Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is changing workplaces everywhere, and health care is no different. The application of artificial intelligence in business is helping organizations empower employees to work more efficiently. At OSF HealthCare, leaders are finding ways to use generative AI to help Mission Partners (employees) do their jobs better. Instead of replacing Mission Partners, AI is being used to handle time-consuming tasks so workers can focus on more meaningful parts of their jobs.
Why generative AI matters
According to Melissa Knuth, vice president of planning at OSF HealthCare, generative AI is a valuable tool for health care systems. “Nonprofit health care systems have tight budgets, and we’re facing workforce shortages that could last another 10 years,” she explains. “Generative AI can help with those challenges and reduce the stress on our clinicians.”
The goal at OSF is to train Mission Partners how to use AI at work to ease the administrative workload, not to take over people’s roles. This approach helps employees focus on the parts of their jobs they’re trained for, while AI handles regular tasks like organizing information.
Impact of artificial intelligence on jobs
While some worry about what jobs AI will replace, OSF sees it differently. In clinical settings, it’s about giving employees more time to focus on the human side of health care, the part that AI can’t replace. For example, AI tools can summarize large amounts of information, assist with writing emails or reports, and simplify processes.
These enhancements save time and reduce stress, giving employees more time for creative problem-solving, patient care and collaboration. Generative AI can assist in managing complex workflows, improving communication and simplifying routine tasks, making workdays more efficient and satisfying. By supporting employees in this way, AI in business becomes a tool that empowers teams to focus on their strengths and skills, driving innovation and improving the work experience.
AI training for employees
OSF believes the key to success with AI is educating everyone. The organization created a training program to teach all Mission Partners the basics of generative AI. Knuth says this is important because understanding the tools helps reduce fears about AI replacing jobs.
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“We want our Mission Partners to feel confident talking about AI with patients and the community,” she says. “We’re also helping them see that AI is here to assist them, not replace the work they do.”
The training, created with help from the medical visualization team at OSF Innovation, uses short videos, interactive tools and text to keep lessons interesting. The first course, Getting to Know Generative AI, focused on building basic knowledge and easing fears. So far, 80% of the workforce has completed the training, and most said the content was relevant to their jobs.
Making AI easy to use
OSF is also rolling out tools to make AI more accessible. One example is Microsoft Copilot, an AI tool built into the Microsoft products Mission Partners already use. OSF Innovation has also developed a crowdsourcing app where employees can share tips on writing instructions and prompts for AI tools.
By putting these tools in familiar platforms like Microsoft Teams, OSF makes it easier for employees to get started with AI. These tools can help with everything from summarizing complex information to writing emails.
OSF plans to build on its AI education program with new courses and tools. Leaders are also training Mission Partners on how to double-check AI results to avoid spreading incorrect information, as well as helping Mission Partners understand what kind of information is appropriate to put into a generative AI tool.
Knuth compares this shift to the early days of the internet or email. “It feels like a moment of transformation,” she says. “A year from now, we won’t imagine how we worked without it.”