Dr. R. Ryan Sadeghian: The Future of AI in Healthcare
Dr. Reza Ryan Sadeghian from University of Toledo Health shares how he built 45+ clinical AI applications to combat physician burnout, implement robust AI governance, and transform healthcare workflows while maintaining patient-centered care and clinical judgment.
Episode Overview
In this episode of AI Today, host Kathleen Walch, Director, AI Engagement and Community, PMI, continues the AI in Healthcare mini-series, produced in partnership by PMI and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Today, Kathleen sits down with Dr. Reza Ryan Sadeghian, System Chief Medical Information Officer at University of Toledo Health. Dr. Sadeghian is also PMP-certified. Tune in to learn how AI is revolutionizing healthcare delivery through:
- Combat physician burnout with 45+ specialty-specific GPT applications that reduce documentation time while improving clinical quality and consistency
- Transform clinical workflows with patient-centered AI tools for pediatric care, infectious disease diagnosis, and medical education feedback
- Implement robust AI governance through layered oversight, human-in-the-loop design, and continuous validation with bias testing
- Build clinician trust by involving healthcare providers in shaping AI tools rather than imposing rigid pathways, respecting clinical judgment while augmenting decision-making
- Embed AI as infrastructure rather than standalone tools, treating AI initiatives with the same governance rigor as clinical interventions
Dr. Sadeghian also discusses the shift from digitization to digital transformation and how organizations can responsibly deploy AI while maintaining patient-centered care.
Whether you're a healthcare leader, project manager, or curious observer, this episode offers practical, hopeful, and forward-looking insights on building AI-enabled healthcare systems with empathy and vision. To learn more about on AI in healthcare, including access through HIMSS membership, please visit: https://bit.ly/3TSpHDZ
Featured in This Episode
Dr. Reza Ryan Sadeghian, MD, MBA, MSc, CPHIMS, CHCIO, PMP, FAAP, FACHDM, FAAPL
Chief Medical Information Officer at the University of Toledo Health
Dr. Reza Ryan Sadeghian, MD, MBA, MSc, CPHIMS, CHCIO, PMP, FAAP, FACHDM, FAAPL is a board-certified physician and healthcare technology leader, currently serving as the Chief Medical Information Officer at the University of Toledo Health. With a background in both clinical medicine and informatics, Dr. Sadeghian has led large-scale digital health and AI initiatives across academic and enterprise health systems.
He is the author of several influential books on healthcare transformation and artificial intelligence, including Intelligent Healing: Clinicians at the AI Forefront, Executive Evolution: A Guide for the Modern Leaders, Rebooting Care: Prescribing AI to Prevent Physician Burnout, ChatGPT Simplified: Transforming Healthcare with AI, and Guiding Change: A Leader’s Blueprint for Healthcare IT Transformation. His work focuses on turning AI theory into real-world clinical tools that improve efficiency, reduce cognitive burden, and enhance patient care.
Dr. Sadeghian has developed over 45 clinical GPT-powered applications used in specialties such as pediatrics and internal medicine, including tools for documentation, decision support, and medical education. He is an advocate for responsible AI adoption and governance in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of clinician engagement and human-centered design.
A certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), Dr. Sadeghian brings a strong operational and strategic perspective to health IT initiatives, with an emphasis on implementation science, team alignment, and measurable outcomes.
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