Former Kaiser Permanente CEO and one of modern healthcare's most influential physician leaders, Dr. Robert Pearl joined us for a deep discussion focusing on his recent book "ChatGPT, MD" and the exponential changes generative AI can bring to American medicine and healthcare. We initially heard a poignant personal story from Dr. Pearl about how he went from studying cardiac surgery to becoming a plastic surgeon as a result of watching surgical repairs of cleft palates in Mexico. From there he went on to his bullish views on the future role of his book's co-author, Chat GPT, though all depends, he made clear, on clinicians taking the lead and the next generation of them being committed to change. Still, he made clear that the present antiquated system can be changed by technology and transformation can and will occur. He addressed concerns such as security, privacy, data breaches and bias, but spoke overall with abundant optimism, despite touching as well on the unsustainability of medical costs. He spoke, also, of achievements of the Kaiser Permanente model and the necessity for humanity to keep pace with technology. An enlightening, inspiring call to action hour.
