How can AI enhance education and client engagement without replacing the human nuance of counseling?

In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley sits down with dietitian and tech educator Drew Hemler, RD to unpack where AI fits in dietetics today—from chatbots that support the “in-between” moments of care to visualizing complex data like body composition in patient-friendly ways. They dig into AI’s limits, cultural sensitivity, HIPAA considerations, and practical tools clinicians can adopt now, plus what’s coming next as AI becomes expected in healthcare workflows.

Key Takeaways

• AI is accelerating in dietetics—learn it now to stay relevant.

• Counseling ≠ education: AI can scale education; humans handle nuance and behavior change.

• Chatbots can support clients between visits and reduce inbox overload.

• Visualizing data (e.g., body composition trends) boosts motivation and understanding.

• Cultural context matters—AI can help tailor advice to cuisines and traditions when guided well.

• Automate the repetitive; reserve your time for relationships and higher-value work.

• Use plain-language translations to make complex info digestible.

• Start small: newsletters, AMA’s AI Hub, and simple workflows are great on-ramps.

• Always apply human oversight—AI outputs can be biased, inaccurate, or unsafe without context.

• The near future: AI scribes and standardized tools will be common in clinical practice.

About my Guest

Drew Hemler, RD is a dietitian and educator working across private practice, clinical care, and academia with a specialty in practical AI for healthcare. With a background in marketing and tech, Drew helps clinicians adopt AI tools for education, client engagement, and operations—while keeping counseling human-centered and culturally informed.

How to Connect

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewhemler/

Instagram: @dietitian.drew