cultural resistance.
First Steps
Start Talking About AI. While this may sound overly simplified, this is where it really starts. As a practice leader, you must be willing to have a conversation about AI and how you see it integrating into your practice. These conversations need to take place not only in the boardroom with your executive partners and physicians, but equally as importantly, in the break room with your entire team. These conversations should center on transparency, empathy, and collaboration while focusing on AI as a tool for growth and empowerment. A successful conversation will address any fears directly and welcome continued team member involvement and feedback.
Select an AI Champion(s). Depending on the size and complexity of your practice, this could be one individual or a committee of individuals, but regardless formally identifying and empowering an AI champion will serve as one, if not the most important steps in your AI success. This individual(s) will serve as your bridge builder, and their primary role should be to demystify AI driving adoption and engagement. If you are unable to identify an appropriate individual internally, there are numerous subject matter experts within our healthcare leadership ecosphere that provide these services. Your successful AI implementation will be a direct result of the time, training, and resources your champion(s) are allocated.
Define your AI Strategy. Just as you develop your practice budget, you should be developing and mapping your AI strategy for the next 1, 3, and 5 years. By surveying your clinical and administrative teams you will have a good understanding of where your biggest challenges and opportunities exist and pair these against potential AI tools to maximize your ROI. Once your goals have been identified your AI strategy will provide the roadmap to focus, align, and maintain your team’s effort as to navigate any challenge that arises on your AI journey.
Embrace Change Management. Your change management leadership will be crucial for navigating skepticism, fear, and the overall human element of AI adoption. Before any initiation of change, take the time to prepare your “people plan”, who is going to be involved and how are they going to be involved and how am I as their leader going to guide them through this evolution. Being prepared to provide reskilling and upskilling opportunities for your team members will not only garner more engagement but will provide you with more skilled team members to optimize your AI tools.
With healthcare changing and evolving faster than ever, the burden of current practice leadership is real and so is the opportunity. Those leaders and practices that embrace and champion AI into their practices and embrace change management initiatives will find themselves not only well positioned to thrive in our new healthcare landscape, but the ones writing the books about this next evolution.
Sources
KPMG Malta, “From Symptoms to Solutions: Treating AI Implementation Challenges in Healthcare,” June 2025.
