The Gradient
The Gradient: Perspectives on AI
Shiv Rao: Enabling Better Patient Care with AI
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Shiv Rao: Enabling Better Patient Care with AI

On generative AI in medicine and using AI to help physicians focus more on patients.

In episode 81 of The Gradient Podcast, Daniel Bashir speaks to Shiv Rao.

Shiv Rao, MD is the co-founder and CEO of Abridge, a healthcare conversation company that uses cutting-edge NLP and generative AI to bring context and understanding to every medical conversation. Shiv previously served as an Executive Vice President at UPMC Enterprises, managing the provider-facing portfolio of technology investments and R&D. He is a practicing cardiologist in UPMC's Heart and Vascular Institute.

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Outline:

  • (00:00) Intro

  • (01:34) Shiv’s medicine/technology/VC background

  • (05:45) Difficulties for tech in healthcare and how this informs Shiv’s approach

  • (10:52) “Productivity with a smile” and how AI can make medicine feel more human

  • (12:35) Shiv’s experiences in medicine and how Abridge’s product helps doctors

  • (16:10) How the role of a clinical team could evolve

  • (19:30) Abridge’s partnerships and real-life use cases

  • (23:00) Shiv’s perspectives on concerns about bias/trust/privacy

  • (25:25) Clinical decision support vs “automating doctors”

  • (29:07) Transparency and Abridge’s user experience

  • (35:20) Algorithmic solutionism vs human-focused approaches to technology development

  • (38:50) Ways AI might impact healthcare

  • (41:10) Generative AI applications

  • (45:00) Generative AI opportunities beyond documentation

  • (49:25) Innovation and reducing friction, UX

  • (50:56) Why people make wild predictions about AI

  • (54:25) What it means to “automate away” a doctor, how we’re misusing the medical workforce

  • (56:10) Shiv’s advice for people interested in AI + healthcare

  • (1:00:04) Outro

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The Gradient
The Gradient: Perspectives on AI
Deeply researched, technical interviews with experts thinking about AI and technology.