Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: Dr. Tom Nguyen – The Future of Cardiovascular Care with Wearable Technology & AI
Date: November 2, 2025
Guest: Dr. Tom Nguyen, Professor and Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at FIU and Chief Medical Executive at Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care
Host: Laura Dearda, Becker's Healthcare
Episode Overview
This episode features Dr. Tom Nguyen, an innovative leader at Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care and FIU, discussing the transformative impact of wearable technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in cardiovascular care. Dr. Nguyen delves into ongoing research, the promises and challenges of wearables, integrating voice as a vital sign, advancements in AI, cyber security concerns, healthcare disparities, and the evolving patient-physician relationship. The conversation highlights both the current state and the exciting potential future of digital health in cardiology.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Shift from Snapshot Medicine to Continuous Monitoring
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Traditional Medicine’s Limits (01:34)
- Historically, health data (like vitals) are "snapshots" taken intermittently—morning, afternoon, evening, providing only limited insight.
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Wearables Offer Continuous Data
- Wearables enable "24/7" biometric data collection, capturing subtle changes and enabling earlier identification of issues.
“The advantage of having wearables is that you can collect data 24/7...and potentially capture changes a little bit faster than looking at two or three data points in one day.”
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [01:47] -
Beyond Basic Metrics: Heart Rate Variability
- Wearables allow monitoring underutilized markers such as heart rate variability and resting heart rate.
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Predicting Complications Before Symptoms
- Ongoing collaboration with MGH using wearables showed biometric changes precede clinical recognition of post-surgical complications.
"What's fascinating is...changes in one's biometric after thoracic surgery that happens before the patient even realizes it happens."
— Dr. Nguyen [02:50]
Wearables, AI, and Predictive Care
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Current Status and the Road Ahead (03:41)
- While there’s no commercially available device yet to predict cardiac emergencies, research is promising—e.g., FIU study using AI with wearables to predict epileptic seizures.
“Right now we don’t have any current commercially available devices out there to predict any heart related complications, but…trials and studies…are very promising."
— Dr. Nguyen [04:16] -
Accuracy of Consumer Wearables versus Hospital Monitors (04:53)
- Wearables are "reasonably accurate" for everyday use but don’t match medical/hospital-grade precision.
- Accurate enough for detecting heart rhythm changes, although not flawless.
Cost, Hospital Utilization, and Readmissions
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Potential to Reduce Hospital Visits & Costs (06:06)
- Early detection can prevent the progression of illness and avoid costly readmissions—key hospital quality metric.
“Sometimes for us to know that we're sick, it's too late…these devices predict something bad happening before it even reaches your sensorium.”
— Dr. Nguyen [06:18]"From a hospital financial standpoint, it has huge potential…to decrease the rate of readmissions…capturing the patient's illness sooner. I think this would be transformative."
— Dr. Nguyen [06:44]
Data Privacy, Security, and the Double-Edged Sword
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Guardrails for Patient Data (07:58)
- Data security is paramount; need for regulation as technology adoption rapidly outpaces policy.
- The dilemma: More data yields better AI, but greater risk of breaches.
“It's a little bit of a balance because we need the data...but we have to be cautious...where it doesn't leak out and get into the wrong hands.”
— Dr. Nguyen [08:43]
Voice as a New Vital Sign
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Innovative Research Collaboration with FIU (09:27)
- Hypothesis: Voice analysis could become a vital sign, reflecting neurological and physiological health.
- Proof-of-concept: Study with student athletes showed voice changes post-concussion; may apply to post-operative cardiac patients.
"For me to talk right now, it requires all these neural networks...about 100 neuromuscular units just to be able to phonate and articulate."
— Dr. Nguyen [10:23]- Vision: If voice normalizes post-surgery and deviates later, it could forewarn health deterioration.
"What if by day 30 or day 60 we realize that while the voice is changing again, could it be a predictor or sign of something?"
— Dr. Nguyen [11:40]- Potential: A simple app could collect vocal data, supplementing or replacing cumbersome monitoring equipment.
The Future: AI, Efficiency, and Cautions
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Limitless Possibilities—With Caveats (13:44)
- AI will drastically enhance efficiency/accuracy in decision-making, prediction, and even patient-physician communication.
- But: "Too much information can be bad"—raises ethical questions about predictions (e.g., life expectancy).
- Risks include potential for fraud through deepfakes and voice/image AI.
"There are technologies out there that can replicate your voice, my voice...if got into the wrong hands...could allow a lot of fraudulent activities."
— Dr. Nguyen [14:31]- Overarching Message: Enthusiasm for the future, tempered by the need for "appropriate guardrails".
Technology as an Equalizer Against Health Disparities
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Increasing Access & Understanding (16:12)
- Technology can democratize healthcare, offering diagnostics and therapeutics to underserved populations at lower cost.
- AI can translate complex medical information into accessible language and multiple languages, aiding both patients and clinicians.
"There are technologies now where it can take that information and…write it in such a way where you can read it and understand it...then translate it to Japanese, Spanish, Italian, French, whatever language..."
— Dr. Nguyen [17:31]
Autonomous Surgery and Training the Next Generation
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Reimagining Medical Training and Robotic Assistance (18:22)
- Quoting mentor Norm Shumway: “The hardest thing about heart surgery is a chance to do heart surgery.”
- AI and robotics could accelerate medical education, make surgical simulation more accessible, and potentially enable autonomous surgery.
“There are technologies now that can do a lot of the things that we do autonomously…to tie knots, to pick up the needle holder, to manipulate tissue. It's amazing that it's able to do this autonomously..."
— Dr. Nguyen [19:21]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On continuous vs. snapshot monitoring:
“The problem with current medicine is that when we look at patients, we look at snapshots in time.”
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [01:34] -
On wearable accuracy:
"It's not perfect, but I think it's good enough and it's certainly better than nothing."
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [05:10] -
On data privacy:
"We need some form of regulation to make sure that the data is secure."
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [08:12] -
On voice as a vital sign:
"What if we use voice?...if later on changes in your voice could then predict beforehand something bad is going to happen to you."
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [11:37] -
On the potential and risks of AI:
"I'm excited about the future. I think overall it's going to be very transformative...But I do think, and know that we have to approach it with caution..."
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [15:00] -
On closing health disparities:
"It's an equalizer…being able to access technology…could now allow us to spread a lot of what we know about medicine to people who wouldn't otherwise have access..."
— Dr. Tom Nguyen [16:17]
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- [01:34] – Value of wearables for continuous biometric monitoring
- [03:41] – AI/wearables for predictive care and future possibilities
- [04:53] – Wearable heart monitor accuracy vs. clinical devices
- [06:06] – Impact on hospital readmissions and reducing healthcare costs
- [07:58] – Data privacy and the challenge of secure patient data
- [09:27] – Voice as a potential new vital sign and related research
- [13:44] – Future of AI in heart care: potential and concerns
- [16:12] – Technology’s role in closing health disparities
- [18:22] – The evolution of surgical education and AI-driven surgery
Conclusion
Dr. Tom Nguyen showcases how cutting-edge technology—wearables, voice analytics, AI, and robotics—is set to revolutionize cardiovascular care. His insights provide a balanced, forward-looking view of both the profound benefits and the crucial ethical/operational challenges ahead. From democratizing care to keeping human compassion and security paramount, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of health and medicine.