The 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey introduced us to HAL, a fictional artificial intelligence character that interacted with the astronauts. HAL would be pleased to learn that his AI progeny are helping to improve healthcare.

In this episode, Mike Sacopulos interviews Manijeh Berenji, MD, MPH, a double board-certified physician specializing in occupational and environmental medicine as well as preventive medicine. Berenji is chief of occupational health at VA Long Beach Healthcare System, and she also leads the Environmental Health Clinic at VA Long Beach Healthcare System.

Berenji discusses her work with veterans, including exposure assessments for veterans concerning Agent Orange and Open Burn Pits. Additionally, she explains the field of informatics as it applies to healthcare. Berenji shares her interest in clinical informatics and emphasizes the importance of digital tool proficiency for the future leaders of healthcare.

As the vice chair of the Health Informatics section of the American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Berenji talks about the section's efforts to advance clinical informatics in occupational and environmental medicine.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org