NYC's Largest Hospital System Eyes Replacing Radiologists With AI

CEO says AI could 'replace a great deal of radiologists' to achieve 'major savings'

Apr. 4, 2026 at 4:55pm

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The CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals, the largest public hospital system in the U.S., stated that the organization is ready to start replacing human radiologists with AI technology. The CEO cited potential 'major savings' as a key driver, particularly in automating breast cancer screenings. However, medical experts warn that current AI systems are not capable of providing safe and effective patient care, and that such a move would 'immediately result in patient harm and death'.

Why it matters

This story highlights the growing tension between hospitals' desire to cut costs and the medical community's concerns about the limitations and risks of AI in critical healthcare roles. It raises questions about patient safety, the role of human expertise, and the appropriate use of emerging technologies in the medical field.

The details

At a recent panel, NYC Health and Hospitals CEO Mitchell Katz stated that the organization could 'replace a great deal of radiologists with AI at this moment' to achieve 'major savings,' particularly by automating breast cancer screenings. However, radiologists warn that current AI systems are not capable of providing safe and effective patient care, and that such a move would 'immediately result in patient harm and death'. A recent study from Stanford researchers found that leading AI chest X-ray tools can 'hallucinate' findings on X-rays they never actually saw, creating an 'AI mirage' that could lead to misdiagnosis.

  • The comments from NYC Health and Hospitals CEO Mitchell Katz were made at a panel held by Crain's New York Business in April 2026.
  • The Stanford study on AI 'mirages' in medical imaging is yet to be peer-reviewed.

The players

Mitchell Katz

President and CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals, the largest public hospital system in the United States.

Mohammed Suhail

A radiologist at North Coast Imaging in San Diego who criticized Katz's comments as 'undeniable proof that confidently uninformed hospital administrators are a danger to patients'.

Stanford researchers

A team of researchers who conducted a study finding that leading AI chest X-ray tools can 'hallucinate' findings on X-rays they never actually saw, creating an 'AI mirage' that could lead to misdiagnosis.

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What they’re saying

“We could replace a great deal of radiologists with AI at this moment, if we are ready to do the regulatory challenge.”

— Mitchell Katz, President and CEO, NYC Health and Hospitals

“Any attempt to implement AI-only reads would immediately result in patient harm and death, and only someone with zero understanding of radiology would say something so naive.”

— Mohammed Suhail, Radiologist, North Coast Imaging

What’s next

The Stanford study on AI 'mirages' in medical imaging is still awaiting peer review, which could provide further insights into the limitations and risks of using AI to replace human radiologists.

The takeaway

This story highlights the growing tension between hospitals' desire to cut costs and the medical community's concerns about the limitations and risks of AI in critical healthcare roles. It raises serious questions about patient safety and the appropriate use of emerging technologies in the medical field, underscoring the need for rigorous testing, regulation, and input from medical experts before implementing AI-driven changes that could jeopardize patient care.