Season 8 • Episode 118

The 229 Podcast: Shockingly Human Care and Why Scribes Won’t Fix Healthcare with Spencer Dorn, MD

Oct 2, 2025

33:16

Episode Description

October 2, 2025: Dr. Spencer Dorn, Vice Chair and Professor of Medicine from UNC Health, brings a refreshingly honest perspective to healthcare AI adoption that challenges industry assumptions. As a gastroenterologist who deliberately chose not to use AI scribes despite the hype, he reveals why AI tools only save about one minute per patient and questions whether billion-dollar valuations are justified. The conversation takes unexpected turns, from his experience with the streamlined UK healthcare system to the controversial OpenAI demo featuring a woman who received her cancer diagnosis through a patient portal. Spencer explores what AI can and cannot do in critical moments, the humanity healthcare is losing through digitization, and why typing speed might be the best predictor of AI adoption success. Key Points:

03:37 A Refreshingly Human Healthcare Experience in the UK
09:16 AI Scribes and Human Touch
17:18 OpenAI Demo and Cancer Diagnosis
20:12 Consumer Tools and Health Queries
30:34 Technology's Impact on Rural Healthcare

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