Mayo Clinic tech investments to focus on 'smart hospital', AI and virtual care

The pandemic accelerated Mayo Clinic's digital transformation, and it will continue to invest in virtual care and technology for its smart hospital.

During a Nov. 19 Destination Medical Center Corp. meeting, Mayo Clinic Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Bolton said the health system is making significant investments in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence to transform both in-person and virtual care platforms. "Our partnerships with Google as well as Nference are great examples with patient care breakthroughs already coming to fruition within our own practice and will be extended out to patients global," he said.

He also touched on the health system's plans to develop the "smart hospital of the future."

"While we see significant growth within our virtual practice, people with serious or complex medical conditions will continue to need to come to Mayo Clinic for direct care," he said. "We need to ensure we have the latest facilities and technology to attract and treat these patients and we plan to make significant investments in upgrading and expanding facilities in the coming decades."

Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, MD, also highlighted the health system's focus on innovation and driving digital transformation in a Nov. 18 report on quarterly earnings. During the pandemic, Mayo rapidly grew virtual consultations, tele-ICU capabilities, remote patient monitoring and other digital initiatives. Mayo Clinic Platform's portfolio now includes new digital ventures and partnerships with a focus on AI, natural language processing and connected healthcare devices.

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