The complexity of modern healthcare often overwhelms clinicians, making it difficult to find relevant patient information and make informed decisions quickly. Dr. Jessica Schlicher sat down to discuss the challenge of managing vast amounts of medical data and how structured, well-designed tools can help healthcare professionals provide better care while reducing cognitive load.
One of the most striking examples she shared was how clinicians navigate patient charts, which can contain between 50,000 and 500,000 pieces of information. “An average patient chart is about the size of the book Moby Dick,” Dr. Schlicher explained. “If we were to do the evidence-based care on every patient we see in a day, the American Academy of Family Physicians says it would take 27 hours a day.” The fundamental problem is clear: clinicians don’t have enough time to process all the necessary information while providing care efficiently.
An average patient chart is about the size of the book Moby Dick. Between 50 and 500,000 pieces of information.
Reimagining Clinical Decision Support
To address these challenges, Dr. Schlicher and her team developed MedPearl, an AI-powered clinical decision support tool. Unlike traditional clinical resources that require lengthy searches, MedPearl integrates directly into electronic medical records (EMRs), presenting relevant clinical information in a structured, digestible format. It functions as an on-demand expert consultant, helping clinicians make the right decisions faster.
Dr. Schlicher shared a compelling example of how MedPearl transformed patient care. A police officer came into urgent care with sudden hearing loss—a serious condition that required immediate intervention to prevent permanent damage. Normally, a physician would have to search through extensive medical literature to determine the appropriate course of action. Instead, Dr. Schlicher used MedPearl, which, in just three clicks, provided a diagnosis, treatment plan, and urgency level. As a result, the patient received the right treatment in time to prevent irreversible hearing loss.
Adoption Through Human-Centered Design
A major barrier to technology adoption in healthcare is the resistance to new tools that disrupt established workflows. MedPearl was designed with this challenge in mind, using a human-centered approach. “We’ve had over 300 doctors work on it, create it, and give feedback. If the doctor gives birth to the baby, then you don’t have to force them to adopt it,” Dr. Schlicher noted.
The tool was also designed to be flexible and responsive to clinician needs. When a nurse pointed out that a critical topic was missing from MedPearl, Dr. Schlicher personally wrote and published the content the next day. “This person was so shocked that someone actually received his feedback and actioned it like the next day,” she said. This level of responsiveness and engagement has driven strong adoption, with over 4,000 active users and 300,000 real-time clinical uses.
The Future of Clinical AI in Healthcare
Beyond its current applications, the vision for MedPearl extends into broader AI integration. Dr. Schlicher sees a future where decision support is seamlessly embedded into clinician workflows. Instead of requiring users to search for information, AI-powered tools will proactively present relevant insights based on patient data and physician conversations. “Our vision is that MedPearl will be integrated into ambient technology. More and more, when doctors are seeing a patient in the room, they’re not writing their notes anymore—ambient AI is transcribing it,” she explained. “MedPearl would no longer have to ask MedPearl anything. It would tell me, ‘Hey, by the way, this patient has sudden unilateral hearing loss. Here’s this algorithm you probably want to look at.’”
More and more, when doctors are seeing a patient in the room, they’re not writing their notes anymore—ambient AI is transcribing it.
Lessons for Healthcare Leaders
For leaders managing change and implementing new technologies in healthcare, Dr. Schlicher’s experience highlights several key lessons:
Design with Clinicians in Mind – Tools must be built around the way physicians actually work, ensuring that they integrate seamlessly into existing workflows.
Encourage Feedback and Rapid Iteration – Healthcare professionals need to feel heard. If they see their suggestions implemented quickly, adoption becomes much easier.
Focus on Actionable Insights – Time is the most limited resource in healthcare. Decision support tools should surface the most relevant information in seconds, not minutes.
Trust and Transparency Matter – AI must be used responsibly, with clear sourcing for clinical recommendations to maintain provider confidence.
Support a Culture of Innovation – Organizations should foster an environment where technology is seen as a partner, not a burden, in delivering patient care.
By embracing these principles, healthcare leaders can implement tools that truly make a difference in patient outcomes while supporting clinicians in their mission to provide the best care possible.
At Beyond the Blueprint, we believe that good design isn’t just about aesthetics or functionality—it’s about creating systems that are mission-focused, flexible, and responsive to both patient and staff needs. Baker’s smart sock technology is a prime example of this principle in action, showing how design can make a tangible difference in healthcare environments.
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