AHA, West Health Launch 3-Year Accelerator to Scale EHR, AI, Virtual Care

The initiative is backed by a $12 million investment from West Health and will center on three core areas: EHR optimization, virtual care expansion, and AI utilization and integration.

The American Hospital Association and West Health Institute have launched a three-year initiative aimed at helping health systems operationalize and scale digital health technologies, with a focus on electronic health records (EHRs), artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual care.

The program, called the West Health Accelerator at AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust, will support hospitals and health systems in deploying technology-driven solutions to improve care delivery and patient outcomes.

The initiative is backed by a $12 million investment from West Health and will center on three core areas: EHR optimization, virtual care expansion, and AI utilization and integration. Participating organizations will gain access to a digital hub offering implementation support, ready-to-deploy tools, and peer-learning networks.

Michelle Hood, executive vice president and COO of the American Hospital Association, said in a statement that the effort is designed to integrate technology into care delivery while supporting clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. She emphasized that while healthcare relies on human expertise and compassion, consistent use of technology can strengthen care delivery and improve safety and quality metrics.

The accelerator builds on existing models previously implemented at health systems such as Mass General Brigham and Northwestern Medicine, where structured technology adoption frameworks have been tested.

Shelley Lyford, CEO and chair of the West Health Institute and the Gary and Mary West Foundation, said the initiative is focused on deploying existing technologies at scale rather than developing new ones. She noted that aligning digital tools with real-world care delivery needs could enable broader system-level changes.

Health systems participating in the accelerator will be able to engage with shared resources and collaborate with peers to address implementation challenges, particularly around integrating AI tools and optimizing existing EHR systems.

The program comes amid growing industry focus on improving digital health adoption and maximizing the value of existing health IT infrastructure across U.S. healthcare systems.

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