Are We Speaking the Same Language?

We’ve Got a Real Problem

After spending last week at HIMSS, I came away with more than just a bad cold—I also left with some real thoughts (and confusion) about “AI” in healthcare. One of the clearest themes of the conference? Everyone claims to have “AI” in their products. But what became obvious is that people are speaking entirely different languages when it comes to what that means. I see two groups:

Two Worlds Collide

During the conference, I noticed a stark divide between two groups:

Healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, administrators—who deeply understand the challenges we face but struggle to implement sophisticated technology in a way that truly helps. This includes the large traditional players (3M, GE, Philips, etc.) and hospitals, many of whom have fragmented solutions and now label almost any tech as “AI.”

Technologists: who have a solution in search of a problem. Many are building powerful tools—often LLMs—convinced they can revolutionize healthcare, but without fully grasping the complexities of real-world implementation. When you dig into workflows, data security, and integration, the story starts to unravel. Healthcare isn’t like predicting the next movie you want to watch.

Why Isn’t It Working?

For over 15 years, healthcare has been promised revolutionary tech that will “fix everything.” Time and again, health systems have invested millions, overhauled workflows, and shifted priorities only to find that the technology didn’t quite live up to the hype. The problem isn’t just with the tech itself; it’s the disconnect between identifying real-world clinical pain points and building practical solutions to address them.

In healthcare, the value proposition isn’t about the technology itself, it’s about the outcomes it enables. Leaders don’t just need intelligence; they need solutions that deliver clarity and confidence. In an industry inundated with data, the focus must be on making sense of complex information without overwhelming decision-makers. The challenge is cutting through the noise and delivering precise, reliable insights that truly drive better care and operational efficiency

Our Approach

When I founded Extrico Health, I knew that every hospital has a big data problem. I was still in the OR almost every day, and it was critical to me that we create a company that starts with real-world clinical pain points and build solutions from there, rather than just trying to listen to what pundits were saying. I was laser focused on efficacy – making sure we were solving problems – rather than artificial milestones. In retrospect, it may have taken us longer to get where we are by some metrics, but I actually think we are a much stronger company as a result.

At Extrico, we’re here to support the people on the front lines every day. Our approach starts with understanding the challenges that clinicians and administrators face, then creating practical, success-based solutions to make their work easier and more impactful. Whether it’s clinical decision support, revenue cycle optimization, or accelerating research breakthroughs, our commitment is to deliver results that matter.

Extrico is about enabling smarter decisions without adding complexity. Because at the end of the day, the value of AI is not in the tech, it’s in the outcomes it drives.

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Let’s Talk

When it comes to healthcare innovation, the first step is asking the right questions. The real work ahead is getting these two groups to speak the same language and meet in the middle. So, how do we make that happen? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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