Building With AI

How to Build AI Tools That Doctors Actually Use | Dr. Graham Walker (Founder of Offcall and MDCalc)

Feb 17, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Graham Walker, an Emergency Physician and co-founder of MDCalc and Offcall, shares insights on AI's transformative role in healthcare. He highlights MDCalc's immense adoption among U.S. doctors and the innovative impact of AI scribes in reducing burnout. The conversation touches on challenges such as privacy concerns and the risks of overreliance on AI. Dr. Walker also envisions a future where AI empowers emergency rooms, balancing technological benefits with essential human expertise.

51:47

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Episode guests

Dr. Graham Walker

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

AI scribe tools enhance physician-patient interactions by automating documentation, allowing doctors to regain valuable time in their day.

Predictive AI technologies provide early intervention capabilities by monitoring patients and alerting clinicians to potential deterioration signs based on data analysis.

Resistance to AI adoption in healthcare arises from concerns of usability and data security, highlighting the need for user-friendly design and trust.

Deep dives

Impact of AI Scribes on Medical Practice

AI scribe tools have significantly transformed documentation practices in healthcare, allowing physicians to efficiently focus on patient interactions. By automating note-taking during consultations, these tools help doctors allocate more time to understanding patient concerns and delivering care. Physicians report regaining hours in their day due to the efficiency offered by these AI systems, enhancing both their experience and that of the patients. The shift from manual documentation to seamless AI integration presents a more enjoyable and collaborative environment in medical settings.

Intro

4min

A Journey from Medicine to AI Innovation in Healthcare

3min

Transforming Emergency Medicine with Technology

6min

AI Integration in Healthcare: Balancing Benefits and Risks

11min

Balancing Human Engagement with AI Recommendations

2min

Navigating AI in Healthcare

24min

Navigating AI Safety in Healthcare: Closing Insights and Solutions

2min

Dr. Graham Walker is an Emergency Physician and the Founder of MDCalc, a clinical decision support tool used by over 70% of U.S. physicians. He also co-founded Offcall, a platform addressing physician burnout through transparency and data-driven insights.

We dive deep into the real-world use cases of AI in hospitals—from predictive models that detect patient deterioration to generative AI scribes that free doctors from paperwork.

In this conversation, we discuss:

How MDCalc became a must-have tool for 70% of U.S. doctors,
Impact of AI scribes on physician burnout and patient care,
Risks of overreliance on AI,
Barriers to AI adoption in hospitals (privacy, cost, and trust),
The AI-powered emergency room of the future,
And much more!

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Brought to you by Autoblocks (https://www.autoblocks.ai/) — helping teams build safe, reliable, and compliant LLM-based products.

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Building with AI is a weekly podcast featuring conversations with top AI product builders and leaders. Through thoughtful dialogue, host Haroon Choudery explores how AI is reshaping industries in real-time. This season, we're diving deep into one of the most impactful and high-stakes applications of AI: healthcare.

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