Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Scaling Generative AI for Safer, Smarter Care with Dr. Mark Mabus
Date: March 3, 2026
Host: Laura Deardo
Guest: Dr. Mark Mabus, Chief Medical Informatics Officer, Parkview Health

Episode Overview

This episode features Dr. Mark Mabus, CMIO at Parkview Health, discussing how his health system scaled generative AI to drive safer, smarter patient care. The discussion covers Parkview's journey from AI pilots to full-scale deployment, practical lessons in change leadership, strategies for measuring ROI, governance and risk management, and future opportunities and challenges in AI for healthcare.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Background

• Dr. Mark Mabus’ Role: Practicing family physician; Chief Medical Informatics Officer (CMIO) at Parkview Health, overseeing clinical-technology intersection, EHR, and provider efficiency.
  "I sit at the intersection of clinicians and technology...making sure that EHR AI...create efficient workflows, safer care for patients, and quality care." [01:20]

• About Parkview Health:

  • Large not-for-profit health system in NE Indiana and NW Ohio
  • Multiple hospitals; urban, suburban, and rural presence; robust community health focus

2. Most Important AI Initiative and Results

• AI Deployment Strategy:

  • 2025 focus: Broad deployment of assistive and generative AI
  • Key applications: Ambient documentation (via Epic + vendor), Epic generative AI tools for providers
  • Extensive piloting, then full-scale rollout across ambulatory, ED, inpatient settings

• Provider Reception & Measured Impact:

  • "88% of our providers said the best improvement to our EHR in 2025 was the deployment of generative AI..." [02:48]
  • Rapid increase in AI utilization:
    • Before full rollout: ~60,000 tokens/month
    • After October 2025: 2 million tokens/month
    • January 2026: 3 million tokens [05:30]

• Key Takeaway:

  • "Generative AI is the thing, it's what everybody needs to be doing across their healthcare system to enable these tools for efficiency, ROI, all those things. It's here—use it." [06:20]

3. Scaling AI: From Pilots to Full Adoption

• Workflow Customization:

  • Importance of matching AI tools to real user workflows, not just vendor specs [07:02]
  • Informaticists and physician builders involved in pilot design to cover full spectrum of users—from tech enthusiasts to those resistant to change

• Education & Communication:

  • Best practices documented and shared via EHR in-basket messages
  • Informatics team provided targeted, in-person support for all departments during rollout

• Process Management:

  • Compared to “mini EHR go-lives”: all-hands, precise planning, focused periods of high coordination [09:00]

4. ROI: Measuring Value of Generative AI

• Soft and Hard ROI Metrics:

  • Soft: Provider time saved, decreased burnout, better patient engagement
  • Hard:
    • Providers covering additional patients in pilots to test for increased patient access
    • Improved coding accuracy and efficiency for both clinical and non-clinical staff
    • Use of AI to recommend appropriate billing codes (standard level of service, E/M codes) [13:00]

• Budget Strategy:

  • Leverage revenue-generating AI (e.g., coding automation) to subsidize efficiency-focused, soft ROI AI for clinicians
  • Prioritize features embedded in existing vendor contracts to maximize value [14:25]

5. 2026 Priorities and Headwinds

• Broadening Adoption:

  • Not all providers fully engaged; focus for 2026 is scaling adoption among “middle” and “disengaged” user segments
  • Emphasis on education and possibly 1:1 training [16:10]

• Governance & Safety:

  • Ongoing review for bias, model drift, and safe use (AI steering committee oversees)
  • Proactive self-audits and regular inventory of AI functionalities [17:45]

• Preparing for Advanced AI:

  • Laying groundwork for agentic (semi-autonomous) and full automation, particularly in non-clinical areas first due to current regulatory landscape [18:30]

6. The Hardest Upcoming Challenge: Pacing & Saying No

• Resource Limits:
  • As a high-performing but medium-size system, cannot chase every shiny new opportunity—must prioritize and maintain sustainable pace
  • "We may have to say no to focus on instead upscaling what we already have, educating who we already support… Can we maintain that pace? We'll see." [19:20]

7. Evaluating New AI Partners and Solutions

• Vendor Intake & AI Review:
  • Formal process in place: updated vendor intake forms require justification of AI needs, review of solutions from “trusted vendors,” and consult with informatics on roadmap/duplication prevention [21:11]

8. Opportunities for Organizational Growth

• AI's Equitable Efficiency:

  • Top-reported benefit: frees time for providers and nurses to spend with patients
  • Expansion of tools to nurses and non-clinical staff in 2026

• Network & Rural Health Extension:

  • Parkview leveraging Epic Connect and managed service agreements to empower rural hospitals with advanced tech
  • "All areas of care delivery should have equitable access to these tools. And I'm happy to be part of a system that wants to share that." [25:58]

• Addressing Equity:

  • Technology partnerships and legislative support help smaller providers access AI—driving safety and higher value care across settings

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Building Trust in AI:
  "We know we're not getting into automation and, you know, computers making diagnoses for you. Nothing like that. Nothing going to replace clinical judgment." — Dr. Mabus [03:22]

• On Practical Change Management:
  "You got your early adopters...your middle of the road folks...and your, we'll just call them slower folks...So when developing best practices, we don't just look at those high technology adopters, we look at everyone across the board." — Dr. Mabus [07:32]

• On Financial Stewardship:
  "With today's financial climate...you do want to be a good steward of the resources that you are provided." — Dr. Mabus [11:24]

• On AI's Biggest Benefit:
  "I get to spend more time with the patients—and that's what medicine is all about." — Dr. Mabus [23:32]

• On Growth Through Collaboration:
  "Rural health is very important…and so we're happy to provide services there…technology will help promote safer and higher quality care." — Dr. Mabus [25:45]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:20] – Dr. Mabus introduces his role and Parkview Health
• [02:48] – Overview of Parkview’s 2025 AI initiative, provider satisfaction results, and deployment figures
• [07:02] – Lessons in moving AI from pilot to scale; customizing workflows, education, and adoption strategies
• [11:24] – Approaching and measuring the ROI for generative AI
• [16:10] – 2026 priorities: scaling adoption, education focus, and governance
• [19:20] – Toughest challenge ahead: saying “no” and pacing innovation
• [21:11] – How Parkview evaluates and integrates new AI vendors/solutions
• [23:26] – AI’s future role in provider, nurse, and organizational growth
• [25:45] – Organizational outreach: equity, rural partnerships, and legislative support

Episode Tone & Closing

Dr. Mabus brings a pragmatic yet optimistic perspective, emphasizing partnership, measured growth, and equity. He advocates for scaling proven AI uses, robust governance, and keeping patient care—restoring provider-patient time—at the center of technology choices.

“100% agree.” — Dr. Mabus, closing