AI—Advantage or Danger in Healthcare?

Episode 54: AI—Advantage or Danger in Healthcare?

In this episode of Gravity Healthcare Hacks, host Melissa Brown (COO of Gravity Healthcare Consulting) welcomes Richard “RJ” Kedziora, co-founder and CEO of Estenda Solutions, to discuss the game-changing potential—and possible pitfalls—of AI in healthcare.

With a background in software development and a long-standing passion for artificial intelligence (stretching back to the 1980s!), RJ brings a wealth of experience on how new and emerging AI tools can transform clinical workflows.

Together, they explore how generative AI eases the documentation burden, the nuances of using AI as a “second opinion,” and why human oversight is still crucial for patient safety.

RJ also highlights real-world examples of AI in areas like diabetes management, medical imaging, and remote patient monitoring—technologies that can help seniors age in place while preserving autonomy.

If you’re curious about how to get started with AI, what to watch out for, and where digital health might be headed, this conversation offers practical tips and exciting insights.

Tune in to learn how you can harness AI’s power without sacrificing the personal touch that quality care demands.

Transcript

Gravity Healthcare Hacks – Episode 54

AI: Advantage or Danger in Healthcare?

Host: Melissa Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Gravity Healthcare Consulting
Guest: Richard “RJ” Kedziora, Co-founder and CEO, Estenda Solutions

Melissa Brown (Intro):

Welcome to Gravity Healthcare Hacks! I’m Melissa Brown, COO of Gravity Healthcare Consulting and a self-professed healthcare nerd. Every month, we bring you industry expertise and practical tips to help you stay grounded in the ever-changing world of healthcare.

Melissa Brown:

Welcome to Gravity Healthcare Hacks! Today, we’re diving into a topic I’m particularly passionate about: AI in healthcare—advantage or danger? Joining me is Richard “RJ” Kedziora, co-founder and CEO of Estenda Solutions. RJ, welcome!

RJ Kedziora:

Thanks for having me, Melissa! I’m looking forward to this conversation.

Melissa Brown:

Before we jump in, tell our listeners a bit about yourself. What led you to AI and healthcare technology?

RJ Kedziora:

Sure! My journey into AI started way back in the 1980s when I was a kid playing around with personal computers. I was fascinated by what technology could do and was also an avid science fiction reader—Isaac Asimov was a huge influence on me.

When I went to college in the early ‘90s, my plan was to pursue a PhD in artificial intelligence. At the time, AI wasn’t widely discussed like it is today, but it existed. Eventually, I pivoted from academia to the workforce, working my way up through software development, project management, and product development.

In the early 2000s, I had the opportunity to start my own consulting company, focusing on software development in healthcare—an industry that fascinated me because of its complexity and impact on people’s lives. Unlike industries like accounting or inventory management, healthcare hadn’t fully embraced data-driven decision-making. That’s where AI comes in. Over the years, I’ve worked with various AI models, from expert systems in the ‘90s to today’s generative AI, which represents a major turning point in how technology can assist healthcare.

Melissa Brown:

I completely agree! AI is an incredible tool, and yet, I see so much hesitation around it in healthcare. From what I’ve seen, when applied correctly, AI reduces workload and eliminates unnecessary administrative tasks—especially for frontline caregivers and leadership.

For example, instead of spending hours auditing records, AI can provide instant insights, allowing managers to focus on solving problems rather than just identifying them. Why do you think there’s still so much hesitation around AI in healthcare? And can you share an example where AI has made a significant impact?

RJ Kedziora:

Great question! One of the biggest success stories of generative AI in healthcare is ambient listening and automated note-taking.

Many people have experienced this with platforms like Microsoft Teams, where meetings can be transcribed automatically. This same concept is being applied in clinical settings. Instead of a physician or home health nurse spending time typing out notes, AI listens to the conversation, generates a structured summary, and reduces the need for manual documentation.

Think about why most professionals enter healthcare—it’s not to spend hours justifying billing codes or filling out paperwork. AI frees them up to focus on patient care.

Melissa Brown:

That’s a great example. I’ve also seen AI-powered EMR systems that can read notes aloud while a clinician is driving to a patient’s home, saving 10–15 minutes per visit. AI can also document the visit, allow the provider to review and correct it by voice, and eliminate the need for late-night charting.

Home health clinicians often spend hours documenting at the end of their day—sometimes with a glass of wine and Netflix in the background! The accuracy of documentation at that point isn’t always great. AI could help solve that.

But some people still hesitate to adopt AI. What do you think are key considerations for healthcare leaders who are evaluating AI for their organizations?

RJ Kedziora:

Healthcare leaders need to keep a few things in mind when adopting AI:

1. AI isn’t perfect—neither are humans. AI systems can make mistakes (hallucinations), but so do humans. We already have processes in place to catch and correct human errors, and those same checks and balances should be applied to AI.
2. Bias is real. Just like humans, AI models can develop biases based on the data they are trained on. Leaders should be aware of how AI models are trained and ensure they are validated across different patient populations.
3. AI is not a replacement—it’s an augmentation. I prefer the term “augmented intelligence” rather than artificial intelligence. AI should be used to support clinical decision-making, not replace it.

For example, AI is already being used in diabetes research to subtype Type 2 diabetes—uncovering hidden patterns that help physicians tailor treatment. It’s also helping with diabetic retinopathy detection, reducing false positives and false negatives more effectively than human reviewers.

Melissa Brown:

I love that perspective—AI as augmented intelligence. Healthcare is still very much a human industry, but AI can provide better insights, reduce administrative burdens, and improve accuracy.

What do you see as the biggest risk of AI in healthcare?

RJ Kedziora:

The biggest risk is over-reliance without human oversight. AI is advancing rapidly, but it still requires human validation.

That said, I do believe AI will surpass the average human in decision-making within our lifetime. The key is integrating AI into clinical workflows responsibly, ensuring it acts as a second opinion rather than an unchecked authority.

Melissa Brown:

That makes sense. One of the most fascinating AI use cases I’ve seen recently is in remote monitoring and wearables. AI can track daily routines, vitals, and behaviors—and then flag irregularities.

For example, if an elderly patient skips their morning coffee and doesn’t turn on the TV like they usually do, AI can alert a caregiver to check in proactively. These tools allow seniors to age in place with more independence while still having safety nets in place.

What do you think is next for AI in healthcare?

RJ Kedziora:

The future of digital health will be driven by:

• Passive monitoring (AI that observes behaviors without requiring user input)
• More seamless AI integration into clinical decision-making
• Better personalization—AI will provide recommendations based on individual patient data, rather than generalized guidelines

We’re still in the early stages, but I believe AI is as transformative as the invention of the internet or electricity. It will reshape healthcare—but only if we implement it wisely.

Melissa Brown:

I couldn’t agree more! RJ, thank you for sharing your expertise.

For anyone wanting to connect, you can find RJ Kedziora and Estenda Solutions on LinkedIn. And, of course, you can always reach out to me directly.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe to Gravity Healthcare Hacks. Remember—it’s not just what you know, but how you apply it that makes all the difference.

See you next time!