Health organizations are mobile from pilot projects to enterprise-wide deployment of artificial intelligence as hospitals automate high-volume workflows and expand their digital capacity.
With this expansion comes the opportunity to improve patient care and outcomes.
“Healthcare ROI is not just about efficiency” Aashima GuptaGlobal Director of Healthcare Strategy and Solutions at Google Cloudtold PYMNTS in an interview. “It’s about creating the conditions for better care. When clinicians are supported, patient outcomes naturally improve.”
According to Google Cloud’s AI ROI in Healthcare and Life Sciences reportwhat was released As of Oct. 16, 44% of healthcare and life sciences executives said their organization has adopted AI agents in production, and 34% of healthcare executives said their organization has released more than 10 AI agents.
The results indicate A sector enter a new stage of adoption that combines efficiency and equity And governance.
The Google Cloud report reveals that healthcare executives are increasingly defining ROI not only by reducing costs, but also by improving outcomes and accessibility. Technical support and patient experience saw the highest ROI from AI agents at 34% each.
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Meanwhile, the World Health Organization predicted a deficit of 11 million health workers by 2030, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.
Furthermore, the World Economic Forum reported in January that the world medical expenses are projected a double-digit increase for the third consecutive yearwith estimates suggesting an average increase of 10.4%. However, AI and other technological advances are revolutionizing patient care, and AI-based diagnostics have the potential to reduce treatment costs by up to half and improve health outcomes by 40%.
Trust, governance and insurance architecture
Data governance and protection appear to be the definition variables of success. According to the Google Cloud report, 37% of healthcare and life sciences leaders cited data privacy and security as their top considerations when selecting large language model providers. Organizations with clear governance frameworks and executive sponsorship are more likely to report measurable ROI, with 80% of these institutions showing positive returns.
“We need to be very careful in how we position AI in healthcare,” Gupta said. “This is not about diagnosis. AI is not ready to become a doctor, and we discourage that.”
Trust depends on verifiability and auditability.
“Trust means you can verify what the system says is true, you can audit it and you know what data it has accessed,” she said.
The World Economic Forum found that while AI helps doctors spot fractures, triage patients and detect early signs of illness, health care is “below average” in its adoption of AI compared to other sectors.
“Cyberattacks already cost healthcare hundreds of millions of dollars each year,” Gupta said. “Without enhanced security, the introduction of AI could actually expand the attack surface. »
From efficiency to fairness in the next phase of AI
Beyond administrative efficiency, the next phase of AI deployment will shape search, discovery and patient engagement. Google Cloud’s report showed that 72% of healthcare and life sciences managers reported improved productivity thanks to AI, and 61% said improved patient experience.
The World Economic Forum found that telemedicineWearable devices and integrated digital platforms help expand access to healthcare in underserved areas. These trends reflect the 83% of healthcare and life sciences organizations that reported estimated AI revenue growth of 6% or more.
Technology and ambition are now aligned, Gupta said.
“The agentic paradigm is spreading faster than expected,” she said. “Everyone who has tried one wants to try 10. That’s a good sign of confidence in AI, but it means we need stronger governance to get there.”
As adoption accelerates, the focus must be on execution and accountability, she said.
“Security needs to be secure by design,” she said. “Trust starts with your infrastructure, your partners and your interactions with patients. »
The digital transformation of healthcare is now shaped as much by the institutions that deploy AI as by the technologies themselves. The convergence of automation, governance and patient-centered design is redefining what ROI means in healthcare.
“Health care is evolving at the pace of trust,” Gupta said. “Technology is changing by the minute, but trust takes years to build. »
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