In an era where healthcare systems grapple with mounting pressures to improve efficiency and patient outcomes, Hackensack Meridian Health, a prominent health system based in New Jersey, has emerged as a trailblazer by leveraging advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools to revolutionize medication management. Faced with significant challenges such as labor-intensive data entry, barriers to prescription affordability, and gaps in patient education, this organization embarked on a transformative journey by partnering with a leading health IT vendor to integrate cutting-edge solutions into its clinical workflows. The initiative not only addressed systemic inefficiencies within its Epic electronic health record (EHR) system but also set a powerful example for how technology can enhance care delivery. By automating tedious tasks, providing real-time insights, and strengthening patient engagement, Hackensack Meridian has demonstrated the profound impact of targeted AI applications in a complex healthcare environment. This story of innovation offers valuable lessons for other institutions seeking to balance administrative demands with the imperative of high-quality patient care, highlighting a path forward where technology serves as a catalyst for meaningful change.
Overcoming Workflow Bottlenecks with Technology
The initial hurdle for Hackensack Meridian Health centered on the overwhelming administrative burden placed on clinicians due to manual processes within the Epic EHR system. Before the adoption of AI tools, a staggering 74% of medication instructions—commonly referred to as “sigs,” which include dosage, frequency, and administration routes—required manual entry by doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. This repetitive task not only consumed significant time but also diverted skilled professionals from direct patient interaction, contributing to burnout and heightening the risk of human error. Such errors in transcription could lead to serious adverse drug events, posing a direct threat to patient safety. The need for a solution was urgent, as the existing workflow strained resources and undermined the health system’s ability to prioritize care over clerical duties. By recognizing this bottleneck as a critical pain point, Hackensack Meridian set the stage for a technological intervention that promised to alleviate pressure on staff while safeguarding the integrity of medication records.
To address this pervasive issue, the health system collaborated with a health IT partner to deploy an AI-powered data optimization tool designed to automate the mapping of medication instructions into structured EHR fields. This innovation marked a seismic shift in workflow dynamics, achieving an impressive leap from a mere 26% to 86% automated mapping rate across a sample of over 300,000 medication records. Clinicians, previously bogged down by data entry, could now focus on verifying accuracy rather than inputting information from scratch. This reduction in manual workload translated into more time for meaningful patient engagement and a decreased likelihood of mistakes during medication reconciliation. The success of this tool underscored the potential for AI to transform even the most ingrained inefficiencies, offering a blueprint for other health systems struggling with similar administrative challenges in their daily operations.
Elevating Patient Care Through Cost Transparency
Another critical dimension of Hackensack Meridian’s initiative focused on tackling the financial barriers that often disrupt medication adherence. Prior to the implementation of AI tools, clinicians lacked real-time access to prescription cost information during patient encounters, leaving many patients blindsided by unexpected expenses at the pharmacy. This opacity frequently resulted in delayed treatments or outright abandonment of prescribed medications, undermining health outcomes and eroding trust in the care process. By integrating a prescription price transparency tool into the EHR system, the health system empowered providers to discuss costs and explore affordable alternatives directly with patients. This proactive approach not only mitigated the risk of sticker shock but also fostered informed decision-making, aligning treatment plans with patients’ financial realities. The emphasis on affordability highlighted a broader commitment to addressing social determinants of health through technology.
Complementing this focus on cost was the recognition that transparency alone was insufficient without sustained patient support. Hackensack Meridian introduced a personalized messaging platform as part of its AI suite, ensuring that patients received tailored information and resources post-prescription. Delivered directly to their mobile devices, these communications helped clarify medication instructions and provided reminders to enhance adherence. Unlike traditional methods that often left patients navigating complex regimens alone after leaving the clinic, this tool bridged critical gaps in education and follow-up care. The result was a more empowered patient population, better equipped to manage their health with confidence. By combining cost visibility with ongoing engagement, the health system crafted a holistic strategy that prioritized both immediate and long-term barriers to effective medication management, setting a new standard for patient-centered innovation.
Prioritizing Safety and System Integration
Patient safety emerged as a cornerstone of Hackensack Meridian’s AI-driven transformation, with automation playing a pivotal role in minimizing risks associated with manual data entry. Transcription errors, a persistent concern in medication management, could have dire consequences, ranging from incorrect dosages to harmful drug interactions. By automating the parsing and structuring of medication instructions, the AI tools drastically reduced the incidence of such errors, bolstering the reliability of clinical records. The jump to an 86% automated mapping rate was not just a statistic but a tangible safeguard, ensuring that the foundation of patient care remained secure. This advancement allowed clinicians to dedicate more attention to accuracy and oversight, reinforcing trust in the system’s ability to deliver safe and effective treatments across diverse patient populations.
Equally vital to the initiative’s success was the seamless integration of these AI tools into the existing Epic EHR platform. Rather than introducing standalone systems that could disrupt established workflows, the solutions were embedded directly into the tools clinicians already used daily. This design minimized learning curves and resistance to adoption, ensuring that the technology enhanced rather than complicated clinical practice. Providers could access automated sig mapping, cost transparency data, and patient messaging features without navigating separate interfaces, preserving efficiency while unlocking new capabilities. This thoughtful approach to integration proved instrumental in driving widespread acceptance among staff, demonstrating that the value of health IT lies not just in its functionality but in its ability to blend effortlessly into the fabric of care delivery.
Charting the Path Forward for Healthcare Innovation
Reflecting on the measurable impact of these AI tools, Hackensack Meridian Health achieved outcomes that reverberated beyond operational metrics. The dramatic reduction in manual data entry freed up countless hours for clinicians, allowing a renewed focus on patient interaction and clinical decision-making. Patients, in turn, benefited from clearer discussions about medication costs and ongoing support through personalized messaging, likely contributing to improved adherence and satisfaction. These results underscored the transformative potential of targeted technology in addressing multifaceted challenges, from administrative overload to care continuity. The initiative’s success served as a powerful reminder that innovation in healthcare must be rooted in solving real-world problems with practical, user-centric solutions rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake.
Insights from Will Carroll, Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Hackensack Meridian, offered a guiding light for other organizations considering similar technological advancements. He advocated for a laser focus on high-friction workflows, urging health systems to select tools that address specific pain points rather than chasing broad, abstract AI promises. Equally critical was his emphasis on deep integration with existing EHR systems to prevent the creation of siloed platforms that burden staff with additional complexity. This balanced perspective highlighted the importance of aligning innovation with usability, ensuring that technology acts as a true enabler for both providers and patients. As healthcare continues to evolve, such lessons provide a roadmap for leveraging AI to drive efficiency, safety, and engagement without losing sight of the human element at the heart of care.
Reflecting on a Model of Progress
Looking back, Hackensack Meridian Health’s adoption of AI tools marked a defining moment in the quest to refine medication management. The partnership with a health IT vendor yielded striking improvements, from automating data entry to embedding cost transparency and enhancing patient follow-up. These efforts culminated in safer, more efficient workflows and a stronger connection with patients, as evidenced by the leap in automated mapping rates and qualitative gains in care quality. For other health systems, this experience illuminated actionable next steps: prioritize specific challenges, ensure seamless system integration, and maintain a relentless focus on tangible benefits. Moving forward, the broader healthcare landscape can draw inspiration from this model, exploring how targeted technology can address persistent inefficiencies while paving the way for a future where innovation and compassion go hand in hand.
