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How Pediatric Care Adapts: Leveraging Generative AI for Millennial Parents

How Pediatric Care Adapts: Leveraging Generative AI for Millennial Parents

In this exclusive webinar, we're joined by Patrick Jordan, Director of Virtual Access at Boston Children’s, J.D. Whitlock, CIO of Dayton Children's, and Charity Darnell, Chief Clinical Informatics Officer at Cook Children's. Together, we explore how children's hospitals can utilize generative AI to provide a digital-first patient experience, aligning with parents' growing expectations.

Millennials make up 33% of US parents to children under the age of 18. Almost all (77%) will research their child’s potential care provider online before making a decision. 66% expect to be able to engage with their pediatric care providers virtually, and 68% say that convenience and responsiveness are significant factors in their decision-making when evaluating pediatric care providers.


In this webinar, which took place on September 28, 2023, we were joined by IT and digital leaders from children’s hospitals across the US. Together, we closely examined how emerging technologies, such as generative AI, can assist pediatric care providers in delivering the digital-first services and engagement that parents have come to expect.

Gain insight into:

 

  • Millennial parents’ perceptions of pediatric care and generative AI
  • Using generative AI to meet and exceed parent expectations
  • AI as a catalyst for digital transformation within pediatric health systems and hospitals.
     

Featuring:

 

  • Charity Darnell, VP, Chief Clinical Informatics Officer at Cook Children’s Health Care System
  • Patrick Jordan, Director, Virtual Access & Consumerism at Boston Children’s Hospital
  • J.D. Whitlock, Chief Information Officer at Dayton Children’s Hospital
  • Moderated by Aaron Bours, VP Marketing, Hyro

Main Takeaways

Millennial Parents' Digital Expectations

The panelists emphasized the significance of aligning pediatric care with the digital expectations of millennial parents, who form a substantial portion of the parent population in the United States. Patrick Jordan, J.D. Whitlock, and Charity Darnell discussed the challenges pediatric health systems face, including labor shortages, a surge in youth mental health cases, and lower reimbursement rates. The speakers underscored the importance of personalized care experiences, constant communication, and ease of access, all of which are critical factors for millennial parents when evaluating pediatric care providers.

Why Incorporating Generative AI into Pediatric Care Matters

Generative AI emerged as a crucial tool for pediatric care providers seeking to meet and exceed millennial parents’ expectations. By implementing a generative AI-powered digital front door approach, hospitals can offer immediate, accurate responses to concerned patients and parents, enhancing satisfaction while relieving support staff. The technology can also streamline clinical documentation, enabling physicians to focus more on patient care.

 

Under proper supervision, generative AI has the potential to automate administrative tasks like producing discharge summaries, significantly reducing overhead and maximizing revenue. However, the panelists emphasized the need for control, compliance, and explainability when implementing emerging technologies like generative AI in healthcare settings.

Challenges and Considerations for Generative AI in Pediatrics

The panelists also discussed the challenges and considerations associated with implementing generative AI in pediatric care. J.D Whitlock emphasized the importance of governance, ensuring that existing committees consider the right factors for safe implementation. He also noted that the technology’s rapid advancement requires careful balancing of innovation with compliance and risk management. Charity Darnell echoed this sentiment, highlighting the significance of data governance and ensuring equitable access to care, especially for patients with varying language proficiency or residing in areas with limited technology resources.

Adding The Human Touch with Parents & Patients

The webinar continued with a discussion on the integration of pediatric care and generative AI. This highlighted the vital balance between technological advancement and the irreplaceable human touch in healthcare. Panelists emphasized that while generative AI is a potent tool, it should work alongside care rather than replace it. Patrick Jordan emphasized the necessity of building a scalable innovation infrastructure for the future of pediatric healthcare. The ultimate goal is to offer personalized, real-time access to health information and streamline processes for both clinicians and patients.

Streamlining Workflows: Vital Steps in AI Adoption

Charity Darnell emphasized the importance of addressing fragmented workflows when implementing artificial intelligence in healthcare. She underscores the need for close collaboration with patients, families, and clinicians to identify areas of friction and opportunities for improvement. She highlights the demand for personalized care accessible through mobile applications. At Cook Children’s, they’ve developed the ‘My Cook Children’ app, which centralizes patient and family resources, including messaging with care providers and wayfinding features. Engaging patients, families, and clinicians in these discussions early on is crucial for successful implementation.

Keys for Engagement: Multi-Lingual Support and Personalized Messaging

Looking ahead, the panelists envisioned a transformative post-care experience facilitated by generative AI. This includes personalized instructions in care plans and improved patient interaction through real-time access to tailored information. J.D Whitlock emphasized that advancements in AI will allow for automated responses to patient queries, making the process more efficient for both patients and providers. Additionally, the panel highlighted the opportunity for multi-lingual support, ensuring that diverse patient populations receive care in their preferred language, further enhancing accessibility and inclusivity.

Bridging Gaps in Pediatric Mental Health Care

The acquisition of Franciscan Children’s Hospital by Boston Children’s Hospital in June reflects a strategic move to address the growing children’s mental health epidemic, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The shortage of mental health care specialists, particularly in psychiatry, is a critical concern on both a domestic and international scale. To counter this, according to Patrick Jordan, Boston Children’s is leveraging technology, with a focus on generative AI, to streamline clinical processes and alleviate the administrative burden on clinicians. By automating tasks like discharge instructions and documentation, the hospital aims to free up valuable time and resources for specialized care, ultimately enhancing the quality of service for patients.

Virtual Care for Pediatric Specialties

In response to the challenges posed by limited access to specialized care, childrens hospitals are also turning to virtual care. At Boston’s Children’s, as noted by Patrick Jordan, a virtual visits team is dedicated to expanding the availability of remote consultations and to enable patients living in remote areas to receive top-tier medical attention. By offering virtual visits, especially in specialties like psychiatry, the hospital aims to break down geographical barriers and ensure that families do not face unnecessary logistical challenges when seeking care. This approach not only enhances accessibility but also contributes to reducing clinical burnout and improving overall patient satisfaction.

Generative AI's Role in Reducing Disparities in Pediatric Care

The discussion concluded with a forward-looking perspective on the potential of generative AI in reducing healthcare disparities. By leveraging diverse data, generative AI models can be tailored to local demographics, enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of care. However, it was noted that bias considerations remain crucial, and efforts must be made to ensure that AI-driven solutions are sensitive to the diverse needs and backgrounds of patients. Ultimately, the panelists emphasized that generative AI will complement, not replace, the human element in pediatric care, maintaining the critical emotional factor in patient communication and engagement.

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