Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: Interview with Omkar Kulkarni, VP, Chief Transformation Officer, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Date: October 31, 2025
Host: Chanel Bunger (Becker’s Healthcare)
Guest: Omkar Kulkarni

Episode Overview

This episode features Omkar Kulkarni, VP and Chief Transformation Officer at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, discussing the practical realities of healthcare transformation with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and technology adoption. The conversation explores current impactful AI use cases, strategies for balancing innovation with operational and financial constraints, the evolving role of patient engagement in digital healthcare, and advice for leaders navigating health IT amidst tightening margins and increasing tech options.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Omkar Kulkarni’s Role and Philosophy

[00:53]

• Kulkarni introduces his unique role at the crossroads of innovation and transformation.
  • His mission: “How do we look at new ideas, new solutions, new technology and marry them and bridge them with the most pressing problems that my hospital and my health care system is facing so that ideally we can deploy the right solutions to solve the most pressing problems.” (Omkar Kulkarni, 00:53)

AI Adoption and High-Impact Use Cases

[01:39]

• Kulkarni highlights AI medical scribe technology as a game-changer:

  • AI scribes use ambient listening to capture and document patient-provider interactions.
  • Benefits:
    • Improved accuracy and efficiency in documentation.
    • Physicians spend more time engaging directly with patients and families.
    • Enhances overall patient-provider experience.

  “One of the biggest use cases that’s been beneficial for us has been... artificial intelligence scribe to help improve documentation for physicians and clinicians... so that patients can spend more time looking at and speaking with their doctor.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 01:39)

Balancing Innovation with Operational Constraints

[02:34]

• The landscape of virtual care is broadening rapidly, with families turning to AI agents like ChatGPT for healthcare information—effectively “Dr. ChatGPT” replacing “Dr. Google.”

• Healthcare providers must:

  • Integrate technology thoughtfully into patient engagement to ensure patients receive accurate, trusted information.
  • Offer multiple vetted channels—websites, digital tools, personalized advice—to guide patient inquiries.

  “As providers of health care, we need to make sure that we are properly integrating the right technology... Because increasingly Dr. ChatGPT is kind of the new Dr. Google.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 02:34)

Navigating Financial and Regulatory Pressures on Health IT

[04:02]

• Financial pressures and shrinking margins in healthcare are a reality.

• Emphasis on:

  • Demonstrating clear and measurable ROI for health IT and new technologies.
  • Maintaining discipline in tech adoption to avoid past mistakes with over-promised, under-delivering solutions.
  • Being stewards of limited resources.

  “For healthcare IT, we need to continue to demonstrate the value... especially for new technologies that leverage AI. There’s a lot of promise... but we have to quantify it... if we don’t... we could run into some of the same issues we had in the past.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 04:02)

Leadership Advice for Advancing Technology Adoption

[05:27]

• Focus on the end-user experience—for both clinicians and patients/families.

• User experience is now even more critical as patients exercise greater choice among tech tools.

• Strategies:

  • Evaluate health IT solutions based on user preference and real behaviors.
  • Measure Net Promoter Score (NPS) and tool effectiveness in addressing pain points.
  • Link adoption and user satisfaction directly to ROI.

  “I would recommend that everybody think about what the end user experience is going to be…for health IT leaders to really evaluate and make choices based on user preference and user behavior. …Ultimately, customer adoption or end user adoption is a key metric that’s going to drive the return on investment.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 05:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On integrating AI into patient engagement:
  “Because increasingly Dr. ChatGPT is kind of the new Dr. Google.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 02:34)

• On financial discipline with new tech:
  “We have to quantify [promise]...if we don’t... we introduce AI technologies without discipline...we could run into some of the same issues we had in the past.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 04:02)

• On user-centric innovation:
  “Customer adoption or end user adoption is a key metric that’s going to drive the return on investment for all health IT leaders across the country.”
  (Omkar Kulkarni, 05:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:53 – Omkar Kulkarni on his dual role in innovation and transformation
• 01:39 – AI scribes and improved clinical documentation
• 02:34 – The new digital patient: ChatGPT as a health information source
• 04:02 – Tightening margins, ROI, and disciplined AI adoption
• 05:27 – Leadership advice: prioritizing end-user experience and user-driven ROI

Summary

Omkar Kulkarni’s conversation delivers practical, insightful perspectives on AI adoption and technology transformation in pediatric healthcare. He emphasizes balancing bleeding-edge innovation with financial reality, inspiring leaders to put user experience and measurable results at the heart of their digital health strategy. With families turning to AI for health information, thoughtful integration combined with strong operational discipline and user-centered design are crucial to delivering true value as the healthcare landscape evolves.