Utah hospital leaders gathered in Sun Valley, Idaho, Thursday for the Utah Hospital Association Board of Trustees Retreat. It’s an annual opportunity to step away from daily demands and focus on some of the biggest issues shaping healthcare.
Yesterday’s conversations centered on two major topics: artificial intelligence and the healthcare workforce.
A highlight of the retreat was a presentation from Ron Galloway, an author, researcher, and national speaker whose work focuses on the impact of technological disruption in healthcare. Galloway has studied AI and machine learning for decades and now works with hospital boards and executive teams on the questions that come with AI adoption, including how to govern it responsibly.
As AI becomes more common in healthcare operations, hospital leaders are being asked to think carefully about both the opportunities and the risks. Galloway’s remarks gave trustees important context on how quickly the technology is moving, where it may show up in healthcare, and why leadership and oversight matter.
The board also discussed immigration and the broader workforce challenges affecting industries across the country, including healthcare. For hospitals, those conversations are part of a larger discussion about how to plan for the future while continuing to meet the needs of patients and communities.
UHA Board Chair Jason Wilson, president of American Fork Hospital, noted that the retreat gives hospital leaders time to talk about what is happening across the state, what hospitals are facing, and what they need going forward.
These focused conversations are an important part of UHA’s work: helping hospital leaders learn from one another and prepare for change with both curiosity and care.