Episode Overview
Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Guest: Dr. Michael Han, Chief Medical Information Officer, MultiCare Health System
Date: January 5, 2026
Host: Grace Lynn Keller
Theme: Leveraging AI and informatics to transform clinician experience, balance innovation with operational realities, and advise leaders navigating rapid technology change in healthcare.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
Dr. Michael Han’s Background and Role
- [00:46] Introduction
- Dr. Han describes Multicare Health System: a 13-hospital integrated delivery network based in Tacoma, Washington with over 27,000 employees.
- He is a urologist by training with 15-16 years of practice before going full-time into informatics.
- Responsibilities: Overseeing governance, implementation, and provider adoption of software, focusing on improving patient and physician experiences.
Impactful AI Use Cases in Clinical Practice
-
[01:59] Early AI Implementation for Stroke Detection
- Multicare deployed AI for early detection of stroke in the emergency room, using two vendor solutions.
- Emphasis on the importance of “time is neurons” in stroke care: speed as crucial for outcomes.
-
Ambient Clinical Documentation Trials
- Recognizes the pervasive focus on ambient clinical documentation across the industry.
- Multicare is running a three-way trial with almost 500 providers, comparing three vendors.
- “Our initial survey data has been absolutely astounding.” – Dr. Han [02:35]
-
Well-being Impact:
- Burnout rate dropped from 23% (pre-implementation) to less than 4% (post-implementation).
- Providers enjoying practice increased from 8% to over 36% after introducing ambient documentation.
- “I'm extremely bullish on ambient clinical documentation and how it's going to affect…not just the physician and APP experience, but the patient experience.” – Dr. Han [03:23]
Governance and Leadership: Balancing Innovation with Operations
- [03:34] Joint Leadership Model for Innovation
- Implementation of ambient documentation was a collaborative initiative between IT and clinical leadership, not led by IT alone.
- Achieved critical provider buy-in to make the pilot successful.
- “This was not something that IT did to the physician enterprise. This is something that myself and our physician leadership embarked on together.” – Dr. Han [03:58]
- Game-changing impact cited for providers at Multicare.
Advice for Healthcare Leaders Facing Technological Change
- [04:50] Unified Leadership Approach
- Emphasizes necessity of IT and clinical/medical leadership working “hand in hand, arm in arm.”
- Warns against IT solutions being imposed without clinical buy-in: “The IT tail can't wag the operational and clinical dog.” – Dr. Han [04:53]
- Suggests prioritization and adoption require unified leadership efforts.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On burnout reduction through AI documentation:
“We have gone from a 23% burnout rate prior to using ambient clinical documentation to a less than 4% burnout rate.”
– Dr. Han [02:20] -
On increased job satisfaction:
“Only 8% of providers in the trial stated they enjoyed practice before the trial, [which] moved to over 36% after implementing an ambient clinical documentation solution.”
– Dr. Han [02:25] -
On innovation governance:
“This was not something that IT did to the physician enterprise. This is something that myself and our physician leadership embarked on together.”
– Dr. Han [03:58] -
Core leadership advice:
“The IT tail can't wag the operational and clinical dog. We need to work together in order to prioritize…implement…and drive adoption of these new solutions.”
– Dr. Han [04:53]
Key Timestamps
- 00:46 – Dr. Han’s background and role at MultiCare
- 01:59 – AI use cases: stroke detection & ambient clinical documentation
- 02:20 – Burnout reduction statistics
- 02:25 – Change in job satisfaction
- 03:34 – Approaching governance and collaboration between IT and clinical leadership
- 04:50 – Unified approach for future healthcare technology adoption
Summary Flow
Dr. Michael Han discusses how technology—especially AI for clinical support and ambient documentation—is already making tangible improvements in clinician well-being and job satisfaction. He stresses that successful implementation hinges on collaboration between IT and clinical leadership rather than unilateral technology decisions. The episode offers data-driven proof of reduced burnout and increased job satisfaction following thoughtful, well-governed innovation. Dr. Han’s guidance to leaders is clear: work as one team to prioritize solutions that matter for both practitioners and patients.