AI is everywhere you turn, yet many behavioral health care providers are still unsure of how to successfully implement it. Even fewer people recognize the unique position their IT leaders are in when it comes to evaluating an AI solution.
If your behavioral health organization is planning to hop on the AI train, you need to know what to look for under the hood, and which route to follow so you arrive at full rollout on time.
With that in mind, here are the steps organizations must take to achieve a smooth AI implementation — and how they can empower their IT leaders to make it happen.
Hop on the AI Train and Inspect the Engine for 4 Must-Haves
When evaluating potential AI solutions, four elements stand above the rest:
1. A Model Built Specifically for Behavioral Health
Behavioral health is a distinct field that requires more than just a generalized AI tool. AI models designed for general audiences, or even general medicine, don’t fit the bill. From an IT perspective, equipping specialized providers with non-specialized AI means you’ll likely end up fielding a lot of complaints from stressed-out users when the AI output (i.e., documentation) doesn’t align with the input (i.e., client sessions). Lean on your IT leader to find a solution tailored to behavioral health.
2. Seamless Tech Pairings
In behavioral health AI, painful, large-scale integration is out, and simple embedding is in. When a software securely embeds on top of other systems — like through a browser extension — the vendor doesn’t need permissions or access codes. The new technology simply works alongside your existing systems, like your EHR, immediately.
Embedding is the behavioral health industry’s easy button.
3. Hands-On Onboarding and Training
Implementing an AI solution isn’t a one-time event — it’s a collaborative journey. And your IT team will be the ones handling frustrated users if training hits the rails. That’s why your AI vendor absolutely must provide a comprehensive support framework, including customized implementation plans, training, ongoing support and maintenance.
4. A+ Security Certifications
In the health care world, data security is not just a preference — it’s a necessity. And IT is often responsible for ensuring data security and regulatory compliance. Best-in-class AI vendors take their certs seriously, earning their HIPAA, SOC 2, and HITRUST seals of approval, just to name a few.
Identify Your Stops Along the Way
Once you’ve selected the right vendor, you’ll need to plan your rollout route. Here are five suggested steps:
1. Do Your Homework
One of the most important stages of the implementation process actually comes before rollout. Prior to introducing any new software in your tech ecosystem, it’s crucial to understand how the new solution fits into your existing systems and workflows, and for stakeholders to align internally on any special requirements and specifications.
2. Know Your Audience
Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to communication and change management. Remember, there are a lot of different stakeholders when introducing a new software system. It’s not just a technical implementation, and you’ll need to foster buy-in across multiple levels of the organization — tech savvy and not-so-tech-savvy alike.
3. Identify Your Power Users
Some staff members will embrace AI more readily than others, and some will find it more intuitive than others. Peer champions can be instrumental in helping those lagging adopters get more comfortable with the new technology. Leverage them for training groups or even one-on-one coaching.
4. Keep Training Short and Sweet
The goal of any technology training session isn’t just teaching people how to use the platform. It’s also creating the best possible first impression. When you train users, many of them will be seeing AI for the first time — and that can be scary.
That’s why the best AI training sessions are quick and simple. There’s no reason to drag out education on a software that’s supposed to be easy to use. Doing so could create the false perception that the technology is more complicated than it really is.
5. Strive for “Aha!” Moments
Whether it’s during the training itself or afterwards, when providers start testing out a new AI solution, the ultimate goal is for them to experience their own “lightbulb moment” — when the value of the technology suddenly clicks into place.
Embark on Your AI Journey
Even though AI has been around for a long time, the behavioral health industry has barely scratched the surface of what is possible. When it comes to spearheading and implementing AI, there’s a lot to consider. No matter where you’re heading, the time is now to get aboard the train.
This Views article is sponsored by Eleos Health. For more actionable insights into what the perfect AI partner can do to help make implementation a breeze, check out Eleos’s guide The Complete Guide to Behavioral Health AI Implementation.
