Artificial intelligence isn’t just the next big thing in healthcare. It’s already here, in the waiting room, the OR, and the back office. From AI-enabled EHRs to automated scheduling, and predictive billing tools to diagnostic support systems, the technology is touching nearly every part of the care continuum.
Even concerns about cost, privacy, and ROI aren’t slowing adoption down, with 35% of physicians saying their enthusiasm for health AI has exceeded their concerns about it. And many recognize we’re at the point where adopting AI is simply a business imperative.
But here’s the rub: AI adoption is moving faster than most workforces are prepared to use it.
The AMA reports use of AI by physicians jumped 78% in a single year. The World Health Organization (WHO) says capacity to implement AI effectively is lagging behind the speed of technological progress. And Microsoft shows there’s a large gap between employees who use AI daily (75%) and those who were provided employer-sponsored training to do so (39%).
The Critical, but Often Missed Step in Healthcare AI Adoption: Workforce Upskilling
Physicians say “adequate training and education” is critical for them to adopt AI; the healthcare industry already faces retention issues and labor shortages (a strong argument for investing in existing talent); and the pace of AI adoption in healthcare favors training that maps directly to day-to-day workflows. So, why aren’t more healthcare organizations upskilling and reskilling employees with AI training programs?
Things that might be getting in the way include:
- Training costs in addition to an already significant investment in AI software and infrastructure.
- The misconception that AI is plug-and-play (so intuitive that training is unnecessary).
- A leadership mindset that AI is “meant to do the work” not support workers in doing it differently
- Concern that time spent on training is lost productivity or that upskilling will make staff more marketable and harder to retain.
Letting these concerns drive training decisions is a risk that comes with an irony sidecar: without training, you’re implementing AI, not operationalizing it. And without operationalizing it, AI underdelivers. Clinicians may distrust the outputs, workflows remain fragmented, and documentation gaps persist. AI can create new frustrations instead of easing administrative burdens. And without formal training or guardrails around AI, healthcare organizations risk inconsistent use of technology, wasted investment, potential privacy and compliance issues, and missed opportunities to improve patient care.
Thankfully, we’re starting to see a shift… growing demand for AI training, not just from employees, but from employers. And not just from providers, but from payers. In an article about the AI opportunity for healthcare payers, McKinsey & Company outlined six areas of focus for payers to achieve a successful AI and automation transformation. One of those was ensuring talent has the skills and capabilities necessary to execute and innovate. Another was to ensure AI could be adopted well and scaled so organizations could maximize the value of their investment in it.
So now the question becomes, what training will work across the healthcare ecosystem so employees don’t just learn about AI, but maximize its use and value?
Closing the Skills Gap
Healthcare needs AI training programs that are purpose-built for healthcare, take a practice-based approach to instruction, and have immediate application as the end goal. This means seeking out practical AI training, not just theoretical AI training. What’s the difference?
Theoretical training focuses on concepts, principles, and knowledge about a subject. The goal is to build understanding. Practical training is hands-on, applied learning that focuses on doing rather than just knowing. The goal is to build skills. If theoretical training teaches you what something is and why it matters, practical training teaches you how to actually use it.
For AI in healthcare, the sweet spot is blended training: theory for understanding how AI works, what it can and can’t do, and where risks lie, paired with practical training that embeds AI into daily workflows so adoption sticks.
Practical AI Programs Purpose-Built for Healthcare
Recently, I had the privilege of vetting two online training programs from Chegg Skills that absolutely fit the bill, Practical AI for Healthcare Administration and Practical AI for Clinicians. Built with healthcare professionals, not just for them, these programs are hands-on, role-specific, and designed so that learners can apply new skills to their jobs the very next day. This is AI upskilling for busy, mission-driven professionals, tailored for the complexity of clinical and administrative environments. It’s not learning for curiosity’s sake, but because it’s going to directly impact their work and their organization’s success.
For each program, an Academic Success Coach is ready to help learners set goals, establish a study routine, and navigate any obstacles. Learners can also get real-time guidance and feedback through live tools like Live Chat, AI-powered simulations, and tutoring lessons with industry experts.
Practical AI for Clinicians
In this program, nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals learn how to:
- Automate documentation and EHR tasks without losing bedside connection.
- Use AI to support diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient communication.
- Write HIPAA-compliant AI prompts for safe, ethical use.
- Balance AI efficiency with compassionate care.
An example hands-on project that completes the program: Conduct a mock patient intake using AI to document, summarize, and communicate care plans, while maintaining compliance and empathy.
Practical AI for Healthcare Administration
This program helps healthcare administrators, managers, and operations teams:
- Streamline scheduling, billing, and insurance processing.
- Build governance frameworks for AI use in sensitive data handling.
- Optimize revenue cycles with predictive analytics.
- Improve patient communication systems with AI tools.
An example hands-on project: Redesign a clinic’s scheduling system with AI to improve patient flow and reduce wait times, incorporating strict privacy safeguards.
Example Results
In one case, a large health system had implemented AI to streamline documentation, analyze data, and improve communications, but had not yet implemented an official AI policy or AI training. However, the organization had an employee benefit in place that provided educational opportunities, including online training programs from Chegg Skills. Several employees sought out training on their own, taking an AI program from Chegg Skills called AI Fundamentals (the healthcare-focused programs were not available at the time). Learners who completed AI Fundamentals achieved a 4.5/5 CSAT score (50% higher than comparable healthcare organizations) and 95% met their course goals, outperforming peers by 17 points. This shows healthcare workers wanted the AI skills so much, they sought them out on their own. And even in a program that was not healthcare focused, the employees received such relevant, well-supported training, they thrived. Even more reason to appreciate having new healthcare-focused AI options from Chegg Skills.
Key Differentiators
These programs provide:
- A learner-centric experience – Short-form, interactive lessons for adult learners who juggle competing priorities.
- Dual focus on technical and human skills – Integrating AI learning with communication, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving.
- AI and human coaching – Personalized support from award-winning academic success coaches plus on-demand AI feedback tools.
- Flexible formats – 3–5 hours/week over 2–3 months, accessible anytime, anywhere.
- Outcome prioritization – Real-world projects that directly improve job performance.
Thoughtful Design
That’s what Chegg Skills say sets them apart. What do I say? All of the above and then some.
A comprehensive build process with healthcare expert involvement, rigorous instructional design that took the time to get real-world examples right, and robust quality assurance to make sure key decision-makers could feel confident about offering educational opportunities to their staff.
On top of that, thoughtful design. This wasn’t a “copy and paste” from other industries. Chegg Skills, which already has a strong track record in upskilling and reskilling working adults in high-demand fields from tech to business operations, knew adapting one of their existing AI curriculums for healthcare wouldn’t work. The unique demands of healthcare, including regulations, privacy concerns, and varied workflows are simply different. So they rebuilt from the ground up, ensuring:
- Skills are durable across systems. Instead of teaching people to chase the latest vendor tools or software updates, Chegg Skills focuses on the durable skills that outlast any platform or technology. These are the transferable, deeply human capabilities that will remain essential no matter how fast AI evolves or which system dominates the market. For example, rather than training someone to master the newest version of an EHR or CRM, their team emphasizes skills like problem-solving (navigating ambiguity and tackling novel challenges), data literacy (interpreting information, spotting patterns, and asking the right questions), ethical decision-making (making sound choices in complex, high-stakes environments), adaptability (learning how to learn when tools and systems change), and communication and empathy (connecting with people, building trust, and influencing outcomes).
- Programs are role-specific to ensure immediate applicability. And clinician and admin learning paths address fundamentally different use cases.
- Practice environments are accessible without institutional paywalls (Since many healthcare tools are behind paywalls, Chegg Skills integrated freemium and demo-friendly platforms, including AI simulations, so learners can practice without institutional barriers).
- HIPAA compliance is a through-line, not an afterthought (Even the simulation design was reviewed to avoid any risk of perceived PHI use).
Chegg Skills also went deep with SMEs from day one. The build team included nurses, physicians, and healthcare administrators actively working in the field. They debated everything from prompt phrasing to PHI safeguards to ensure they were embedding real-world expertise. One ER physician SME even reviewed scripts and course materials post-shift, sometimes from the parking lot, because flexibility was built into the development process to leave no stone unturned.
And, finally, pricing. This medium-level upskilling space (practical, interactive, and priced under $5k per learner, with volume pricing available) is surprisingly underserved. On one end, you have low-cost content libraries like LinkedIn Learning (where completion and retention rates are low). On the other, you have high-touch, high-cost executive coaching. Chegg Skills fills the gap with rigorous, applied learning that actually sticks.
Healthcare Leaders: Your Next Step
AI isn’t waiting for your strategic plan. Your teams are already encountering AI. The question is: will they be ready to use it effectively, ethically, and confidently?
Training matters. While these programs are designed for frontline and mid-level professionals, we all know success starts at the top. Championing AI upskilling sends the message that you’re preparing your workforce for what is clearly healthcare’s AI-enabled future, and you want them to grow with you. In return, you maximize your AI investment, get better performance in current roles, and achieve stronger retention.
Reach out to Chegg Skills to discuss training for individuals, teams, or across the organization. If you have large-scale enrollment, customization is possible, from tailored live sessions to employer-specific case studies. And if you want to test the waters, Chegg Skills is offering a few tester seats with free enrollment in exchange for feedback and testimonials. That’s a limited offer, so act fast.
Join my Hospitalogy Membership! If you’re a VP or Director working in strategy or corporate development at a hospital, health system or provider organization, you will get a lot of value out of my community as I purpose-build the content, fireside chats, and conversations for this group. Apply Here.
