Designing and Implementing AI Solutions for Health Care - Harvard University

Harvard Medical School (HMS) in collaboration with Harvard University’s online learning platform is offering a 2 weeks long online executive education program that will allow leaders across the ecosystem to gain insights into what it takes to successfully utilize AI in the unique cultural, economic and regulatory context of health care.

Applications of artificial intelligence in health care are expanding rapidly. Despite its great long-term potential, risks and challenges remain for both AI developers and their partners in health care, the life sciences industry, and digital health.

This program will allow leaders across the ecosystem to gain insights into what it takes to successfully utilize AI in the unique cultural, economic, and regulatory context of health care. Interactive sessions will address technical concepts as well as real-world implementation, with examples drawn from health care delivery/operations and drug development.

The curriculum will feature a combination of live virtual class sessions, small group application exercises, pre-work and vigorous discussions. Upon completion of the program, participants will be able to immediately apply insights gained to the fast-moving and complex health care sector. A certificate of completion will be provided.

Admission Requirements

This program is designed for business leaders who are responsible for leading AI-enabled initiatives in health care. Those who will benefit from this program include changemakers at AI developer organizations, health care delivery organizations, the life sciences industry (biopharma and medical devices), payers, investing and supporting professional service providers.

Course Structure

Harvard Medical School has assembled an exceptional faculty with a unique ability to teach at the interface of AI approaches and real-world contexts and business opportunities, including health care delivery and operations, drug development, and company creation. Faculty come from Harvard Medical School and its affiliate hospitals, other schools of Harvard, leading industry organizations, and startups. 

The program will be delivered over the course of two weeks. It will feature live virtual class sessions and self-paced learning and online discussions. Participants will receive pre-work and readings prior to the live sessions. Program concepts will be taught through interactive lectures, case studies, and small-group application exercises. You'll have an opportunity to interact directly with HMS faculty, health system leaders, field experts, and one another in the virtual classroom.

Curriculum

Program topics will include:

• Key technical concepts and potential pitfalls of emerging AI approaches such as deep learning, reinforcement learning, explainable and interpretable AI techniques, causal inference, and federated learning
• A framework for the AI development pipeline
• Bias and inequities in AI
• Lessons for real-world implementation and execution
• Deep learning for image-based diagnosis: validation and real-world workflows
• AI start-ups: setting strategy and building a team
• AI for health system operations and process automation
• Case studies of AI in the life sciences industry
• Setting a data strategy to support AI applications
• Organizational structure and competencies to leverage AI
• The human-computer interface and integrating into real-world workflows
• Regulatory pathways for AI tools

The live virtual program will address these topics through expert interactive presentations, case studies, readings, small group application exercises, and vigorous discussions. You'll leave the program ready to apply a strategic framework for applying AI effectively for health care industry applications.

You'll be joined by participants from diverse segments of health care. This will strengthen your understanding of the various viewpoints of other industry stakeholders as you build your peer network.

Program Objectives

By the end of this program, you will be able to:

• Understand key principles, technical aspects, and potential pitfalls of deep learning and emerging AI approaches.
• Appraise which problems are best suited for an AI solution and how AI adds value, drawing from established examples.
• Think strategically about operational aspects and real-world AI implementation, such as data infrastructure and quality, annotation (e.g., clinical, biological, or chemical), workflow integration, human/computer interface, and regulatory pathways.
• Assess organizational needs, capabilities, and structure to leverage AI in a variety of contexts (from large organizations to start-ups)
• Anticipate and address bias in AI.
• Engage with your network of faculty and participants from this program as sources of knowledge, feedback, and support.

Tuition Fees

Joining this program and receiving a certificate at the end of it will cost $2,150.