Artificial Intelligence in Perioperative Care: Clinical Value Creation and Economic Impact on Healthcare Systems

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare to support clinical decisionmaking and improve system performance. In perioperative care (characterized by high complexity, resource demands, and outcome variability) AI has the potential to support both patient outcomes and organizational efficiency. While the literature on AI in perioperative settings is expanding rapidly, it remains largely focused on technical and clinical aspects, with insufficient attention to economic and managerial implications. This paper explores the role of AI in perioperative care from a combined clinical and economic perspective, highlighting its contribution to healthcare performance and business excellence. A structured narrative review of recent scientific, managerial, and policy literature was conducted, focusing on AI-driven decision support, resource optimization, and system-level outcomes.Two key dimensions were analyzed: clinical value (including patient safety, risk prediction, and personalized care pathways) and economic value (such as efficiency improvements, cost control, and performance benchmarking). Evidence suggests that AI enhances perioperative risk stratification, supports tailored treatment strategies, reduces complications, and improves operating room utilization and critical care resource allocation.Beyond clinical impact, AI functions as a strategic driver of digital transformation, enabling data-driven governance and value-based healthcare models. This study positions perioperative AI not merely as a technological tool but as a system-level performance enabler, with important implications for healthcare leadership and decision-making.