Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping industries from manufacturing to finance and virtually everything in-between. Healthcare is no exception. Healthcare organizations are part of the market demand for GenAI services from surgeries to healthcare staff hiring and training. It’s clear healthcare organizations that are ahead of their competition in implementing and adapting AI solutions will lead the way in operational efficiencies, hire more qualified professionals and realize better patient outcomes.

The transformational potential of GenAI lies in its ability to harness data insights and power applications that improve businesses of all sizes across all industries. In healthcare, realizing the full potential of GenAI begins with accessible, relevant and well-organized data. The government has implemented an AI Task force, run by Health and Human Services (HHS), to establish guidelines to keep healthcare data protected and develop uniform standards and algorithms as the industry moves toward widespread adoption. Most recently, the task force recommended improving health data interoperability and supporting more funding for more AI research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

GenAI also has the promise to improve the way healthcare clinicians are hired, trained and perform at their jobs. As the healthcare industry, specifically nursing, continues to struggle with significant labor shortages, GenAI tools can help qualified nurses find available nursing jobs to quickly fill roles at healthcare facilities. To address severe healthcare shortages in rural communities, increasing awareness of open nurse jobs and allied healthcare positions in less populated areas through real-time job boards and technology-driven recruiting processes significantly improves the efficiency of filling these critical roles.

Changing roles in changing times

Most of us are familiar with AI-powered chatbots in telemedicine that provide basic health information, but this represents just a small part of GenAI’s potential in healthcare. GenAI-powered healthcare tools are being developed at a rapid pace. In fact, there are already close to one thousand FDA-approved GenAI-powered medical devices available on the market.  

GenAI is subtly transforming clinician roles by enhancing both manual and cognitive tasks. This is helping mitigate clinician burnout by streamlining tasks like tedious charting. By minimizing time spent on administrative duties, clinicians can focus on patient care, which is the satisfying aspect of their profession clinicians enjoy the most. As GenAI directly improves job satisfaction, attrition rates will improve.  

From speech recognition to data mining, GenAI in healthcare is changing how care is delivered and monitored, resulting in a shift across the staffing healthcare ecosystem. Tech-savvy healthcare professionals are poised to become the hottest hires in healthcare. For those who aren’t riding the GenAI wave just yet, getting trained and up to speed on newer technology will be critically important.

GenAI and the human touch

An increasing number of healthcare organizations are requiring GenAI training. As GenAI becomes more integrated in healthcare, facilities are upskilling the current workforce to prepare them for roles that involve managing or utilizing GenAI tools. Some hospitals are training workers with immersive, GenAI-powered simulations that put the clinicians in complex, real-world patient scenarios. From virtual surgical simulations to detailed and realistic 3D human anatomy models, medical educators can train clinicians with advanced tools to improve medical care.

While GenAI-powered technology holds a significant promise in improving how healthcare is delivered, there are many considerations for healthcare organization leaders and IT professionals. There are ethical bias concerns and healthcare organizations must be cautious against an overreliance of technology. Governance surrounding GenAI is weighing in on algorithmic bias, where the data used to train GenAI systems may be skewed toward a particular demographic. Those biases can lead to inaccurate or unfair outcomes when applied to patients.

For now, GenAI requires a human touch to work but it’s quickly modernizing medical care and improving several different areas of healthcare. While GenAI is not currently replacing nurse jobs or others in the medical field, the technology is constantly evolving and changing. New uses for GenAI in healthcare continue to develop and over 90% of healthcare companies said they are employing GenAI in some capacity.

Here’s a look at ways GenAI is impacting, improving and changing healthcare:

1. Quality measurement

As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services increasingly prioritizes quality measurement, more healthcare organizations are expected to adopt GenAI technology to gather and analyze quality data. This data will play a critical role in determining patient care decisions and for insurers, determining reimbursement rates. GenAI is powering predictive analytics for both care providers and insurers, helping healthcare providers make more informed treatment plans and insurers on in patient care and insurance companies with underwriting, customer service and claims processing.

2. Real-time data and monitoring of conditions

There’s a significant impact on chronic disease management, especially chronic conditions like diabetes, COPD and hypertension, by implementing GenAI tools. While GenAI is designed to support clinical judgement rather than replace it, its integration into healthcare represents a significant opportunity to alleviate the workload of healthcare professionals while helping patients take control of their health. GenAI is enabling healthcare providers to predict health events before they happen and develop personalized care plans that improve patient engagement and adherence. There’s also great promise for GenAI to help identify at-risk populations. Identifying these health risks and taking preventative measures stands to reduce the strain on the healthcare system.

3. Recruiting, Hiring and Onboarding Healthcare Professionals

Hiring the right clinicians for the roles they are trained and qualified for has traditionally been a lengthy process, but technological innovations are now accelerating the matching of healthcare workers with facilities, ensuring better patient care. StaffDNA®, a multi-award-winning healthcare staffing company, is digitally transforming the way healthcare professionals are find, applying for and get hired for jobs. Through the StaffDNA® app, clinicians can discover positions tailored to their skills and experience, search for opportunities in desired locations, and view transparent pay details. By integrating AI into recruiting, the platform helps healthcare workers advance their careers while addressing staffing challenges in healthcare facilities.

4. Robotic surgery

Robotic surgery is already a reality in many operating rooms nationwide and used in a variety of surgeries from bariatric and cancer to gynecological and heart valve surgery. GenAI in the surgical setting has multiple applications and benefits, like smaller incisions and greater precision. Surgeons benefit from 3D views of the surgical site, allowing for greater visibility when operating on complex structures. Data shows patients experience less blood loss with robotic surgery and patients often experience faster recovery and less pain after surgery. Since robotic surgery leads to shorter hospitals stays, there’s a reduced strain on post-operative hospital staff by freeing up resources and allowing workers to focus on more critical patient needs.  

5. Smart wearables

Monitoring patients with wearable technology that delivers granular data to clinicians provides powerful, actionable health data. The smart, wearable healthcare device industry is booming and showing no signs of slowing down. GenAI can quickly analyze large amounts of data collected from devices and identify patterns, leading to better healthcare outcomes and providing more personalized care. By continuously monitoring data from patients, AI-powered wearables can identify potential health concerns early on, meaning better outcomes for patients when there’s timely intervention.  

Embracing AI in healthcare

GenAI is transforming healthcare, creating opportunities to deliver better, faster, and more personalized care. Healthcare workers are at the forefront of this technology revolutions. While not every clinical worker will need to operate AI tools directly, understanding their applications and guiding patients in using wearable tech are vital skills that empower you to enhance patient outcomes.

Embracing technology with curiosity and confidence will set you apart in the job market, as employers value professionals who see innovation as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Ready to dive deeper into the world of AI in healthcare? Numerous free online courses are available to equip you with the knowledge and skills to thrive in this exciting era of healthcare innovation. Take the first step toward becoming a tech-savvy healthcare leader.