San Diego is at the forefront of a shift in healthcare as AI reshapes the patient experience by speeding triage, enabling virtual care, and guiding diagnostics. Clinicians report a growing reliance on AI-enabled workflows that synthesize real-time data from sensors, imaging, and electronic records. Sanford Health’s Dr. David Newman says the practice has evolved: ‘I haven’t used a stethoscope in 10 years,’ illustrating how automation now underpins routine assessment and care decisions.
The technology offers faster, more accurate assessments, expanded access to care, and more personalized treatment plans, while demanding new governance around privacy, bias, and workflow integration. Hospitals are redesigning roles, retraining clinicians, and deploying human-centered AI that augments judgment rather than replaces it. The article underscores how patient experiences improve alongside clinician adaptability, highlighting AI’s potential to elevate safety, efficiency, and the patient–physician relationship.
