The following is a guest article by Chris Knotts, CEO at PEAKE Technology Partners, an Omega Systems Company
The conversation around AI in healthcare is changing. What was once seen as overhyped is now being evaluated in more practical terms.
According to athenahealth’s 2025 Physician Sentiment Survey, fewer physicians now view AI as overhyped, and fewer believe it will make healthcare more complicated. The focus is shifting toward where AI can deliver value within existing workflows.
In larger health systems, that shift is already translating into action. These organizations have the scale, data, and resources to invest in AI and are beginning to see measurable impact across operations and care delivery. UnitedHealthcare’s recent launch of an AI chatbot for round-the-clock care navigation is one example of the customer-facing AI tools now operational at that scale.
Adoption is Early, but Direction is Clear
For small and mid-sized physician practices, AI adoption is more limited, but activity is increasing. Interest is high, and many practices are already experimenting with tools like ChatGPT and Claude to support documentation, communication, and internal workflows. The challenge now is moving from experimentation to practical, everyday use.
Much of that path runs through the EMR. Most small and mid-sized practices rely on a single electronic medical record (EMR) system to manage scheduling, documentation, and billing – the operational backbone of the business. As a result, AI evaluation often starts there: what is the EMR vendor introducing, and how can new capabilities be layered into systems already in use rather than built from scratch?
Where AI is Delivering Value in Healthcare Today
Practical AI adoption for today’s healthcare practices is largely concentrated in a few areas.
Clinical documentation is one of the clearest examples. AI-based scribing tools can listen during patient visits, transcribe conversations, and generate structured notes directly within the EMR. That reduces the time providers spend on documentation and allows them to stay focused during the visit.
The impact is operational as much as clinical. When documentation is handled more efficiently, providers can often see additional patients during the day. Even a small increase in patient volume can have a measurable impact on revenue in a private practice setting. Seeing just one or two more patients per day can translate into thousands of dollars in additional revenue.
This matters in an environment where practices are operating as small businesses, often competing within the constraints of their local healthcare economy. Reimbursement rates, payer mix, and cost structures vary significantly by region. Recent data from the Medical Group Management Association reflects that pressure, with nearly half of medical group leaders reporting declining operating margins year over year. In that context, even modest gains in efficiency can make a difference.
Administrative workflows are another area where AI is starting to make a difference. Many practices continue to rely heavily on phone-based communication. Patient calls to schedule appointments, ask questions, and follow up on care create consistent pressure on front desk staff.
AI voice tools focused on call handling and intake are beginning to address that demand. They route calls more efficiently, automate common interactions, and reduce the volume of routine requests that require staff involvement. In some cases, this allows practices to manage higher patient volume without adding headcount or to ease pressure on existing staff.
These improvements are incremental, but they have a direct impact on patient experience and practice revenue.
A Growing Set of Options and Questions
As use cases become clearer, the number of available solutions has grown quickly. Healthcare AI spending reached approximately $1.4 billion in 2025, nearly tripling year-over-year, fueling a rapid influx of new tools entering the market.
For small and mid-sized practices, evaluating those options can be difficult. Most do not have the internal resources to compare vendors, assess long-term viability, or fully understand how a tool will integrate into their existing systems.
This creates friction in the decision-making process and can lead to missed opportunities to serve more patients.
Practices are working to determine which tools will improve operations and which may introduce unnecessary complexity or risk. Data privacy and security remain a central concern. Research shows that nearly 70% of healthcare leaders say these issues are a major barrier to AI adoption.
At the same time, the EMR continues to shape what is possible. As EMR vendors introduce their own AI capabilities, many practices are starting there. This approach simplifies adoption, but it also makes vendor security and risk management more important over time.
Balancing Efficiency with Risk
Each new AI tool introduced into a clinical environment raises questions about how patient data is handled, where it’s stored, and how it integrates with existing systems. In a healthcare setting, those questions carry real weight. According to IBM, healthcare continues to experience the highest cost of data breaches of any industry, reflecting both the sensitivity and value of the data involved.
Recent events have reinforced that risk. The cyberattack on Change Healthcare disrupted claims processing across the country, impacting providers of all sizes and highlighting how vulnerabilities in third-party systems can quickly cascade into operational and financial challenges for smaller practices.
AI adds another layer to that risk. Many of the tools entering the market rely on access to clinical data and integrate directly with core systems like the EMR. For smaller practices, that creates a practical challenge. The same tools that promise efficiency can also introduce new exposures if they are not properly evaluated, particularly when AI vendors are early in their development or lack a proven track record in healthcare.
Where IT Partners Fit In
As the pace of AI development continues to increase (workforce access to AI tools has expanded by 50% in just one year, according to Deloitte’s State of AI in the Enterprise 2026 report), healthcare practices need a trusted guide to help them capture the value responsibly. That’s where IT partners like Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) play a key role.
IT support has traditionally focused on reactively maintaining digital systems and resolving issues. That remains important, but practices now need an IT partner who can chart AI adoption in the context of their growth goals. IT and security are no longer just back-office functions, but a key part of helping physician practices operate without disruption.
Selecting and implementing AI tools requires strategic context. MSPs and MSSPs can help practices evaluate AI vendors, understand tradeoffs, and reduce the risk to each individual practice.
This includes assessing how a solution fits into the existing environment, identifying potential security concerns, and helping prioritize which use cases to pursue. In a crowded market, that guidance helps practices move forward with greater clarity.
For small and mid-size practices, the strategic use of AI has a chance to revolutionize patient care, while improving margins and opening up expansion opportunities. Without the right support, many practices will struggle to fully realize the potential of AI.
About Chris Knotts
Chris Knotts is the Founder and CEO at PEAKE Technology Partners, now part of the Omega Systems family of companies. Together, PEAKE and Omega deliver integrated IT and security solutions to healthcare organizations across the Northeast, helping multi-site medical practices navigate EHR management, AI-driven tools, and HIPAA and HITECH compliance. Drawing on his background as a technology innovator and business leader, Chris has built a reputation for helping healthcare organizations use technology to expand access to quality care, strengthen culture, streamline workflows, and support the financial health of their practices. In addition to its managed services, PEAKE helps healthcare organizations evaluate and adopt emerging AI technologies through its PEAKE AI Lab, where tools are vetted for real-world EHR integration, rapid staff adoption, and proven success in medical practice environments.
