The Digital Pulse: An npj Digital Medicine podcast

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. David Bates, Chief of General Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Dr. Luciana D'Adderio, Professorial Chancellor's Fellow in Data-Driven Innovation at the University of Edinburgh. We discuss their npj Digital Medicine perspective, "Transforming Diagnosis Through Artificial Intelligence," and how AI is beginning to reshape the diagnostic process itself.

The conversation explores a fundamental shift in how diagnosis happens. Traditionally, clinicians gather information, form a hypothesis, and test it. Increasingly, an AI's answer arrives first, and the clinician's role becomes verifying it. The guests discuss why AI must be studied in its real-world context rather than judged on accuracy alone, how automation bias and deskilling threaten clinical judgment, and why "don't believe the beautiful picture" may be the most important lesson for the next generation of physicians. They also examine patients arriving with their own AI-generated answers, the physician's evolving role as an advisor, and the "last mile" of diagnosis, where language models that sound plausible but are wrong still need an experienced clinician to catch the difference.

Hosted by Benjamin Mazer, MD, with co-host Sam Margolis. Produced by Daniel Jung.

The historical legacy of Henrietta Lacks continues to guide our understanding of consent, privacy, and data usage. But as generative AI and large language models integrate rapidly into clinical workflows, how do those ethical standards translate to modern medical data?

In this episode of The Digital Pulse, discover how researchers and advocates are proposing new frameworks for data transparency and patient autonomy.

Drs. Benjamin Mazer and Joseph Kvedar talk with Tej Azad, Suchi Saria, and Deven McGraw.

In this episode of The Digital Pulse, we are joined by Eric Horvitz, Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft, alongside Selin Everett and Bryan Bunning of Stanford. We discuss their recent publication on Clinician-AI collaboration that explores how physicians and AI interact with each other.

This conversation explores the design challenges of human-computer interaction in medicine, the nuances of AI-first versus second-opinion workflows, and the pitfalls of treating advanced language models like standard search engines. The guests share fascinating insights into how AI integration compressed performance outliers to boost average diagnostic accuracy, while also cautioning against the hidden dangers of "sycophancy", where a model overly accommodates a clinician's initial feedback at the expense of independent analysis.

Whether you are a practicing clinician or a digital health innovator, this episode offers a critical look at how human factors, system trust, and workflow design shape the future of AI in healthcare.

Hosted by Benjamin Mazer, MD. Produced by Daniel Jung.

In this episode of The Digital Pulse, we are joined by Dr. Bertalan Meskó, widely known as "The Medical Futurist." Dr. Meskó discusses his unique career path merging medicine, technology, and future studies, sharing insights on how healthcare professionals can best navigate an era of rapid digital transformation.

Whether you are a clinician, a scientist, or a digital health innovator, this episode provides a high-level perspective on how to build a routine language for talking about the future and making more informed decisions in the present.

Produced by Sohayla Eldeeb and Edited by Daniel Jung

In this episode of The Digital Pulse, Dr. Ziad Obermeyer joins us to discuss how bias can become embedded in medical algorithms and why these tools can unintentionally worsen health inequities. The conversation discusses the hidden assumptions behind healthcare data, the risks of using flawed proxies for patient need, and the future of more equitable, evidence-based medical AI.

Produced by Sohayla Eldeeb and Edited by Daniel Jung

In this episode of The Digital Pulse, we sit down with former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of digital medicine, with a focus on generative AI. Drawing on his experience across academia, industry, and federal regulation, Dr. Califf reflects on a central challenge: innovation in AI is outpacing both clinicians and regulators.

Dr. Califf explores how such technologies could reshape decision-making in medicine but also raises critical questions about trust, validation, and oversight. This episode offers a timely and nuanced perspective on how healthcare systems can responsibly integrate AI, balancing innovation with safety, and ensuring that both patients and clinicians remain at the center of digital transformation.

Produced by Sohayla Eldeeb and Edited by Daniel Jung

In this inaugural episode of The Digital Pulse, the official podcast of npj Digital Medicine, we sit down with the journal’s Editor-in-Chief for an in-depth conversation exploring the evolving landscape of digital health, artificial intelligence, and the future of medicine. As digital technologies increasingly shape how healthcare is delivered, evaluated, and experienced, this discussion offers a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on how leading scientific journals are responsibly guiding innovation.

The Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Joseph Kvedar, reflects on the journal’s mission, and listeners gain insight into emerging research priorities shaping the field today. Dr. Kvedar will share practical tips for getting your research published and discuss the different content formats available for authors looking to contribute to the journal. Whether you are an early-career researcher, clinician, or digital health innovator, this conversation offers valuable insight into navigating scientific publishing in the era of digital medicine.

Produced by Sohayla Eldeeb and Edited by Daniel Jung