Most healthcare organizations are implementing AI for the wrong reasons.
They measure success in minutes saved on documentation, charts completed per hour, throughput gains. These things matter, but they miss what Cody Lee discovered after seven years working through every level of his healthcare system.
AI's real value comes from restoring what administrative burden has eroded: clinicians who are fully present with their patients.
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Being present with the patient, that’s the number one priority for Cody Lee. He’s seen how administrative systems erode the patient-provider relationship. Clinicians rush through interactions to leave time for charting. Patients sense the distraction and disengage.
The profession loses meaning when you're more worried about notes than the human in front of you.
Technology That Returns Focus to Patients
Traditional documentation forces clinicians to split their attention between listening and typing. A natural flow of conversation is hard to hold when patients share something important because the clinician has to periodically stop to take in the information, synthesize it in their head, type it down, and then return to listening.
"I can just have a full-on conversation, which is so refreshing," Cody explains about the opportunity that AI scribes and documentation tools give him.
"I can create that rapport and connection with my patient in front of me instead of constantly having to balance listening to them continue speaking and simultaneously remember what they just said so I can type it down."
Because AI handles documentation in the background, Cody can be more intentional about his physical setup with the patient. He positions his computer to his side instead of between him and his patients, keeping his body language open and eye contact direct. When patients physically sense that engagement, they share more.
While other practices optimize for volume, those that prioritize genuine presence capture patient loyalty. That loyalty and trust matters more as these kinds of technologies become universal.
Organizations face a choice: chase efficiency metrics and watch relationships deteriorate, or recognize that AI's greatest value lies in returning clinicians to their core purpose of connecting with their patients.
A breakdown of what in the name of AI you should actually be paying attention to: Stanford AI experts predict what will happen in 2026.
Big-picture AI predictions are interesting, but not especially actionable for healthcare operators. Productivity gains are still uneven and highly domain-specific. Focused AI projects with clear ROI are much more important than broad forecasts.
Verdict: ❌ Not worth your time
Last night, we hosted our second Practice Independence dinner for independent practice owners.
20+ operators packed into a room for a few hours of real talk, sharing what's actually working in their practices right now.
The conversation covered a lot of ground: offshore staffing strategies, re-enrollment frameworks, out-of-network billing tactics, and more.
The room already knew most of the answers. We just gave them a place to share them.
We're planning more of these, and we want you to have a seat at the table.
If you want to be on the list for a future dinner, if you're interested in co-hosting one for your community or you know someone who might be, just reply to this email and let us know. We'll take it from there.
Thanks for joining us for another edition of Practice Independence — we’ll see you in 2 weeks!
Take care, Indie
PS: Ready to revolutionize your practice? Talk to us.
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