AI in Canadian Health Care: Leading Through (another!) Digital Revolution

As a health care leader, you're likely hearing about artificial intelligence (AI) constantly. Your clinicians, staff, or faculty probably share articles about its potential to transform their work – some with excitement, others with extreme trepidation. Your board might be asking about AI strategy while your IT team warns about infrastructure gaps. And somewhere in between, you're trying to chart a course that serves your patients, your public, or your students while supporting your internal team and maintaining financial sustainability.

For a technology that is supposed to make things easier, the conversation around AI seems to be incredibly complex and overwhelming.

At our Reimagining Health Care Leadership event, we polled the audience on the statement, “Artificial intelligence will be positive for health care overall.” The results were not as conclusive as many of our other poll questions:

• Strong Agreement: 9.1%
• Agreement: 45.5%
• Neutral: 24.2%
• Disagreement: 12.1%
• Strong Disagreement: 6.1%
• Not Sure: 3%

These results demonstrate the balance of promise and apprehension that we hear from clients who are exploring incorporating AI into their workflow. 

This mixed reception isn't surprising – we're standing at the intersection of tremendous opportunity and legitimate concern.

Why the Split Reaction?

The promise of AI is compelling:

• More accurate diagnostics, especially in medical imaging
• Faster reporting and documentation
• Reduced administrative burden
• Enhanced clinical decision support
• Significant potential cost savings through automation

But also concerning:

• Data privacy and security concerns
• Fears about creating new health equity gaps
• Challenges with workflow integration
• Lack of proper infrastructure
• Uncertainty about staff acceptance

The Leadership Challenge

The current state of AI in health care tells a story of transformation that's both exciting and daunting. As a leader, you're tasked with bridging the gap between AI's potential and our current reality. It's like being asked to build a bridge while still learning about engineering – and the landscape below is constantly shifting!

Your Action Plan

Here's what you can do now to start moving forward:

1. Start Small but Think Big

• Begin with focused pilot projects in low-risk areas
• Prioritize applications with clear ROI (scheduling, documentation, imaging)
• Build confidence through early wins

2. Invest in Your People First

• Create AI literacy programs for all staff levels
• Partner with academic institutions for training
• Establish clear governance structures for AI initiatives

3. Address Infrastructure Strategically

• Assess your current digital maturity
• Develop a phased infrastructure improvement plan
• Consider cloud-based solutions for faster deployment

4. Build Trust Through Transparency

• Engage all stakeholders in AI implementation discussions
• Create clear policies on AI use and data protection
• Regular communication about AI initiatives and outcomes

Making It Work in the Real World

Those achieving the best results with AI share three characteristics:

• They prioritize staff engagement over technology
• They focus on solving specific problems rather than implementing AI for its own sake
• They maintain strong governance while encouraging innovation

The Path Forward

The majority of Canadian health care organizations are planning to deploy AI within the next five years. This isn't just about keeping up with technology – it's about leading your organization toward better patient care and/or practitioner education, more efficient operations, and a more sustainable future.

Your role isn't to have all the answers – even the AI ‘experts’ are constantly playing catch up with this rapidly evolving technology. Your role is to create the conditions where your team can explore, learn, and implement AI solutions that make sense for your organization.

AI doesn’t need to be a tidal wave that overwhelms us. Rather, it has the potential to be a rising tide that can lift all boats – if navigated wisely. 

The question isn't whether to embrace AI (it is coming whether we like it or not) but how to do it in a way that aligns with our values and serves our communities.