Entering the AI Era: Lessons from the 2026 OMD Educates Event

We’re entering a new era in healthcare.

Artificial intelligence is changing how we access information, make decisions, interact with technology and even think about the patient experience. The possibilities are exciting, but as AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, some of our most human skills will become increasingly important: critical thinking, curiosity and connection. That was one of our biggest takeaways from this year’s OMD Educates conference.

More information means more critical thinking

In his keynote, From Exam Rooms to iPhones: Lessons from the Front Lines of Health, Michael Evans, MD, explored how healthcare is being shaped by forces far beyond the traditional healthcare system. Patients today have unprecedented access to health information through technology, social media, online communities and the wellness industry. AI is accelerating that trend, making it easier than ever to ask questions and access information—but easier access doesn’t necessarily mean better understanding. As the volume of information grows, our ability to assess it becomes even more important.

Critical thinking will be an essential skill in the AI era: knowing what questions to ask, evaluating the information we receive, understanding its limitations and recognizing when human expertise and judgment are needed.

AI needs trust – and trust needs connection

That idea continued through the panel, The Third Voice in the Room: AI, Patients, and the Future of Trust. The discussion explored some of the fundamental questions facing healthcare as AI becomes more prevalent. How do we build trust in AI? How do we ensure these technologies work equitably for different populations? How do we protect personal health information? And how do we ensure people understand when and how AI is being used in their care?

There is enormous potential. AI could help people navigate health information, articulate concerns and prepare for conversations with their healthcare providers. But realizing that potential requires more than technology. It requires connection between people, disciplines and organizations.

AI systems are shaped by the data and perspectives that inform them. If we want better, more equitable outcomes, we need diverse voices involved in how these tools are designed, implemented and evaluated. Clinicians, patients, technology experts, policymakers, researchers and healthcare organizations all bring different expertise to the conversation.

We’re stronger when we connect

The AI era isn’t going to make collaboration less important. We believe it will make it essential. No single organization has the complete picture of what healthcare needs next. The strongest solutions come from bringing different perspectives together, connecting clinical expertise with technology, patient experience with design, and strategy with real-world implementation.

That’s an important part of how we approach our work at Amplify Care. We work across the healthcare ecosystem because meaningful change rarely happens in isolation. It happens when people share knowledge, challenge assumptions, bring different experiences to the table and build on one another’s ideas.

As healthcare enters this next chapter, technology will undoubtedly continue to evolve. But the ability to think critically, ask better questions and work together will remain fundamental. AI may change how we work in healthcare. But how we connect, collaborate and think critically will shape what that future looks like.