Can AI really make healthcare more human rather than more impersonal?

Yes, when deployed thoughtfully. AI tools like ambient clinical documentation and emotion analytics reduce the administrative load on providers, giving them more time and cognitive bandwidth to engage with patients. The key is using AI to handle repetitive tasks so clinicians can focus on empathy and connection.

What share of healthcare spending goes to administrative tasks, and how much can AI reduce it?

Citi research estimates roughly a quarter of all U.S. healthcare spending is consumed by administrative tasks. Intelligent automation has the potential to reduce that administrative burden by approximately 30%, representing a significant opportunity for cost savings and operational efficiency.

What should hospitals do before implementing AI solutions?

Hospitals should first audit and repair existing workflows and operational inefficiencies. According to Brett Kiley, AI only accelerates what is already working — layering automation onto a broken process will simply produce faster, larger-scale problems rather than improvements.

Smarter, Faster, Kinder: How AI Can Help Ho...

Smarter, Faster, Kinder: How AI Can Help Hospitals Deliver Better Care, All While Keeping Care Human

AI is moving from buzzword to practical tool in healthcare, with potential to cut administrative costs by nearly 30% according to Citi research. In this episode of 'I Don't Care,' Dr. Kevin Stevenson and Ciklum's Brett Kiley explore how hospitals and insurers can use AI to improve patient experience, reduce readmissions, and streamline clinical documentation — without depersonalizing care. They emphasize that AI amplifies good processes but cannot fix broken ones.

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Healthcare teams put it to work with Executive Thought Leadership.

Promoted content from I Don't Care on MarketScale.

By Kevin Stevenson · October 20, 2025, 11:00 AM UTCAutomation in HealthcareBrett KileyCiklumDr. Kevin Stevenson

Key takeaways

Fix workflows before deploying AI — automation accelerates what already works, and cannot compensate for broken operational processes.

Predictive analytics can identify at-risk patients before issues escalate, reducing hospital readmissions and improving satisfaction scores.

Ambient AI and emotion-aware analytics free clinicians from administrative burden, allowing more focus on direct patient care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword in healthcare — it’s becoming a real partner in how providers care for patients and improve everyday experiences. With rising patient expectations, limited resources, and mounting administrative complexity, hospitals and insurers alike are turning to AI to improve efficiency, communication, and satisfaction. In fact, Citi research estimates that roughly a quarter of all American healthcare spending goes toward administrative tasks — and intelligent automation could reduce that burden by nearly 30%, underscoring the enormous potential for AI to make care delivery smarter and more sustainable.

But as adoption accelerates, one key question looms: Can AI truly make healthcare more human — or does automation risk depersonalizing care?

In this episode of I Don’t Care with Dr. Kevin Stevenson, guest Brett Kiley, Vice President of Healthcare Solutions at Ciklum, explores how artificial intelligence can elevate — rather than replace — the patient experience. Together, they discuss practical, high-impact applications of AI that improve outcomes for both patients and providers, while emphasizing that technology alone can’t fix broken processes or disengaged teams.

Key points of discussion…

Fix the process first. AI only accelerates what’s already working — it can’t fix a bad workflow. Kiley stresses that organizations must repair operational inefficiencies before layering in intelligent automation.

Predictive, proactive patient care. By modeling data from multiple sources, Ciklum helps healthcare organizations identify at-risk patients before issues arise, reducing readmissions and improving satisfaction.

AI for empathy and efficiency. From ambient AI that automates clinical documentation to analytics that highlight emotional drivers of patient frustration, AI can empower providers to focus on care — not clicks.

Brett Kiley is the Vice President of Healthcare Solutions at Ciklum, where he helps healthcare organizations design and scale AI-driven customer experience and operational strategies that deliver measurable ROI. With over 20 years at CVS Health, he led digital transformation and patient experience initiatives that lifted Net Promoter Scores from 24 to 76, drove $100M+ in EBIT impact, and reduced call volumes by nearly half. Known for his hands-on healthcare expertise and data-driven approach, Kiley now advises hospitals, insurers, and startups on turning complex systems into efficient, patient-centered experiences powered by AI.

Article written by MarketScale.