Artificial intelligence (AI) has long been touted as a game-changer in healthcare interoperability, but the hype surrounding it has left some providers unimpressed.

While there is no doubt that AI, also known as machine learning, holds great potential to revolutionize care delivery and business operations, exaggerated expectations, slick conference demonstrations, and lofty promises have yet to materialize in many affordable, real-world electronic health record (EHR) applications.

However, with the rise of generally available neural networks and advanced language models like ChatGPT and Bard, discussions about the role and scope of machine learning in healthcare have now, understandably, reached a fever pitch.

In this blog, we’ll try to separate science fiction from reality and highlight a few areas where hospital leaders can implement artificial intelligence right now to see tangible benefits.

Machine Learning and Healthcare

Emerging technologies at work now offer the possibility of simplifying tedious EHR data entry but also offer opportunities to detect health patterns and create more proactive treatment plans.

For instance, artificial intelligence can help a doctor identify that a diabetic patient is also dealing with hypertension or recently experienced a COPD episode. This combination of human intelligence and AI-driven insights can lead to more informed decisions and improved patient outcomes.

MEDHOST's collaboration with industry leaders for Cures Act compliance has paved the way for leveraging AI to extract advanced analytics from secure clinical data, such as vitals, diagnoses, medications, and procedures.

By utilizing data available in the cloud, MEDHOST can provide value-added solutions for hospitals, solving complex problems like predicting sepsis, cardiac risk, length of stay (LOS), and reducing readmission rates.

AI Algorithms for Revenue Cycle Management (RCM)

From automating manual tasks within patient access, coding, billing, and collections to real-time analytics, and prior authorization, artificial intelligence is addressing key pain points in the RCM process.

Two critical areas in the healthcare industry that can significantly benefit from leveraging artificial intelligence technologies are contract management and medical coding. Here's how:

• Automating payer contracts with AI-powered Contract Management tools ensures accurate calculations of expected payments and efficient reconciliation of owed amounts.
• With the help of machine learning, hospitals can optimize medical coding to prevent claims denial, reduce revenue loss, and eliminate repetitive tasks. Advanced clinician documentation tools and comprehensive solutions help ensure accurate billing, reducing additional work hours for hospital business office staff.

Looking to the Future

Providers need artificial intelligence solutions that work right now, without all the hype.

Companies like MEDHOST are leading the way in adopting AI systems, applications, and cloud-based solutions to address various challenges and optimize healthcare operations.

As artificial intelligence continues to make its mark in the healthcare industry, the future looks promising for streamlined EHRs and optimized revenue cycle management. Innovations driven by deep learning and AI tools can empower healthcare providers to deliver better care, make more informed decisions, and improve operational efficiency.

For more information about how MEDHOST can help your facility leverage machine learning to improve patient care and business services, contact us at inquiries@medhost.com or call 1.800.383.6278.