How Do Health Executives View AI? 3 Takeaways from New Survey

Health care C-suite leaders see no shortage of potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to help the field advance, but their optimism remains restrained due to many factors.

How to safely implement AI, the ongoing need to monitor algorithms to ensure that they perform up to standards and the potential for misleading or biased AI outputs have kept health care executives cautious about the technology, a recent Sage Growth Partners survey shows.

Interesting Dichotomies Emerge

Key findings from the Sage survey of 101 health care C-suite executives from integrated delivery networks, academic medical centers and independent hospitals found that respondents share similar optimism and concerns about the technology. For instance:

• 83% believe that AI could improve clinical decision-making.
• 75% say AI can reduce operational costs by improving efficiencies.
• 67% say their organization now invests in AI technologies to enhance patient care.
• 57% rank AI-based clinical solutions as their top technology over the next two years.

Meanwhile, executives have many areas of hesitation about AI:

• Only 12% believe today’s AI algorithms are robust enough to rely on.
• Only 13% have a clear strategy for integrating AI into clinical workflows.
• Just 10% of respondents say their organizations are aggressively pursuing AI today.
• Nearly 50% of respondents cite appropriate use of AI as one of their top three greatest challenges.

3 Takeaways from the Sage Growth Partners Survey

1 | Data privacy and security concerns remain.

Nearly 70% of respondents completely or somewhat agree that data privacy and security concerns are a major barrier to AI adoption. Meanwhile, 36% completely or somewhat agree that there was too much bias in clinical data sets to rely on AI for clinical use cases.

Takeaways

While the potential of AI is undeniable — especially in areas like clinical decision support and operational efficiency — executives are rightly concerned about data quality, bias and regulatory uncertainties, Stephanie Kovalick, chief strategy officer at Sage Growth Partners said in a statement. “The stakes are too high for a misstep,” she adds.

2 | Execs are split on algorithm bias limitations.

Nearly equal percentages of respondents expressed confidence in the robustness of AI systems and concern over their limitations. According to the data, 38% completely or somewhat agree that AI algorithms are robust enough to rely on; 36% completely or somewhat disagree; and 27% were neutral. (Note: Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.)

Takeaways

Part of the issue appears to be whether respondents believe there is too much bias in clinical data sets to rely on AI for clinical solutions. Again, respondents were split in their answers on this issue. Forty-two percent of respondents said they completely or somewhat disagree that there is too much bias in clinical data sets to rely on AI for clinical solutions, while 36% completely or somewhat agree that there is too much bias in clinical data to rely on AI for clinical solutions; and 23% were neutral. (Note: Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.)

3 | Despite obstacles to adoption, C-suite leaders are leaning into AI — in some ways.

C-suite respondents rank AI among their top five technology initiatives and are looking to AI to address persistent workforce needs. What’s more, 43% say AI is the top health care trend to watch in health care over the next two years — far ahead of 2025’s next highest trends: remote care (21%) and workforce shortages (16%).

Takeaways

Executives see incredible potential in AI for advancing top strategic initiatives. From revenue cycle operations, integrating virtual care into traditional delivery models, and overall digital transformation, C-suite leaders are expecting AI to have a substantial impact in driving core objectives.