In an ever-changing healthcare environment, the integration of artificial intelligence technologies holds great promise for the transformation of nursing practice.
As artificial intelligence becomes more commonplace, nurses are at the forefront, ready to harness its potential to ensure positive patient outcomes and improve clinical workflows, said Anna E. Schoenbaum, DNP, RN, vice president for applications and digital health at Penn Medicine based in Philadelphia.
The transformative impact of artificial intelligence
At Penn Medicine, Schoenbaum oversees a wide range of products, including the health system’s PennChart portal, clinical imaging, health forecasting, medical decision support, digital applications and more.
She’s deep into it too role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and argues that the technology will have a transformative impact on the various roles of informatics nurses and will have profound implications for the overall delivery of patient care.
Schoenbaum is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Actively cooperates with HIMSS (parent company Healthcare IT News), serving as co-chair of the Nursing Innovation Advisory Working Group and as a member of the HIMSS Provider Executive Summit and CXO Experience Advisory Board.
In recognition of her significant contributions to the field of healthcare IT, Schoenbaum received the 2023 HIMSS and ANI Changemaker Nursing Informatics Award.
He says artificial intelligence will redefine the role of computer science in nursing.
“In the era of AI, application leaders are emerging as catalysts for innovation, leading the integration of AI-powered software solutions tailored to the dynamic clinical and operational requirements of healthcare facilities,” Schoenbaum explained.
“By leveraging artificial intelligence algorithms for predictive analytics and natural language processing, application leaders can optimize healthcare applications, improving decision-making processes and ultimately improving patient outcomes.
“When it comes to clinical leaders, nurses serving as frontline advocates have a unique perspective to advocate for the seamless integration of AI technology into clinical practice,” she continued.
“The implementation of artificial intelligence-based clinical decision support systems enables clinical leaders to realize their potential predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms to identify complex patterns in patient data to make more informed decisions at the point of care.”
The needs of frontline suppliers
Moreover, working with AI developers ensures that technologies meet the needs and preferences of healthcare providers on the front lines, she added.
“Operations leaders play a critical role in strategically driving the implementation of AI technologies in healthcare organizations,” Schoenbaum noted. “By By leveraging AI-powered tools to allocate resources, optimize workflows, and monitor performance, operational leaders can boost operational efficiency and streamline care delivery processes.
“Collaboration with AI developers enables the design of solutions tailored to specific operational challenges, thereby improving the overall performance of the organization,” she added.
In addition, there is the role of information services and support teams.
Seamless AI integration
“Serving as the technical backbone for AI implementation, IS systems and support teams provide invaluable expertise in systems architecture, cybersecurity and user training,” she said. “By working closely with AI developers and healthcare providers, these teams ensure seamless operations integrating artificial intelligence technologies into existing infrastructure and workflows.
“Additionally, they facilitate comprehensive user training programs, enabling nursing staff to effectively use AI-based tools in daily practice,” she continued.
With a deep understanding of clinical workflows and data management principles, clinical informatics professionals play a key role in translating AI-driven insights into actionable strategies to improve patient care, she said.
“Using artificial intelligence-based data analysis tools, these specialists identify trends, patterns and correlations in massive data sets, enabling evidence-based decisions and the delivery of personalized care,” she explained.
“Moreover, collaborating with AI developers facilitates the design and implementation of AI-based interventions tailored to specific clinical challenges, ultimately improving patient outcomes.”
Nursing informatics necessary
In her opinion, as artificial intelligence technologies continue to develop, the role of nursing informatics in implementing it into clinical practice is becoming more and more necessary.
“By adopting AI-based solutions and leveraging their expertise in clinical workflows and data management, nurse informatics specialists can lead the transformation of patient care delivery,” Schoenbaum said.
“By actively collaborating with AI developers, healthcare providers and organizational leaders, nurses can leverage this knowledge the full potential of artificial intelligence to optimize clinical processes, improve decision-making and ultimately improve patient outcomes in the digital age.
“It is essential that healthcare leaders remain immersed in conversations and reflections about AI technologies – generating curiosity, participation in management processes, understanding measurable measures of success, and carefully monitoring outcomes and outcomes,” she concluded.