Hartford HealthCare (HHC) in Connecticut is working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Oxford University in England to advance artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

They have set up a centre for AI innovation in healthcare, said to be the first of its kind in New England, and one of only a few in the USA.

“AI stands poised to profoundly reshape healthcare delivery, impacting access, affordability, equity and excellence,” said Barry Stein, HHC’s chief clinical innovation officer and leader of the centre. “Hartford HealthCare is uniquely positioned to continue defining the next frontier of AI in healthcare by unlocking its full potential in a trustworthy and responsible way.”

HHC offers the infrastructure to support the research and deployment of innovative approaches, said CEO Jeffrey Flaks.

“As we transform healthcare, we are taking new approaches to innovation,” said Flaks. “This centre is poised to unlock the full potential of AI, ensuring that every algorithm is not just intelligent, but empathetic and ethical. We are committed to pioneering safe, effective and affordable solutions that revolutionise patient care while advancing clinicians’ expertise.”

The centre has five foundational elements:

• Collaboration and partnerships: Assembling an ecosystem of AI partners including MIT, University of Oxford and Google Cloud.
• Research and innovation: Conducting AI research centred on healthcare applications and developing algorithms for safe real-world implementation.
• Trustworthiness: Verifying and balancing innovation opportunities against potential risks of integrating AI into clinical practice through rigorous standards and governance.
• Education: Equipping clinical and operational colleagues with the knowledge to leverage AI in a safe, trustworthy manner, and instruct others in its effective use.
• Invention: Testing and developing AI-enabled products that safely and responsibly drive improved health outcomes.

“Years of fostering an innovation mindset have accelerated Hartford HealthCare’s portfolio of AI-related activities and capabilities,” Stein said.

As an example, he mentioned collaboration with Dimitris Bertsimas, associate dean of analytics at MIT-Sloan, through which Hartford HealthCare Innovation developed a start-up company, Holistic Hospital Optimization (H2O). H2O uses AI to help healthcare providers optimise the flow of patients and other hospital operations, return patients home more quickly and safely, optimise staff time spent with patients, and free up space and services during peak demand.

“Hartford HealthCare’s centre for AI innovation in healthcare is a beacon of hope and progress, illuminating the path towards a future where AI empowers healthcare professionals, enhances patient experiences and ultimately saves lives,” said Ajay Kumar, HHC’s chief clinical officer. “This is not merely an initiative, it is a declaration of intent, a commitment to lead the charge in shaping a future where healthcare thrives on the transformative power of AI.”

With 40,000 colleagues, Hartford HealthCare’s unified culture enhances access, affordability, equity and excellence. Its care-delivery system – with more than 500 locations serving 185 towns and cities – includes two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, acute-care community teaching hospital, acute-care hospital and trauma centre, three community hospitals, behavioural health network, multispecialty physician group, clinical care organisation, regional home care system, array of senior care services, mobile neighbourhood health programme, and comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation network. On average, Hartford HealthCare (www.HartfordHealthCare.org) touches more than 23,000 lives every day.