What’s the Difference — and Why It Matters
Pilot are small trials meant to see if something even works, like testing a new workflow in one clinic. Many leaders treat pilots as a go/no-go decision point: if it doesn’t shine, the project dies.
But phased rollouts are different. They’re structured stages of deployment. Everyone knows from the start that early versions are MVPs (Minimal Viable Products), meant to be refined and scaled. This clarity builds confidence, avoids confusion, and sets realistic expectations.
Lessons from Implementation Science
Implementation science, the field that studies how to move research into practice, makes the case for rollouts over pilots.
The EPIS framework (Explore, Prepare, Implement, Sustain) shows how adoption works best:
Explore the context
Prepare people and processes
Implement gradually
Sustain improvements over time
Research also highlights that the factors that make innovations stick include acceptability, feasibility, scalability, and sustainability. A phased rollout lets you test and refine each of these at every stage.
Why Pilots Frequently Stall
In healthcare, 80% of projects never move beyond the pilot phase. Why? Because pilots are often positioned as optional experiments. When challenges arise, stakeholders decide it’s not worth the effort.
But if that same pilot were framed as Phase 1 of a rollout, with clear next steps, the story would be different.
Why Phased Rollouts Build Confidence
Here’s why phased rollouts outperform one off pilots:
Expectations are clear → everyone knows this is moving forward, not up for debate.
Problems get fixed early → small failures are corrected before system-wide disruption.
Teams adapt more easily → gradual changes give staff time to learn and trust the new process.
Sustainable change → instead of “big bang” disruption, you stretch change over time.
Case Study: Enhancing Patient Care with Generative AI
A regional health system introduced a generative AI documentation assistant. Instead of a one-off pilot, leaders committed to a phased rollout.
Phase 0 (Planning): Stakeholders aligned expectations and set MVP goals.
Phase 1 (Pilot with Purpose): Tested in one clinic, measuring usability and clinician satisfaction.
Phase 2 (Early Expansion): Adjusted speech recognition errors and workflow friction, then expanded to three departments.
Phase 3 (System-wide Rollout): Training guides and IT supports added for smoother adoption.
Phase 4 (Sustain & Scale): Regular feedback ensured continuous improvement.
The result:
30% less documentation time per visit
Higher clinician satisfaction
A project that scaled successfully instead of joining the pilot graveyard
How to Build a Phased Rollout Strategy
Here’s a step-by-step template you can adapt for your own projects:
Define scope & purpose → Make it clear this is a rollout, not a pass/fail test.
Pilot with intent → Use small settings to measure usability, feasibility, and acceptance.
Expand thoughtfully → Apply lessons learned to new groups.
Full implementation → Scale with confidence, backed by real-world feedback.
Sustain & scale → Embed the new approach as the standard of care.
Final Word
Too many promising healthcare innovations die in pilot purgatory. By reframing pilots as the first step of a phased rollout, you can build momentum, keep stakeholders aligned, and create lasting change.
The next time someone suggests a pilot, try responding with: “Yes, let’s pilot it, but with a clear plan to roll it out in phases.”