From the Horse's Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht

Sandeep Dadlani: Why Healthcare Needs AI That Listens—Not Just Learns


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We don’t need more dashboards—we need more listening. 


In this episode, Phil Fersht sits down with Sandeep Dadlani, the Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at UnitedHealth Group, to explore what fundamental healthcare transformation looks like in the age of AI. 


Sandeep dives into how UnitedHealth is deploying ambient AI and agentic systems to reduce clinical burnout, improve access to care, and, most importantly, bring empathy back into the doctor-patient relationship. 


This is AI designed to serve, not replace. And it’s already in the hands of thousands of clinicians. 


What You’ll Hear in 30 Minutes 

- Why healthcare has a tech problem and a humanity problem 

- How ambient listening AI is giving doctors their time—and their focus—back 

- What “agentic AI” really means in clinical workflows 

- The risks of bad AI and the urgency of building trusted systems 

- How to scale AI in ways that respect patients, doctors, and outcomes 


Guest Snapshots 

Sandeep Dadlani is the Executive Vice President and Chief Digital & Technology Officer at UnitedHealth Group, where he leads the charge in rethinking how one of the world’s largest healthcare companies uses technology. With prior roles at Mars and Infosys, Sandeep brings a rare blend of consumer empathy and enterprise tech savvy. His current mission? Use AI to fix the system without losing sight of the people it’s meant to serve. 


Timestamps 

00:00 – Welcome and Introductions 

01:20 – Why Healthcare Needs a Reboot 

03:48 – What “Frictionless” Really Means in Care 

06:35 – Agentic AI: More Than a Buzzword 

08:12 – Ambient Listening: Letting Doctors Be Doctors 

12:47 – Creating Space for Human Connection 

14:40 – Scaling AI to 2,000+ Clinicians 

16:22 – Designing Tech That Actually Helps 

18:57 – Building for Real People, Not Just Processes 

22:10 – Where Healthcare Transformation Goes Next 

24:36 – Closing Thoughts: A More Human Future


Explore More

🌐 Learn more about UnitedHealth Group: https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/ 

🔗 Follow Sandeep Dadlani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdadlani/ 

🔗 Follow Phil Fersht: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfersht/ 

🔗 More from HFS Research: https://www.hfsresearch.com

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From the Horse's Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil FershtBy Phil Fersht