First-of-its-kind study of more than 2,000 hospitals finds 11 of 12 digital measures associated with stronger patient experience

DALLAS, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New proprietary research from AMN Healthcare, the leader and innovator in total talent solutions for healthcare organizations, examines the relationship between technology investment and hospital performance and finds that hospitals with greater digital investment were more likely to demonstrate stronger patient experience.

Across hospitals of all sizes, 11 of 12 digital-footprint measures were associated with better patient experience, while nine of 12 were associated with better efficiency. Of the 32 statistically significant findings produced across 96 tests, 30 favored greater digital investment.

The findings are detailed in the new white paper, AI Starts With What Leaders Build, based on an analysis of more than 2,000 hospitals and interviews with 12 senior executives leading digital transformation initiatives. The research found that established enterprise systems showed the most consistent performance associations, while the results associated with artificial intelligence were less consistent.

“Our research points to a meaningful relationship between digital investment and the patient experience, but technology alone does not explain the result,” said Tessa Misiaszek, President, Leadership & Advisory Solutions at AMN Healthcare. “Health systems are best positioned to create value when they pair technology with strong leadership, disciplined governance, redesigned workflows and meaningful clinician engagement.”

Established systems show the strongest results

Enterprise systems, including electronic health record, enterprise resource planning and revenue-cycle platforms, were positively associated with hospital performance in six of eight analyses, with differences ranging from 26% to 38%. These systems produced the study’s most consistent performance associations.

AI showed a more qualified result. Approximately 12% of hospitals had a measurable AI or predictive-analytics footprint. AI was positively associated with patient experience across the full hospital sample, but that association did not remain when hospitals were compared within similar size groups. AI also was not associated with better performance in any of the study’s efficiency analyses. The research suggests that organizational readiness, rather than technology alone, influences whether hospitals convert digital investments into value.

Executives identify transformation as organizational change

All 12 executives interviewed described successful digital transformation as an organizational change effort rather than a technology deployment. Workflow integration was the strongest operational theme, raised in 10 of the 12 interviews, followed closely by leadership sponsorship and governance.

Clinician engagement preceded formal education in eight of the 12 interviews, underscoring the importance of involving the workforce before technology is configured and introduced.

The study also identified a potential risk for hospitals pursuing multiple initiatives at once. Among midsize hospitals, greater transformation intensity was associated with worse efficiency, the only negative efficiency finding in the research. The finding suggests that transformation activity can outpace an organization’s governance and implementation capacity.

Eight capabilities support AI readiness

Based on the hospital analysis and executive interviews, AMN Healthcare developed an eight-point workforce model to help health systems assess their readiness for AI and broader digital transformation.

The model encompasses leadership readiness, workforce analytics and governance, workflow integration, workforce design, adaptability, digital capability, upskilling and continuous learning. Together, these capabilities help organizations govern, introduce and sustain new technology.

“The encouraging conclusion is that many of the capabilities shaping digital and AI success are within leadership’s control,” said Tessa Misiaszek, President, Leadership & Advisory Solutions at AMN Healthcare. “Health systems can strengthen governance, redesign workflows and engage clinicians now, creating a stronger foundation for technology to support better experiences for patients and the workforce.”

Read the complete white paper, AI Starts With What Leaders Build.

Research methodology
AMN Healthcare analyzed 2,089 hospitals for efficiency, measured through Medicare Spending per Beneficiary, and 2,185 hospitals for patient experience, measured through Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems data. The study tested overall digital intensity and 11 technology categories across pooled, large, midsize and small hospital samples. Because higher-performing hospitals skewed smaller than their comparison groups, the analyses were repeated within hospital-size categories. The findings are cross-sectional and establish association, not causation. The quantitative research was supplemented by interviews with 12 senior executives leading digital and AI transformation initiatives.

About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader and innovator in total talent solutions for health care, bringing together the people, processes and technology to deliver better care. Through a steadfast partnership approach, we solve the most pressing workforce challenges to enable better clinical outcomes and access to care. In 2025, our health care professionals reached more than 13 million patients at more than 2,300 health care systems, including 93% of the top health care systems nationwide. We provide a comprehensive network of quality health care professionals and deliver a fully integrated and customizable suite of workforce technologies.

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SOURCE AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.