AI Adoption, Innovation Lagging in Pediatrics

Why It Matters

The lag in pediatric AI threatens to widen the care gap between children and adults, while addressing it could enhance safety, reduce hospital stays, and drive equitable innovation across the healthcare system.

Summary

In a Healio Community webinar, pediatric leaders James S. Barry, MD, MBA, Clara Lin, MD, and Ryan McAdams, MD highlighted that AI adoption in pediatrics lags behind adult medicine due to safety, privacy, and cost concerns. Most AI tools are trained on adult data, making them unsuitable for children, and thin reimbursement models leave only about 20% of children’s hospitals equipped to implement AI. Clinicians are urged to participate in development, with Seattle Children’s Hospital already engaging over 150 doctors in pediatric AI trials, and to advocate for legislative changes to improve funding and reimbursement for pediatric AI initiatives.