What did the Oncology Care Index find about AI adoption?

AI usage jumped from 15% to 45% year over year, and more than 80% of respondents reported using or experimenting with AI. However, only 19% had actually deployed it in practice.

What are the main barriers to AI deployment in oncology?

Cost, cybersecurity, and uncertainty about workflow disruption were the most cited barriers.

Who was surveyed for the Oncology Care Index?

The index surveyed more than 200 oncologists and operational leaders.

AI in HealthcareTop Companies' AI MovesAI Business & IndustryTop Companies AI10h agoSep 30, 2026, 06:31 JST

AI use jumps to 45%, but just 19% deployed: J&J index

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3 Key Points

What happened
At the 2026 COA Payer Exchange and Innovation Summit, J&J's June Lanoue presented Oncology Care Index data: AI usage rose from 15% to 45% year over year, more than 80% use or experiment with AI, but only 19% deployed it, citing cost, cybersecurity, and workflow disruption.
Why it matters
The gap between interest and actual deployment is wide, as the survey of more than 200 oncologists and operational leaders shows most are still experimenting rather than running AI in practice.
What to watch
Whether deployment rises hinges on vendors addressing cost, cybersecurity, and workflow disruption—the top barriers cited. Lanoue said the index showed 3 areas of progress: moving AI from promise to practice, bringing trial access closer to home, and closing the interest-to-deployment gap.

WHO IT HITSCommunity oncology practice leaders and operational managers evaluating AI vendors will face pressure to close the deployment gap, while vendors must address cost, cybersecurity, and workflow concerns to win adoption.

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Context & Analysis

The 2026 COA Payer Exchange & Innovation Summit panel, moderated by COA's Shiela Plasencia, brought together Debra Patt of Texas Oncology and June Lanoue of Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine to examine AI's role in community oncology. The discussion highlighted that while enthusiasm for AI is high, execution lags—a finding underscored by J&J's Oncology Care Index showing a jump in AI usage from 15% to 45% year over year, yet only 19% deployment. This want-execution gap suggests that practices are interested but held back by cost, cybersecurity, and workflow concerns.

The panel also pointed to practical wins already in place, such as DeepScribe for dictation and Canopy's ePRO platform freeing nursing capacity, as well as clinical trial matching and decision support. These examples indicate that AI can deliver value when integrated into existing workflows rather than disrupting them. However, the conversation made clear that durable adoption hinges on vendors offering scalable, EHR-integrated solutions and genuine community oncology experience—not flashy presentations. The outcome for practices may depend on whether they can find partners who support change management beyond software deployment.

FAQ

What did the Oncology Care Index find about AI adoption?: AI usage jumped from 15% to 45% year over year, and more than 80% of respondents reported using or experimenting with AI. However, only 19% had actually deployed it in practice.
What are the main barriers to AI deployment in oncology?: Cost, cybersecurity, and uncertainty about workflow disruption were the most cited barriers.
Who was surveyed for the Oncology Care Index?: The index surveyed more than 200 oncologists and operational leaders.

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