• Ioana Zenaida Rizea-Popp, Partner |
  • Teodora Alecu, Director |
3 min read

According to a study carried out by KPMG at global level, artificial intelligence (“AI”) is rapidly shifting the paradigm of healthcare delivery worldwide, as revealed in a recent Intelligent Healthcare report. AI’s promise is to address major challenges such as labour shortages, rising demand, and operational inefficiencies, while supporting better patient outcomes and resilience across health systems.​​ The same is expected to happen in the healthcare system in Romania. 

Key Global Findings

According to the study, 68% of healthcare organizations have already deployed AI agents to optimize both clinical and administrative functions and 84% of leaders are feeling comfortable allowing AI to manage specific processes autonomously. The most widespread applications include generative AI, speech recognition, and machine learning. 72% of organizations have reported clear efficiency improvements due to AI implementation. However, significant barriers such as data integration, fragmented systems, and adoption by the workforce still persist.​​

Success in leveraging AI in the healthcare system heavily depends on a clear strategy, strong leadership, investment in robust digital infrastructure, and the involvement of healthcare professionals in designing and adopting these technologies. The future of AI in health is not about replacing human expertise but enhancing it, adding real-time insights, automating low-value tasks, and empowering teams to focus on complex patient care.​​

Romania’s Progress and the Outlook

Romania is starting to see the impact of AI in healthcare. While the expansion of AI solutions is just beginning, digital transformation is accelerating and digital systems are being introduced in some hospitals and clinics. We are also seeing the development of advanced, AI-enabled healthcare facilities.​

However, challenges remain: many healthcare providers in Romania still lack the foundational digital infrastructure required for large-scale AI deployment, and the geographic distribution of medical professionals is unequal, exacerbating the pressure on existing systems. Official statistics reveal a steady increase in the total number of doctors and an ongoing effort to modernize healthcare through investment in digital platforms and national strategies.​

Local surveys indicate strong optimism in relation to AI – about 80% of Romanians accept or approve of AI in principle, and 76% report having observed or personally experienced benefits from AI integration, mainly related to efficiency and reduced time spent on repetitive tasks. Moreover, the majority of the population supports updated regulation and training to ensure safe, ethical adoption of AI-based healthcare tools.​

Moving Forward

The following steps are needed for Romania to make the most of the opportunities offered by AI to improve the quality of healthcare:

  • Continuation of investment in secure, digital infrastructure.
  • Involvement of medical staff at every stage of AI tool development and implementation.
  • Fostering of digital literacy through ongoing education of healthcare personnel.
  • Promotion of ethical and responsible deployment of AI to ensure patient trust and safety.​​

AI is rapidly moving from pilot projects to foundational elements of modern healthcare. For Romania, as elsewhere, a transparent, strategy-driven adoption of these technologies will help build a more sustainable, patient-centered healthcare system. It is a journey for all of us to understand the benefits which AI can bring.

For more details, you can access:  intelligent-healthcare-report.pdf

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