As healthcare organizations look to the future, Generative AI is becoming a crucial tool for driving long-term growth and improving patient care. With its ability to enhance operational efficiency, support innovation and optimize customer service, GenAI is gaining traction across the sector.
Realizing its full potential, though, requires substantial investment and a strategic approach. Healthcare firms are taking steps to integrate Generative AI into their operations, recognizing the need for both short-term gains and long-term commitment.
A PYMNTS Intelligence Report, Healthcare Firms Going Long on GenAI Investment, highlights key trends in how healthcare providers are leveraging Generative AI and the challenges they face in effectively scaling these technologies.
Long-Term Commitment to GenAI in Healthcare
Healthcare firms are investing in Generative AI with an emphasis on long-term growth and innovation. According to the report, 90% of surveyed healthcare executives reported positive returns on GenAI investments, an impressive figure given the high costs and extended timelines associated with AI implementation.
This trend signals a change: major healthcare players view GenAI as a critical tool not only for staying competitive, but also for driving substantial advancements in patient care and operational efficiency. With an average full-scale adoption timeline of 7.4 years, the sector is aligning with broader cross-industry standards, suggesting healthcare is no longer on the sidelines of the AI race.
Increased Spending Yields Higher ROI
One of the report’s key findings makes a direct correlation between GenAI spending and return on investment. In the past 12 months, healthcare firms invested an average of $2.7 million in GenAI, but firms reporting the highest ROI significantly outspent others, investing around $6.4 million on average.
These firms see GenAI as a high-stakes investment where deeper financial commitment equates to better outcomes, from enhanced diagnostics to streamlined patient interactions. This insight underscores the need for healthcare firms to scale GenAI strategically, recognizing that meaningful returns may require higher upfront investments, particularly in areas with high potential for patient impact and operational efficiency.
Focused Use Cases: Innovation and Customer Service
Healthcare firms are leveraging GenAI for targeted applications that deliver immediate benefits in innovation and customer service. Consider 60% of healthcare executives report deploying GenAI in product and service innovation, enhancing research and development capabilities and supporting the development of new healthcare solutions. Meanwhile, GenAI-powered customer service tools, such as automated response systems and enhanced chatbot capabilities, are improving patient engagement and accessibility.
Interestingly, many firms are currently holding back on implementing GenAI in sensitive areas like fraud detection and cybersecurity. While GenAI’s potential in these areas is apparent, healthcare firms are cautious, prioritizing safer, less regulated applications in the near term to mitigate risks and maintain compliance.
As GenAI adoption accelerates in the healthcare sector, firms are seeing substantial returns on their investments by focusing on innovation and customer service. But the cautious approach to GenAI in areas like fraud prevention and cybersecurity reflects a prudent strategy, balancing innovation with operational security. For healthcare firms, the challenge will be to keep scaling their AI capabilities strategically, making GenAI a valuable long-term asset that supports both technological and patient-centered objectives.
