Canadian health systems are facing sustained pressure from workforce shortages, rising patient complexity, and increasing administrative burden on clinicians. In response, artificial intelligence tools are beginning to be introduced into clinical environments with evidence demonstrating improvements in workflow efficiency, reductions in documentation burden, and gains in system capacity.

However, adoption remains uneven, and the real-world impact of these tools is still being defined. While some clinicians are actively integrating AI into daily practice, others are navigating uncertainty around trust, integration, and operational fit within existing workflows. At the same time, public trust in the use of AI in health care remains mixed, adding an additional layer of complexity for health system leaders working to scale adoption responsibly.

This episode of From the Burgundy Chairs – in collaboration with Heidi – will examine how AI is currently being used in clinical settings, what early experiences are revealing about its value and limitations, and what health system leaders should understand as adoption accelerates.

Dr. Maxim (Max) Ben-Yakov is an emergency physician based in Toronto, where he serves as an EMR Medical Lead at Hennick Humber Hospital and acts as Director of Emergency Clinical Informatics for the University Health Network.

Dr. Paul Hacker is a palliative care physician based in Ottawa providing community-based care in home and residential hospice settings, and serves as a Clinical Advisor with Heidi, an AI Care Partner.

Dr. Sanjay Mehta is a pediatrician based in Toronto who serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and practices in both emergency and community pediatric care settings.