Rewriting the Clinical Playbook: Dr. Shiv Rao on Scaling Empathy with AI

In this episode of NEJM AI Grand Rounds, hosts Raj Manrai and Andy Beam interview Dr. Shiv Rao, the founder and CEO of Abridge, a healthcare AI company focused on software for clinical conversations. Dr. Rao shares his journey, from studying computer science and music to becoming a cardiologist and entrepreneur, driven by a desire to create impactful change in healthcare. He discusses the origin story of Abridge, highlighting the importance of patient-doctor relationships and how technology can enhance them. The conversation covers Abridge's technological evolution, from BERT-based models to leveraging large language models, and the challenges of ensuring safety and trust in AI-driven healthcare solutions. Dr. Rao also touches on the company's current scale, roadmap for expansion, and his vision for the future of AI in medicine, emphasizing the need for collaboration between computer scientists and clinicians.