Is technology pulling health care away from human connection — or helping us get back to it?

In Part Two of this three-part series on The Exam Room Podcast, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues her conversation with Dr. Ami Bhatt, cardiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, to explore how digital tools and AI can support truly human-centered care.

Dr. Bhatt reflects on how modern health care has shifted from deeply personal relationships to time-limited, data-heavy encounters — and why neither patients nor clinicians are satisfied with that reality. She explains how thoughtfully designed digital systems can reduce administrative burden, synthesize complex data, and give clinicians the space to reconnect with patients through eye contact, conversation, and empathy.

The episode also dives into the evolving role of AI in health care: from background support that simplifies logistics and documentation, to patient-facing tools that can improve access, engagement, and even help address loneliness. The discussion emphasizes transparency, consent, and choice — allowing patients to decide when they want efficiency and when they want human connection.

Finally, Dr. Bhatt explores how generative AI may help health care move beyond surface-level data toward understanding what patients truly value, enabling more personalized, equitable, and meaningful care experiences.

This episode is a thoughtful exploration of how technology, when used intentionally, can help health care feel human again.