Ashis Barad, MD, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), recently spoke on The Big Unlock podcast about efforts to rehumanize healthcare through digital transformation. Dr. Barad, who also practices as a pediatric gastroenterologist, emphasized the importance of technology that addresses real problems in healthcare settings.
He described his approach by saying he sees himself as “doctor first, technologist second.” According to Dr. Barad, Agentic AI and effective change management are key to transforming healthcare systems. He explained that healthcare is fundamentally workflow-centric rather than being made up of isolated moments. He defined Agentic AI as a workflow orchestrator intended to reduce administrative waste, improve patient experiences, and speed up the adoption of best practices.
Dr. Barad discussed HSS’s plans to use its specialized expertise to develop a modern data lakehouse architecture and implement AI-powered solutions with the help of strategic partnerships. His vision includes automating backend processes so clinicians can spend more time with patients and creating standardized best practices that could be applied globally, particularly in musculoskeletal care and movement.
The full interview is available at thebigunlock.com.
