The 229 Podcast: Inside Stanford Medicine’s AI Sandbox With Michael Pfeffer, MD
Episode Description
January 8, 2026: Dr. Michael Pfeffer, SVP and CIDO at Stanford Medicine, reveals how his team built a secure AI sandbox in just six weeks—and what they learned from analyzing thousands of user prompts. From ambient scribes that actually work to ChatEHR transforming clinical workflows in real-time, Michael shares the practical wins and honest challenges of deploying AI across an academic medical center. Discover why different AI models excel at different tasks, how Stanford approaches governance without slowing innovation, and why the future of healthcare might finally match the vision we've been promised for decades.
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Key Points:
- 05:14 The Green Button Initiative
- 09:29 Ambient Listening in Clinical Settings
- 15:32 Stanford's Unique Approach to Innovation
- 26:03 ChatEHR: A Game Changer
- 34:09 Capturing Patient Stories with Technology
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