Discipline Over Speed: Personal reflections after HIMSS
The following is a guest article from Adam Cherrington.
For the past several years, the prevailing tone in healthcare has been: “The future is here—and you’re already behind.” That urgency has pushed many leaders into acting quickly, sometimes before they’ve clearly defined what success with AI should look like.
What I found refreshing at HIMSS this year is that the conversation is changing.
Across sessions and conversations, there was a noticeable shift—from chasing technology to asking better questions. Leaders are becoming more thoughtful about how AI impacts clinicians, staff, and patients, rather than layering new technology onto old processes.
That shift matters.
Providers—not vendors—should define the problems, use cases, and desired outcomes for AI. Only then should they seek partners who align with that strategy. The organizations that will see the most impact are those that start with the problems to solve, not the solutions to buy.
Vendors play an important role in this evolution—but the role is changing.
The most effective vendors will lead by listening. They will help providers clarify the “jobs to be done,” bring forward best practices, and act as long-term partners. Thought leadership in this space won’t come from better presentations—it will come from better questions, stronger alignment, and earned trust. The best vendors will be advisors first and sales professionals second.
Until recently, much of the industry has done the opposite.
Too many AI investments have been driven by FOMO. Health systems have felt pressure to “buy AI” as if it were a shortcut to innovation or relevance. In reality, that approach often leads to fragmented solutions and unclear ROI.
We are turning a corner.
Leaders are focusing on outcomes. They are asking harder questions about ROI, workflow impact, and change management. More importantly, they are examining the full lifecycle of their data—its sources, how it is used within large language models, and where it ultimately flows. That scrutiny increasingly extends to their partners and ecosystems as well.
In many ways, the industry is learning to take a more disciplined approach to AI. It’s like developing healthier habits—we’re reading the label, understanding the ingredients, and being more deliberate about how and when to use it.
A more mature approach to AI in healthcare requires three shifts:
- From urgency → intentionality
- From solutions → problems
- From vendors → partners
AI is both the present and the future of healthcare. That hasn’t changed.
Encouragingly, the industry is becoming more deliberate—not in its belief in AI’s impact, but in how it plans, prioritizes, and executes against it.
Now is the time for leaders to step back, define what matters most, and move forward with intention.
The next phase of AI in healthcare won’t be defined by speed, but by discipline.
About Adam Cherrington
The following is a guest article from Adam Cherrington.
For the past several years, the prevailing tone in healthcare has been: “The future is here—and you’re already behind.” That urgency has pushed many leaders into acting quickly, sometimes before they’ve clearly defined what success with AI should look like.
What I found refreshing at HIMSS this year is that the conversation is changing.
Across sessions and conversations, there was a noticeable shift—from chasing technology to asking better questions. Leaders are becoming more thoughtful about how AI impacts clinicians, staff, and patients, rather than layering new technology onto old processes.
That shift matters.
Providers—not vendors—should define the problems, use cases, and desired outcomes for AI. Only then should they seek partners who align with that strategy. The organizations that will see the most impact are those that start with the problems to solve, not the solutions to buy.
Vendors play an important role in this evolution—but the role is changing.
The most effective vendors will lead by listening. They will help providers clarify the “jobs to be done,” bring forward best practices, and act as long-term partners. Thought leadership in this space won’t come from better presentations—it will come from better questions, stronger alignment, and earned trust. The best vendors will be advisors first and sales professionals second.
Until recently, much of the industry has done the opposite.
Too many AI investments have been driven by FOMO. Health systems have felt pressure to “buy AI” as if it were a shortcut to innovation or relevance. In reality, that approach often leads to fragmented solutions and unclear ROI.
We are turning a corner.
Leaders are focusing on outcomes. They are asking harder questions about ROI, workflow impact, and change management. More importantly, they are examining the full lifecycle of their data—its sources, how it is used within large language models, and where it ultimately flows. That scrutiny increasingly extends to their partners and ecosystems as well.
In many ways, the industry is learning to take a more disciplined approach to AI. It’s like developing healthier habits—we’re reading the label, understanding the ingredients, and being more deliberate about how and when to use it.
A more mature approach to AI in healthcare requires three shifts:
- From urgency → intentionality
- From solutions → problems
- From vendors → partners
AI is both the present and the future of healthcare. That hasn’t changed.
Encouragingly, the industry is becoming more deliberate—not in its belief in AI’s impact, but in how it plans, prioritizes, and executes against it.
Now is the time for leaders to step back, define what matters most, and move forward with intention.
The next phase of AI in healthcare won’t be defined by speed, but by discipline.
About Adam Cherrington
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2026-03-23 19:30
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Healthcare Central is published from a syndicated feed.
