Podcast Summary: How AI Governance and Use Cases Will Reshape Health Systems in 2026

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Host: Scott Becker (A)
Guest: Molly Gamble (B), Vice President and Editorial Leader at Becker’s Healthcare
Release Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a forward-looking discussion between Scott Becker and Molly Gamble on how artificial intelligence (AI) is anticipated to transform U.S. health systems in 2026. They focus on health system governance, specific AI use cases—particularly in revenue cycle management, clinical decision support, and patient experience—and share insights gathered from recent conversations with healthcare executives and thought leaders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Evolving Role of AI Governance

[02:00]

• AI governance is shifting from a backroom “checkbox” exercise to a core, strategic function for health systems.
  • Only 16% of health systems had enterprise-wide AI governance strategies several years ago; in 2025, the IT budget allocation averaged just 4% for governance.
  • Governance is expected to receive attention not only from IT leaders but also from C-suite executives (CEO, CFO, COO).
  • Rising scrutiny and regulation are expected from state, accrediting, and federal bodies, but systems are also moving proactively.

Memorable quote:

"This is something that as one expert told me... some systems have treated governance like infection control in the past. And there's anticipation from leaders that this will become much more vital, much more urgent, much more visible."
— Molly Gamble, [02:26]

2. Revenue Cycle Management Revolution

[04:14]

• AI could significantly reduce inefficiency and denials in the revenue cycle, potentially slashing costs.
  • AI is anticipated to move revenue cycle management spend down by half within a few years, according to Dan Greenleaf, CEO at Dooley Healthcare.
  • Sophisticated AI will offer better alignment on prior authorization and denial management, reducing “waste” and administrative disputes between payers and providers.

Memorable quote:

"He even told me pretty black and white terms that he anticipates his revenue cycle management spend going down by half... AI's ability to kind of eliminate some of those payer provider fights... will really be a line in the sand and a big sea change."
— Molly Gamble, [04:45]

Scott’s observation:

"I feel like right now the health system side, they feel like they're trying to keep up on the arms race to cooperate or compete with the payer denials and authorizations and maybe we can get to a world where they actually talk to each other in a more positive way and make things easier to resolve."
— Scott Becker, [06:26]

3. Progress in Clinical Decision Support (CDS)

[06:49]

• AI will move beyond acting as a “glamorized search” to become an actual clinical partner.
  • Expected to identify trends, medication errors, propose orders, and support diagnostic reasoning in more substantive ways.
  • This transition could allow clinicians to focus on complex cases while AI triages and resolves routine issues.

Memorable quote:

"Now I think there's a lot more anticipation for AI to almost be a partner versus a tool for the clinician... The leap from being a really good search engine to then now be more of like a reasoning partner, it could be one of the bigger shifts."
— Molly Gamble, [07:45]

Scott echoes:

"The hope is that again, these are able to... triage things, so physicians and clinicians could focus on the more complicated and the more challenging and the bigger problems and let the systems triage some of the issues that they can."
— Scott Becker, [08:41]

4. Impact on Patient Experience and Choice

[09:01]

• AI is poised to create tangible improvements in patient experience, potentially influencing patient loyalty and provider choice.
  • Benefits may include easier scheduling, fewer complications, and more streamlined care—all leading to increased patient satisfaction and differentiation among providers.
  • AI’s role could extend beyond operations into upstream patient decisions (i.e., how patients select care providers).

Notable moment:

“If you've got a patient who's in a market and they've got a couple different options... will AI start to work as intended and give them time back, you know, fewer headaches, less complications in scheduling… It could be exciting to see how that turns into more of a movement…”
— Molly Gamble, [09:38]

5. The Consumer Use of AI for Health Choices

[10:39]

• The conversation extends to how patients might use generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, to assist in choosing providers, marking another step in how tech will inform consumer health journeys.

Scott’s curiosity:

"Even with the patient experience... you go to ChatGPT and say, which system should I go to for this illness or this challenge or this problem?... That's fascinating. Literally fascinating."
— Scott Becker, [10:45]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Insight | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | [00:30] | Molly introduces the 2026 AI predictions and industry trends | | [02:00] | Shift of AI governance from backroom to strategic imperative | | [04:14] | AI use cases in revenue cycle and projections on cost | | [06:49] | AI’s evolution from tool to partner in clinical decision support | | [09:01] | Potential AI-driven improvements in patient experience | | [10:39] | Patients’ use of AI tools for healthcare decision-making |

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "This is something that as one expert told me... some systems have treated governance like infection control in the past."
  — Molly Gamble, [02:26]

• "I feel like right now the health system side, they feel like they're trying to keep up on the arms race... maybe we can get to a world where they actually talk to each other in a more positive way."
  — Scott Becker, [06:26]

• "The leap from being a really good search engine to then now be more of like a reasoning partner, it could be one of the bigger shifts that end users in the clinical world start to see from AI in the year ahead."
  — Molly Gamble, [07:45]

• "If AI can start to really tip the scales towards the meaningful improvements for patients, it could be exciting to see how that turns into more of a movement..."
  — Molly Gamble, [09:38]

• "You go to ChatGPT and say, which system should I go to for this illness or this challenge or this problem?... That's fascinating."
  — Scott Becker, [10:45]

Tone & Language

The conversation is thoughtful, forward-looking, and grounded in insights from healthcare leaders. Both Scott and Molly maintain a tone of cautious optimism, balancing anticipation for AI’s benefits with realism about challenges and industry dynamics.

Summary for Listeners

For anyone interested in how AI might reshape U.S. health systems in 2026, this episode offers clear, practical insights on governance, business strategy, clinical care delivery, and patient experience. Influential voices relay a consensus that AI’s main impact will be seen not just in technological upgrades but in profound cultural, operational, and interpersonal shifts across healthcare.