Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Robert C. Garrett Delivers Keynote at HIMSS2024 on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
March 15, 2024
Garrett calls for health systems globally to harness transformative power of AI while implementing key safeguards
Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is proud to announce that CEO Robert C. Garrett was the featured keynote speaker at the HIMSS2024 conference in Orlando, the premier gathering for healthcare IT professionals in the nation, which drew 35,000 attendees.
“Harnessing AI will be one of the defining tasks of the 21st century. It may help cure cancer, extend life and personalize treatment so that it becomes as unique as your fingerprint," Mr. Garrett said.
The Chicago-based Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a non-profit advisor, thought leader and member-based society committed to reforming the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology. The event was held March 11 to 15 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center.
AI and industry partnerships have the potential to improve health for billions of people and save countless lives, Mr. Garrett said. AI may aid health systems globally in improving access to care and outcomes, delivering more value, improving health equity and efficiency and mitigating the impact of climate change on people’s health.
“AI algorithms are creating the rapid analysis of health data, leading to precise diagnoses and timely interventions,"" Mr. Garrett said. “Predictive models powered by AI can detect patterns and trends, aiding disease prevention and personalized treatment."
Hackensack Meridian Health has various AI -enabled capabilities in production as pilots and under development. AI- driven chatbots are helping enhance the patient experience.
The network is developing AI solutions to help radiologists prioritize review of critical cases. This can be a gamechanger considering that a radiologist reviews up to 200 images a day.
Hackensack Meridian is also using AI to help physicians to detect advanced kidney disease sooner. This could help delay dialysis treatment and even the need for a transplant. This pilot also has the potential to advance health equity. Black Americans are 3 times more likely than white Americans to suffer kidney failure.
Another pilot is helping us optimize OR scheduling to fill in gaps so we don’t delay care. At the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, students are learning how to integrate AI into their training and to prioritize ethics and patient safeguards.
“We can’t hold back this innovation,"" Mr. Garrett said. “It’s here to stay, but we must commit to deploying AI safely through effective governance. It will never replace human intervention and oversight."