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Sheps Center Part of Statewide AI Initiative Supporting Rural Health Care

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The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research is a partner in the new North Carolina Collaborative Health AI Network (NC CHAIN), a statewide collaboration focused on helping health care organizations, particularly rural and critical access providers, navigate the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence. The initiative brings together health systems, researchers, policymakers, and community partners from across North Carolina to share expertise and strengthen health care delivery through innovation.

The network is led by Dr. David McSwain, chief medical informatics officer at UNC Health and a research fellow at the Sheps Center. Through NC CHAIN, participating organizations will work together to evaluate emerging AI tools, share lessons learned, and develop approaches that help providers make informed decisions about implementing new technologies.

Sheps contributes expertise in health services research, data analytics, rural health, and statewide partnership development. Brian Cass, deputy director for data analytics and information technology at the Sheps Center, is part of the NC CHAIN leadership team and will help support the network’s efforts to connect health care organizations with shared resources, technical assistance, and practical guidance. The collaborative is designed to build on existing strengths across North Carolina while ensuring that smaller and rural providers have opportunities to benefit from advances in AI.

 

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