Highlighting rural voices is imperative for equitable, bias-free healthcare AI

At HIMSS24 this past month, a new consortium of healthcare leaders announced the creation of the Trustworthy & Responsible AI Network, or TRAIN, which aims to operationalize responsible AI principles to improve the quality, safety and trustworthiness of AI in health.

Members of the network 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 as the technology enabling partner.

Additionally, the network is collaborating with OCHIN, which serves a national network of community health organizations with systems, expertise, clinical insights and tailored technologies, and TruBridge, a partner and conduit to community healthcare, to help ensure every organization, regardless of resources, has access to TRAIN’s benefits.

We recently sat down with Wes Cronkite, chief technology and innovation officer at TruBridge (formerly CPSI), to discuss why TruBridge decided to participate in TRAIN, why the voice of community health is important in initiatives like TRAIN, how rural and community healthcare facilities can prepare for AI to be integrated into their workflows, and what risks and benefits he sees.

Q. Why did TruBridge decide to participate in TRAIN?

A. With more than 46 million Americans living in rural areas, it’s critically important to support community healthcare through innovation and the delivery of modern technology. Rural healthcare deserves a seat in the AI conversation, which is why my team and I have a personal passion to advocate for the healthcare provider organizations we serve.

TruBridge has 45 years of history backing community healthcare. TRAIN offers us the chance to further elevate the communities we work with while leveraging our 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 conscious AI development and implementation.

Our customer base has a diverse set of patients and data that is crucial for ensuring AI solutions don’t carry biases, especially those that may negatively impact rural healthcare providers. The delivery of effective and responsible applications of AI is an essential part of TruBridge’s commitment to community care.

Q. Why is the voice of community health important in initiatives like TRAIN?

A. Rural communities have specific needs and considerations that must not be overlooked. Their voice is critical to the future of AI development in healthcare.

As I mentioned, millions of Americans live in rural areas, yet their needs are often left out of the broader healthcare conversation. Highlighting their voices is imperative for the use of equitable, bias-free AI tools in healthcare.

For example, community healthcare organizations need workflows that align with the unique social determinants of health seen in rural America. Bringing the rural health lens to the table allows us to adapt our processes to fit the needs of those in rural communities.

Q. How can rural and community healthcare facilities prepare for AI to be integrated into their workflows? What risks do you foresee? What benefits do you foresee if integrated properly?

A. Getting the workforce ready for AI implementation and adoption is crucial for successful integration in rural and community healthcare organizations. Upskilling and reskilling staff are essential steps to take now. For example, staff must be ready to integrate AI into their workflows and trained on new processes.

Safe data exchange and patient privacy are also prime considerations. Through TRAIN, we are focused on building trustworthy and responsible technology. This includes concentrating special attention and effort on building platforms that meet the privacy and safe data exchange standards of healthcare across every delivery setting.

From a benefits perspective, TruBridge sees countless opportunities to lift clinical and administrative burdens through the responsible and safe use of AI in healthcare. If integrated properly, the technology will help healthcare organizations boost operational efficiency while also delivering care more effectively.

Integrations offer the chance for providers to meet the needs of their communities while streamlining reimbursements and improving outcomes.

Q. Please share examples of how TruBridge is working alongside rural healthcare providers to implement AI technologies tailored to their unique needs.

A. Innovation is paramount to our partnerships with rural healthcare providers. Every year,

TruBridge hosts the Dream Factory, an internal think tank where we take real challenges faced

by our clients and build new, creative solutions. It’s a unique approach to meeting our clients exactly where they are and adapting our solutions to mitigate the issues they’ve encountered.

For example, we routinely see rural healthcare providers struggle with staffing shortages and training lapses. Often, clinicians are pushed to jump into the provider setting without the proper tools to equip efficient care delivery.

To address this need, the Dream Factory serves as a pilot for generative AI deployments that will accelerate training on specific RCM and EHR systems. This training helps streamline healthcare delivery and eliminate time spent learning new technology so providers can start caring for patients quicker and better.

We find meaningful ways for AI to help facilitate quality patient-clinician interactions throughout the care journey.

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