Creating a culture for digital health technologies: Insights from Professor C. Michael Gibson

• As the science behind clinical decision-support tools and other digital health solutions advances rapidly, social and cultural changes among healthcare stakeholders are critical to ensure successful adoption
• By alleviating administrative tasks and manual data entry, artificial intelligence has the potential to foster a closer connection between healthcare professionals and patients
• Clinical-decision support tools can provide personalized dynamic risk assessments while accommodating patients’ individual preferences

While the integration of digital health technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in cardiovascular and emergency medicine have the ability to transform patient care, these tools can face social and cultural challenges within healthcare institutions that prevent their full implementation.¹ A lack of exposure and/or comfort with AI technologies, concerns around  workflow disruption, and a perception that AI is a threat to a clinician’s autonomy or professional judgement may impede the adoption of these tools and increase reluctance.²

In the first episode of the podcast series Cardio Insights, Prof. C. Michael Gibson of Harvard Medical School shares his expertise on the evolving role of clinical decision support tools, the challenges of implementation, and the future of healthcare delivery.

Prof. Gibson emphasizes the transformative potential of clinical decision-support tools in cardiology and emergency medicine. These digital health technologies are already assisting clinicians daily in diagnosing and managing conditions more effectively.³  However, he highlights a critical gap: while the science behind these tools is robust and progressing at a rapid pace, their implementation often lags due to social and cultural barriers within healthcare institutions and the friction that adopting new tools in the medical community triggers.² As Prof. Gibson notes, “Science is easy, but people are hard.” The challenge lies in aligning the goals of various stakeholders within hospitals and care settings, rather than achieving the next technological breakthrough. Social and cultural change is crucial to creating a space for innovation within healthcare institutions that can be trusted.

One recurring frustration among clinicians is the excessive administrative burden imposed by electronic health records (EHRs), and other digital tools they might need to interact with every day.⁴ Prof. Gibson humorously remarks that “MD doesn’t stand for manual data entry.” He advocates for a shift where technology works for clinicians rather than the opposite. For example, tools that automate data collection, risk assessment, and even scheduling can significantly reduce workload. Highlighting a successful example, Prof. Gibson describes one tool that not only assesses concussion risks but also automates follow-up appointments.

According to Prof. Gibson, patient empowerment begins with education. He stresses that effective communication should extend beyond just a 5- to 20-minute doctor’s visit, something that can be achieved with digital technology available today. He calls for accessible, high-quality educational tools to bridge gaps in patient understanding. Beyond education, he introduces the concept of “emotional-based medicine,” emphasizing the importance of empathy in patient-doctor interactions. As he aptly puts it, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” By fostering emotional connections alongside evidence-based care, clinicians can enhance trust and patient engagement.

According to Prof. Gibson, AI has the potential to restore empathy in clinical practice by reducing administrative burden and enabling more meaningful patient interactions.⁵  Prof. Gibson shared  his experiences utilizing ambient AI-powered tools that transcribe meeting notes during consultations and how it has allowed him to focus on direct communication and establish stronger connections with his patient. He envisions similar applications in clinical settings where AI could handle documentation while clinicians concentrate on interactions with patients, “bringing back humanity” to the consulting room.

Looking ahead, Prof. Gibson discusses how innovative decision support tools under development can personalize risk assessment for patients. Unlike traditional population-based metrics, such tools iteratively evaluate individual risks and incorporate patient preferences into their calculations, which are made dynamically. For instance, they can allow patients to weigh outcomes like stroke, bleeding, heart attack, or even death based on individual appreciation, which is fed into the calculations. Such personalized approaches are not only closer to the biological reality of humans, but also reflect the evolving picture of one’s health journey and represent a significant leap forward in tailoring care to individual needs.

While digital health technologies hold immense promise for transforming cardiovascular and emergency care, their success hinges on addressing social and cultural challenges within healthcare systems, and not necessarily on creating the latest cutting-edge technologies. As Prof. Gibson eloquently states, “This is not the end; this is not even the beginning of the end; this is the end of the beginning.” By fostering alignment among stakeholders within healthcare institutions, the true potential of today’s digital solutions— the opportunities they offer to strengthen patient education, alleviate administrative tasks, and foster a closer and stronger bond between healthcare professionals and patients—may be realized.

The insights shared by Prof. Gibson underscore the critical interplay between technology, culture, and human connection in shaping the future of medicine—one where both clinicians and patients thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Cardio Insights is a podcast hosted by Mathieu Chaffard, and featuring thought leaders from leading institutions across the globe to explore the potential of digital solutions in cardiovascular and emergency medicine.