AI Powered Excellence (APEX)

AI Powered Excellence (APEX) is the Department of Medicine's shared AI services program, supporting all 10 DOM divisions with research, operational, and clinical AI initiatives. AI has real potential to support the work our divisions are already doing, and APEX exists to help every division explore that potential with confidence, offering a coordinated path to explore, evaluate, and thoughtfully adopt AI solutions, rather than navigating AI tools, governance, and infrastructure alone.

APEX is built on Azure for a secure environment and works alongside HSIS on governance and infrastructure, including exploring how AI tools may align with existing systems such as Epic over time.

Mission Statement: APEX equips DOM divisions with the tools, guidance, and governance support to bring AI into research, operational, and clinical workflows with confidence, so every division has a trusted partner for turning promising AI ideas into real progress.

APEX itself does not build or run AI models. Instead, APEX helps Department of Medicine divisions identify where AI could help in research, operational, or clinical work, connects them with approved tools, and supports every project through review under HSIS protocols along the way.

What to Expect

Once you bring an idea to APEX, here's the journey it takes:

1. Identify project outcome and evaluate feasibility. We work with you to define what success looks like and assess whether the idea is a good fit for AI.
2. Establish a timeline based on project scope. Together we scope the work and set expectations for how long it will take.
3. Resource and discovery phase. We identify the right tools, data, and team members needed to move the project forward.
4. Full software development cycle. The project moves through design, build, testing, and review, with governance checkpoints along the way.

Alongside this process, you'll also have access to:

• A single point of contact to help you explore what AI can do for your work
• Regular office hours for live, informal support and troubleshooting

Note: APEX is growing. The team is adding personnel to expand support across all 10 divisions, and we welcome divisions to reach out early as this expansion continues.

Meet the DOM APEX Team

Working Group: Division Representatives

APEX operates across all 10 Department of Medicine divisions, each with a designated representative who serves as the liaison between their division and the APEX team. If you have specific questions, please reach out to your designated representative for support.

Additional Workgroup Members

AI Office Hours

Have a question, an idea, or just want to talk through an AI use case? Drop in, no appointment needed.

Contact

Email DoMAPEX@uab.edu to obtain the Zoom link.

Submit a Project

The APEX Project Intake Form isn't just for fully developed project ideas. Use it to:

• Submit an AI project for review
• Ask what's possible for a research, operational, or clinical idea you're exploring
• Request a call with the APEX team to talk through your concept
• Check the feasibility of an idea before committing time to it

Intake Form Opens an external link.

The intake process creates a standardized pathway for faculty and staff to submit, evaluate, and prioritize AI project ideas across the Department of Medicine, in partnership with HSIS.

Governance

Every AI tool and project that moves through APEX, whether for research, operations, or clinical use, is reviewed under HSIS protocols as part of its journey across the Department of Medicine's 10 divisions. This process exists to support confident, well-considered AI adoption, helping make sure tools are safe, accurate, and appropriate before they touch research data, patient care, or division operations, so good ideas can move forward on solid footing.

All AI tools and projects that move through APEX are evaluated through a governance process built in partnership with HSIS to help ensure:

• Compliance with institutional and regulatory requirements
• Data security and appropriate use of Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Clinical safety and appropriateness
• Thoughtful consideration of how a tool may relate to existing systems and infrastructure, such as Epic, over time

Governance Process Flow

1. Intake submission
2. Initial review
3. Governance/HSIS evaluation
4. Division sign-off
5. Deployment/pilot

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I begin if I want a conversation to know what's possible?

You don't need a fully formed project or a completed intake form to talk with APEX. The easiest way to start is to drop into office hours (Mondays at 1:00 PM or Wednesdays 8:00 to 10:00 AM) and talk through your idea live, or email DoMAPEX@uab.edu to set up time with the team. From there, we'll help you figure out if it's a fit and what the next step looks like, whether that's the intake form or just more exploration.

What is APEX?

DOM APEX (AI Powered Excellence) is the Department of Medicine's shared AI services program supporting all 10 divisions with AI project intake, tools, governance, and support for research, operational, and clinical initiatives.

How do I submit an AI project idea?

Complete the APEX Project Intake Form. You can use it whether you have a fully formed project, want to ask what's possible, request a call with the team, or check feasibility before moving forward. Your submission will go through the standardized review and governance process.

Who do I contact with questions?

Email DoMAPEX@uab.edu, or drop in during office hours (Mondays at 1:00 p.m. or Wednesdays 8:00–10:00 a.m.).

Does APEX support all divisions equally right now?

APEX is growing, and the team is adding personnel to expand support across all 10 divisions. Every division is welcome to reach out early, whether that's through office hours or the intake form.