Session:
AI Hands-On Innovation Training for Clinicians: Practical Exploration and Human Oversight
This pre-symposium training session introduced clinicians to practical applications of artificial intelligence through live demonstrations and interactive exploration. Led by RRI researchers, the session focused on understanding AI capabilities and limitations, including variability in outputs, data quality considerations, and the importance of human oversight. Participants engaged with tools such as large language models and voice agents using real-world clinical scenarios, emphasizing critical thinking and responsible use rather than automation.
Speaker:
Hanjie Zhang, PhD, Sr. Director, Artificial Intelligence Translational Innovation, Renal Research Institute
Karin Bergling, PhD, Research Scientist, Renal Research Institute
Session:
Conference Welcome
The opening session framed the symposium’s central themes, emphasizing the role of research, artificial intelligence, and innovation in supporting frontline clinical care. The discussion highlighted the importance of clinician judgment, critical evaluation of data, and human oversight when applying AI in healthcare. A brief demonstration illustrated how AI-enabled tools can be used thoughtfully to support clinical workflows while remaining grounded in validated, patient-centered information.
Speaker:
Len Usvyat, PhD, FASN
Head of Renal Research Institute, Advanced Analytics and Insights, Renal Research Institute
Session:
A Nurse’s Journey from the Frontlines: Bridging Care, Research, and Innovation
This presentation reflected on a career path from direct patient care to working at the intersection of research, technology, and clinical strategy. The session emphasized the importance of involving nurses early in research and product development to ensure tools are practical, safe, and aligned with real clinical workflows. The discussion also addressed clinician perspectives on emerging technologies, including opportunities and concerns related to AI.
Speaker:
Lisa Pacelli, RN
Director, Clinical Marketing, Fresenius Medical Care
Session:
The Clinician’s Industry Perspective: Voices from the U.S., Europe, and Asia
This panel brought together clinical leaders to share perspectives on engaging clinicians in research and innovation across different regions and healthcare systems. The discussion explored barriers such as time constraints and research experience, as well as motivators for participation. Panelists highlighted the role of nurses in bridging research and real-world practice and the importance of sharing outcomes with frontline teams.
Speaker:
Tricia Lacavich, RN, BSN, Vice President of Clinical Transformation, FME US; Marjelka Trkulja, RN, BSN, MSN, Senior Director of Nursing, FME CDI
Peter Kotanko, MD, FASN, Emeritus Research Director at Renal Research Institute
Session:
An Academic Medical Center’s Take on the Current State: Research, Teamwork, and Innovation
This session provided an academic medical center perspective on research, multidisciplinary collaboration, and clinician involvement in innovation. Panelists discussed mentorship, protected time, and institutional infrastructure as key enablers of clinician-led research. The conversation also examined how emerging tools such as AI and analytics may support research participation while maintaining human oversight.
Speaker:
Wisit Cheungpasitporn, MD, FACP, FASN, FAST, Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic; Rachael Majorowicz, RDN, CSR, LD, FNKF, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Mayo Clinic
Jennifer Finch, MD, FASN, FACP, Nephrologist
Session:
Perspectives from Professional Societies and Academia: Bringing Innovation to Clinical Staff
This panel explored how professional organizations and academic institutions support clinician engagement in research, education, and innovation. Topics included early exposure to research, AI literacy, mentorship, and the need for clear guidance when introducing new technologies. The discussion highlighted the role of societies and academic programs in helping clinicians navigate evolving healthcare tools responsibly.
Speaker:
Faith Lynch, RN, National President, ANNA; Annabel Biruete, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor, Purdue University
Len Usvyat, MD, FASN, Head of the Renal Research Institute
Session:
Diverse Clinical Staff Journeys: Nurses and Clinical Technicians as Innovators and Researchers
This multidisciplinary panel examined how nurses, technicians, and researchers contribute to innovation and research through diverse professional pathways. The discussion addressed frontline-led quality improvement, social determinants of health, and the responsible use of data and AI. Emphasis was placed on leadership support, protected time, and collaboration across roles and disciplines.
Speaker:
João Fazendeiro, RN, Director of Nursing and Quality at FME Portugal; Amber Paulus, PhD, RN, Associate Chief of Nephrology Research & Data Analytics, Virginia Commonwealth University
Jacob Benz, Certified Hemodialysis Technician, FME; Osama ElShamy, MD, FASN, Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania
Session:
Technology and AI: Smarter Tools for Medical Social Workers
This session explored how data and AI-informed tools may support medical social workers in managing complex patient needs and caseloads. Topics included the use of analytics for prioritization, understanding patterns related to social determinants of health, and maintaining ethical awareness. The discussion emphasized that technology should support, not replace, professional judgment, empathy, and human connection.
Speaker:
Felicia Speed, PhD, LMSW
Vice President of Social Work, Fresenius Medical Care
Session:
Precision Nutrition Needs & Precision Tools: Using AI to Deliver Personalized Care
This session examined how advances in analytics, natural language processing, and data standardization may support more personalized nutrition care. The discussion focused on challenges associated with unstructured nutrition documentation and opportunities to extract meaningful insights while reducing clinician burden. Future considerations included integrating nutrition data into multidisciplinary care and using emerging tools to better understand dietary patterns.
Speaker:
Linda Moore, PhD, RN
Director, Scientific Core, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital
Session:
Nurse as Innovator: How Frontline Clinicians Drive Meaningful Change
This session explored the role of nurses as drivers of innovation within healthcare systems. Drawing on frontline experience, the discussion highlighted how nurses identify practical problems, develop workflow improvements, and contribute to research when provided with time, mentorship, and organizational support. The session emphasized that innovation is not limited to technology, but also includes mindset, leadership, and everyday clinical practice.
Speaker:
Adrian Gomez, BSN, MSN, RN
Head of Nursing, Quality & OHS, Fresenius Medical Care, Spain
Session:
Q&A – Technology and AI to the Rescue: Practical Perspectives from Clinicians
This question-and-answer session brought together clinicians from nursing, nutrition, and social work to address audience questions about applying AI in real-world clinical settings. Topics included innovation culture, collaboration with data scientists, social determinants of health, and transitioning tools from research to practice. The discussion emphasized interdisciplinary perspectives and responsible implementation.
Speaker:
Adrian Gomez, BSN, MSN, RN, Head of Nursing, Quality & OHS, Fresenius Medical Care, Spain; Linda Moore, PhD, RN, Direcor, Scientific Core, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital
Felicia Speed, PhD, LMSW, Vice President of Social Work, Fresenius Medical Care; Luca Neri, MD, Global Lead, Operational AI & Generative AI, Renal Research Institute
Session:
Technology and AI to the Rescue: Point-of-Care Decision Support for Clinicians
This session traced the evolution of clinical decision support from static references to integrated, AI-enabled tools available at the point of care. The discussion explored how combining clinical, operational, and patient-generated data may support workflow efficiency, prior authorization processes, and patient engagement. Throughout, the session emphasized keeping humans at the center of care delivery while using technology to support informed decision-making.
Speaker:
Angela A Shippy, MD, MHA, FACP, FHM
Senior Physician Executive & Clinical Innovation Lead, Amazon Web Services
Session:
Streamlining Care with Smart Tools: Embedding AI into Clinical Workflows
This presentation focused on the use of clinical decision support tools embedded directly into electronic health record workflows. The session examined how consolidating data, digitizing clinical algorithms, and integrating AI into existing systems may reduce fragmentation and documentation burden for clinicians. Real-world examples highlighted the importance of clinician-designed tools that align with how care is delivered in practice.
Speaker:
Laurence Coman
Founder/COO, AvoMD
Session:
The Pharmacist Bottleneck: How AI Can Help
This session examined the growing complexity of medication management and the challenges pharmacists face in scaling care across chronic disease populations. The discussion explored team-based care models, pharmacist-led workflows, and how AI-enabled tools may support medication titration, patient identification, and clinical trial screening. Emphasis was placed on enabling pharmacists to work at the top of their license while maintaining safety, equity, and clinical oversight.
Speaker:
Alexander J. Blood, MD, MSc, FACC, ABOM
Cardiologist, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
Session:
Q&A – Technology and AI to the Rescue: Practical Perspectives from Clinicians
This follow-up Q&A session focused on practical considerations such as clinician education, data readiness, governance, and workflow integration. Panelists discussed the use of traditional machine learning alongside generative AI, as well as the importance of clinician involvement and human oversight. The session provided a candid look at how healthcare organizations are thinking about responsible AI adoption.
Speaker:
Alexander J. Blood, MD, MSc, FACC, ABOM, Cardiologist, Mass General Brigham; Angela Shippy, MD, MHA, FACP, FHM, Senior Physician Executive & Clinical Inovation Lead, AWS
Luca Neri, MD, Global Lead, Operational AI & GenAI, Renal Research Institute
Session:
Empowering Clinicians Through AI, Research, and Human Connection
The closing session reflected on key themes from the symposium, emphasizing connection, clinician leadership, and the role of research in everyday care. The discussion reinforced that technology should extend empathy rather than replace it, and that frontline clinicians play a critical role in shaping meaningful innovation. The session underscored that advancing care is an ongoing journey grounded in collaboration and shared purpose.
Speaker:
Len Usvyat, PhD, FASN
Head of Renal Research Institute, Advanced Analytics and InsightS, Renal Research Institute
