Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Kali Arduini Ihde, Director, NM Ventures and Innovation, Northwestern Medicine
Oct 29, 2025
Kali Arduini Ihde, Director of NM Ventures and Innovation at Northwestern Medicine, is a trailblazer in healthcare technology partnerships. She discusses innovative uses of AI, such as ambient listening that cuts clinician documentation time by 20% and speeds up prior authorizations for specialty medications. Kali emphasizes the importance of curiosity and adaptability in healthcare, sharing insights on balancing innovation with operational constraints and navigating the regulatory landscape for responsible AI adoption.
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Ambient Listening Reduced Documentation Time
- Northwestern Medicine implemented ambient listening across the system and drove clinician adoption through active onboarding and usage goals.
- The program cut documentation time by about 20% and let clinicians use reclaimed time to see more patients.
Prior Auth Automation Cut Processing Time 66%
- A partnership with an early-stage company automated specialty medication prior authorizations and reduced processing time from 17+ minutes to about five minutes.
- The change centralized work in specialty pharmacy and freed clinics to focus on patient care.
Make AI A Priority And Pilot Early
- Lean into AI by finding curious people in your organization who can separate hype from real value and pilot promising tools.
- Make AI a priority and create programs (e.g., IS goals) that encourage experimentation and real-world efficiency gains.