AI in Clinical Care: Reducing Risk and Improving Outcomes

Rutgers Health and RWJBarnabas Health collaborate on a 'living lab' approach to responsibly integrate AI tools and improve patient safety and clinician burnout

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:15pm

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the future of health care, from predictive early warning systems that detect patient deterioration to ambient AI tools that streamline clinical documentation. The Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence, a systemwide initiative of Rutgers Health and RWJBarnabas Health, is taking a thoughtful, interdisciplinary approach to carefully evaluating and integrating AI tools to deliver measurable improvements in hospital mortality, safety, and clinician burnout.

Why it matters

As hospitals and health systems strive to continuously improve patient safety and quality of care, innovative technologies like AI present both opportunities and challenges. The Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence is pioneering a 'living lab' model to responsibly develop and integrate AI in a way that benefits patients and the health care workforce, while also studying the impact to further the field.

The details

The center brings together research experts from Rutgers University and practicing clinicians from the RWJBarnabas Health system to form interdisciplinary teams that carefully evaluate AI tools throughout their lifecycle. This includes determining which problems to solve, vetting potential solutions, integrating them into clinical workflows, and continuously monitoring and adjusting to maximize the benefits and minimize risks. Key focus areas include improving early detection of patient deterioration, streamlining clinical documentation, and reducing clinician burnout.

  • The Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence was established a few years ago.
  • The center has introduced dozens of AI tools into the RWJBarnabas Health system.

The players

Marc Boom, M.D.

President and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 chair of the board of the American Hospital Association.

Amy Rockman

Director of the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence, a systemwide initiative of Rutgers Health and RWJBarnabas Health.

Rutgers Health

A university health system that is collaborating with RWJBarnabas Health on the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence.

RWJBarnabas Health

A health system in New Jersey that is collaborating with Rutgers Health on the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence plans to continue expanding its work to responsibly integrate more AI tools across the RWJBarnabas Health system, while also publishing research on its findings to further the field.

The takeaway

The Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence is pioneering a thoughtful, interdisciplinary approach to carefully evaluating and integrating AI tools in a way that benefits patients and the health care workforce, while also studying the impact to further the field. This model demonstrates how hospitals and health systems can harness innovative technologies like AI to improve safety, quality, and clinician experience.