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Survey: Gen AI in healthcare gains momentum across sectors
New survey data show that gen AI in healthcare continues to gain traction across sectors as leaders prioritize administrative efficiency.
The adoption of generative AI in healthcare is accelerating, with early use cases primarily targeting administrative tasks, according to new research from McKinsey & Company.
McKinsey has surveyed healthcare leaders since 2023 about their outlooks and approaches to gen AI. The most recent survey, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2024, included 150 healthcare leaders from payers, health systems and healthcare services and technology groups.
Adoption and implementation
The survey found that 85% of healthcare leaders were exploring or had already adopted generative AI capabilities in the fourth quarter of 2024. More respondents were in the implementation stage than in the proof-of-concept stage, suggesting that organizations are advancing their gen AI investments. However, 15% of leaders reported that their organization had not yet started to create proof-of-concept use cases.
Focus on third-party vendor partnerships
The survey revealed that 61% of leaders plan to pursue partnerships with third-party vendors to create customized tools. Among respondents opting for vendor partnerships, 58% are looking to their existing IT vendors, and 46% are also exploring partnerships with hyperscalers due to their data management expertise.
On the other hand, 20% of leaders said they intend to build gen AI capabilities in-house, and 19% said they plan to purchase off-the-shelf technology.
Use cases
Respondents across subsectors identified administrative efficiency and clinical productivity as the most promising applications of gen AI. Additionally, many leaders noted opportunities to use gen AI for patient or member engagement, as well as IT and infrastructure, underscoring the technology's broad range of potential use cases.
Measuring ROI
Many respondents who reported that their organizations are implementing gen AI said they are looking to quantify the impact of their investments. Across respondents that have already deployed gen AI, 64% indicated that they anticipated or had already measured positive ROI, suggesting high expectations for gen AI in healthcare.
“The development of gen AI remains important to success in the healthcare space, and leaders can consider how to position their organizations for the future,” the report authors wrote. “Successful implementations will require a value-driven strategy, strong delivery capabilities, and robust organizational management.”
Hannah Nelson has been covering news related to health information technology and health data interoperability since 2020.
