603 - Transforming Patient Experience with Agentic AI: Reducing Administrative Burden at HIMSS26

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Rowland Illing, Chief Medical Officer for Amazon Web Services, about how cloud technology is reshaping healthcare and what that means for the people working within it.They explore the rapid rise of AI and software agents, and how these tools are beginning to change the daily experience for clinicians, patients, and health system operators.They unpack AWS’s dual role as both a global cloud provider and an increasingly active contributor to healthcare solutions, sharing practical examples from health systems and life sciences organisations around the world.The discussion also looks at how infrastructure decisions made today are enabling new models of care, from streamlining administrative workflows to improving how patients access and navigate services.The conversation offers a grounded look at where healthcare is heading, what is already changing behind the scenes, and how technology can support better, more human-centred care when applied with purpose.This episode was recorded during the HIMSS26 conference and captures the latest conversations and innovations at the intersection of healthcare and cloud computing.Key Takeaways🧬 AWS underpins global healthcare and life sciences, supporting drug discovery, health systems, and tech vendors worldwide💻 AI and cloud services enable faster, more scalable solutions in drug discovery, imaging, and genomics🔗 Modular, standards-based services like AWS HealthLake and HealthOmics foster interoperability and innovation for vendors and clinicians🤖 The emergence of AI agents is automating admin tasks, streamlining scheduling, patient interactions, and clinical workflows🙋 Patient education and transparency around AI use remain essential to build trust and improve care deliveryTimestamps00:00 – Episode intro & guest overview01:16 – AWS’s healthcare ecosystem role05:21 – AI in drug discovery and life sciences07:27 – Modular services: HealthLake, Imaging, HealthOmics12:22 – AI agents in patient engagement & admin18:10 – Human element: clinicians and patient care21:01 – AI, uncertainty, and patient education27:16 – Advice for CIOs, CTOs, and next stepsCheck out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes.And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.