What if healthcare learners could see how disease progresses—and explore the consequences of clinical decisions—in a simulated human body?

In this episode of The HealthCast, Phil Zappone sits down with Dr. Aaron Smith, Chief Medical Officer, and Heather Tuttle, Chief Nursing Officer at AI Body, to discuss how digital physiology simulation can connect classroom learning with clinical practice.

They explain how AI Body’s physiology-based models make complex concepts visual and interactive, giving students and practicing clinicians opportunities to explore disease progression and treatment responses. The conversation covers their journeys from bedside care into healthcare technology, the challenges facing new clinicians, and why frontline involvement matters when building tools healthcare teams will actually use.

Topics include:
• Connecting physiology education with clinical decision-making.
• Supporting learner confidence, engagement, and retention.
• Recognizing deterioration before a patient needs rescue.
• Simulating burn injuries and fluid resuscitation for professional education.
• Using constrained large language models with human oversight.
• Building clinician trust through collaboration.
• Preparing for AI’s potential impact on healthcare roles and scopes of practice.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:53 What is AI Body?
02:55 Dr. Aaron Smith’s journey from the NHS to healthcare technology
04:37 Heather Tuttle’s path from emergency nursing to product development
08:08 Why healthcare education needs to evolve
11:54 Workforce shortages and retaining new clinicians
16:21 The personal purpose behind their work
21:59 Becoming part of the solution
23:52 Making physiology visual and interactive
28:01 Applications in higher education
30:54 Burn simulation and professional development
34:13 Why collaboration matters in healthcare innovation
39:16 Technology adoption challenges
41:15 Scaling a physiology platform
43:22 Building clinician trust
46:05 AI, clinical training, and the future of healthcare
52:33 Where to learn more about AI Body

Learn more about AI Body: https://www.aibody.io

Episode Resources:
Website | https://www.aibody.io
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/aibody/
Aaron | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aaron-smith/
Heather | https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherdaretuttlern/

Check out what I do helping small businesses here:
Website | https://nxaihealth.com/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-zappone-647957379/

Subscribe to The HealthCast for more conversations with the people shaping healthcare.

When AI influences a clinical decision, who owns the outcome?

In this episode of The Healthcast, Phil Zappone sits down with Michael Tekely, founder of Medical Malpractice Insurance and Clinical Risk Management Academy LLC, to explore how AI is changing the conversation around patient safety, clinical judgment, and accountability.

Drawing on his experience in malpractice insurance and clinical risk management, Michael discusses why healthcare organizations need to document how AI recommendations influence care—and how clinicians respond to them. He also introduces his framework and prototype tool for reconstructing AI-influenced clinical events.

In this episode:
• Potential gaps between AI adoption and malpractice insurance coverage.
• Why clear documentation matters when investigating adverse outcomes.
• Tracking AI recommendations, system versions, and independent clinical judgment.
• How workplace culture and workflow pressures affect clinicians’ ability to question AI.
• Michael’s perspective on AI and informed consent.
• Three priorities for hospital leaders preparing to deploy clinical AI.

Chapters:
00:19 — Introduction: AI, medicine, and malpractice
00:50 — Michael’s background in malpractice insurance
02:38 — A case that revealed the importance of documentation
06:23 — AI adoption and insurance coverage concerns
08:54 — A lawsuit that shaped Michael’s thinking about AI risk
14:48 — Building a culture of communication and accountability
18:01 — Reconstructing an AI-influenced clinical decision
24:39 — Michael’s academy, framework, and prototype tool
26:16 — What happens when clinicians follow AI recommendations?
27:53 — The human impact of malpractice and informed consent
29:39 — Will AI reduce malpractice or shift the risk?
30:43 — Three priorities for hospital leaders
31:51 — Opportunities and challenges ahead
33:18 — Protecting clinicians and improving patient outcomes
35:35 — Where to connect with Michael

Episode Resources:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltekely/

Check out what I do helping small businesses here:
Website | https://nxaihealth.com/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-zappone-647957379/

Subscribe to The HealthCast for more conversations with the people shaping healthcare.

How can technology better support the individual needs of autistic people and their families?

On this episode of The Healthcast, Phil Zappone speaks with Cait Russell, occupational therapist and Chief Operating Officer at Multiple, a nonprofit accelerator supporting entrepreneurs building autism-related technology.

Cait shares how her background in business and occupational therapy led her toward systems-level change. She explains why accessibility, individualized support and meaningful outcomes should guide product development—and why even promising technologies can struggle to reach the people who need them.

The conversation explores tools that help therapists launch in-home practices, camera-free sleep tracking and personalized AI companions for everyday routines. Cait also discusses how Multiple brings families, clinicians, founders and investors together to help shape products and support their adoption.

In this episode:

• Moving from occupational therapy into nonprofit and innovation leadership
• Designing accessible, individualized technology from the start
• Evaluating whether products deliver meaningful outcomes
• Helping therapists build in-home private practices
• Using sleep data to inform support and interventions
• Why distribution and adoption are critical for startups
• Personalized AI companions for routines, work and school
• Involving autistic people and families in product development
• Multiple’s goal of connecting one million neurodivergent people to life-changing technology by 2030
• The personal story behind Multiple’s founding

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:41 From Clinical Care to Systems-Level Impact
02:50 Finding a Mission in Autism and Neurodiversity
04:18 Designing Accessible Technology with Meaningful Outcomes
07:14 Cait’s Path from Occupational Therapy to Multiple
10:20 How Multiple Supports Autism Innovation
11:59 Startup Examples: Therapy Access and Sleep Tracking
15:02 Why Startups Struggle with Adoption
16:09 Connecting Startups with Families and Clinicians
17:28 Personalized AI Companions for Everyday Support
20:02 Building an Autism Innovation Ecosystem
21:09 AI and the Potential for Individualized Support
24:05 Multiple’s Vision and Its 2030 Goal
26:04 The Story Behind Multiple’s Founding
28:53 Closing Reflections

Episode Resources:
Website | https://www.multiplehub.org/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/multiplehub/
Ryan L. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitrussellotd/

Check out what I do helping small businesses here:
Website | https://nxaihealth.com/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-zappone-647957379/

Subscribe to The HealthCast for more conversations with the people shaping healthcare.