Health systems lean toward established partners for AI adoption

Editor's Note

Most US health systems are choosing artificial intelligence (AI) tools from vendors already connected to their electronic health record (EHR) systems rather than from new, standalone AI startups, Modern Healthcare August 14 reports. The findings come from a July survey of 233 health systems conducted by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and Eliciting Insights.

As detailed in the article, more than 70% of health systems—regardless of their AI maturity—prefer working with existing vendor partners. This trend gives companies already integrated with EHR or revenue cycle platforms a clear advantage. While most systems will not necessarily wait for their EHR vendor to offer AI tools, existing relationships often drive adoption decisions.

The report revealed uneven readiness for AI: only 18% of health systems have a mature strategy and governance framework for AI initiatives, while more than 80% have either no formal governance or are still developing one.

According to HFMA director of professional practice Todd Nelson, vendor consolidation is appealing because managing fewer contracts reduces complexity. However, he acknowledged there are situations where health systems should consider specialized solutions from new entrants. The data suggest AI startups may need to partner with established players to gain traction in this market.