592 - Technology, Trust, and Transformation: Dr Heidi Baker on Modernising Clinical Practice

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Heidi Baker, an emergency specialist and paediatrician at Podhealth in New Zealand.

The episode explores the intersection of clinical practice, digital health adoption, and technology-driven approaches to supporting neurodiversity and developmental paediatrics across New Zealand.

Dr Heidi Baker shares her journey as a clinician and business owner, including her transition from emergency medicine to paediatrics and her experiences in setting up a tech-enabled health service.

She also discusses her adoption of AI scribe solutions to improve clinical documentation and strengthen patient connections.

The conversation dives into the challenges of balancing hands-on patient care with running a private practice, offering honest insights into delegation, workflow, and the emotional demands of generalist medicine.

The episode also provides an in-depth look at how digital tools can transform the consultation room, allowing clinicians to spend more time engaging with patients and less on administrative tasks.

Key Takeaways

🌏 Combining emergency and paediatric care can broaden a clinician’s skillset and approach to teamwork.

🧑‍💻 Setting up a digital health business requires clinicians to delegate non-clinical tasks, leverage tech platforms, and trust others with complementary skills.

💡 AI scribe technology is enhancing patient-clinician interaction, reducing admin burden, and enabling better capture of non-verbal cues and clinical details.

📝 Transparent communication and consent processes support the adoption of AI documentation tools in clinical practice.

🔒 Trust, data control, and careful selection of tech vendors are essential for upholding patient confidentiality and clinician confidence in digital solutions.

Timestamps

00:02 – Dr Heidi Baker's background and roles

00:49 – Paediatrics and neurodiversity focus

01:13 – Skills from emergency medicine

03:17 – Starting a business as a clinician

04:13 – Choosing technology stack

06:49 – Delegating and managing capacity

07:48 – AI scribe adoption journey

09:51 – Transition and patient communication

11:47 – Benefits and workflow changes

13:49 – Impact on patient care and non-verbal cues

16:18 – Advice for clinicians starting with tech

18:47 – Balancing tech trust and regulation

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