Reimagining healthcare through AI use

AI holds extraordinary promise for transforming the U.S. healthcare system — from enhancing diagnostic accuracy and clinical workflows to lowering operational costs and improving patient outcomes. As providers grapple with financial pressure, staffing shortages, and rising patient complexity, AI presents both a lifeline and a challenge: how to responsibly and effectively integrate this powerful technology into an industry built on human care.

To address these challenges and possibilities, Claudia Douglass, Grant Thornton’s Healthcare Growth Leader, sat down with Dr. Peter Pronovost, Chief Quality & Clinical Transformation Officer at University Hospitals in Cleveland, at the recent the ViVE Conference in Nashville, Tenn., to explore the transformative potential of AI in healthcare.

Through the lenses of Douglass’s strategic advisory perspective and Pronovost’s experience in clinical transformation, the two shared real-world insights drawn from University Hospitals' pioneering use of AI, including the implementation of AI with computer vision and remote monitoring technology that generated a $10 million return within just six months. Pronovost’s team used a “hierarchy of value” to remove waste, automate tasks, and preserve what truly matters at the bedside. The presentation also delves into the human dimension of healthcare, where Pronovost champions “a culture of love” as the foundation for performance improvement.

Together, the speakers reveal how AI can address healthcare’s deepest pain points — ranging from high costs and chronic disease management to staffing shortages and diagnostic errors — if implemented with intentional leadership, cultural transformation, and governance.