Welcome to The Connected Physician, where healthcare leaders and innovators share their expertise to enhance patient care and improve healthcare outcomes. In today’s episode, host Katharina Juenger is joined by Dr. Vishisht Mehta, a leading expert in interventional pulmonology, lung cancer detection, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare. Dr. Mehta serves as the Director of Interventional Pulmonology at the Comprehensive Cancer Center in Nevada and the Chair of the Pulmonology Department at Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas.

In this episode, Katharina and Dr. Mehta explore:

• The Role of Technology in Medicine: Dr. Mehta discusses how integrating AI and other technologies can help overworked physicians, from reducing administrative tasks to improving patient care. He emphasizes that while AI adoption isn’t necessary for every doctor, openness to it can lead to better efficiency and outcomes.
• AI in Healthcare: Discover how AI is transforming pulmonology, from identifying lung nodules and tracking blood clots to automating insurance claims and improving screening rates for lung cancer. Dr. Mehta explains how AI can seamlessly integrate into a physician's practice to enhance patient care.
• Addressing Technology Overload: Dr. Mehta acknowledges the challenges physicians face with technology, particularly with EMR systems. He shares strategies for mastering new tools to reduce frustration and improve workflow.
• Optimizing AI in Practice: Learn how to evaluate AI solutions that align with specific needs within a medical practice, from lung cancer screenings to tracking incidental findings in scans.
• The Importance of Lung Cancer Screening: Dr. Mehta highlights the significance of early detection of lung cancer and how AI can help increase screening rates among high-risk patients, improving survival outcomes.
• Robotics and Autonomous Agents in Pulmonology: Dr. Mehta discusses the potential of robotics in medical procedures, such as robotic bronchoscopy, and the exciting possibility of autonomous agents in healthcare.
• The Future of Medicine: Reflecting on the future, Dr. Mehta shares his thoughts on the role of doctors in an evolving healthcare landscape, stressing the importance of passion and mastery in whatever path his children may choose.

Links and Resources:

• Vishisht Mehta on LinkedIn
• Pulmonary.ai

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to The Connected Physician Podcast? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes or Spotify and leave us a review!