Desert AI Boom

Arizona has just been awarded its sixth C — Clinical Assistant

Author

Matt Neufeld
September 22, 2025

Volume September 22, 2025

From the Editor

Volume 26, and AI still hasn’t figured out how to stop patients from showing up 15 minutes late with coffee in hand. Until then, I’m reserving judgment on all those “transforming healthcare” headlines.

This week, Phoenix decided it wants to be the Silicon Valley of healthcare AI. MiiHealth AI is teaming up with Mayo Clinic on DAINA (Dynamic AI Intake and Navigation Assistant) to streamline intake. Meanwhile, just down the road, Drive Health is rolling out “Nurse Avery” in 10 health systems to handle chart reviews, symptom Q&A, and scheduling. In other words, Arizona is now exporting more AI assistants than citrus.

We’ll keep watching these launches closely — especially to see if “Nurse Avery” ends up scheduling more PT visits than insurance will cover (one can dream).

And as always, we’ve pulled together the week’s most interesting new studies and advisories for you, minus the hype and jargon.

📰 This Week's Highlights

Generative AI Forecasts 20-Year Disease Risk

Researchers introduced Delphi-2M, a GPT-style model trained on UK Biobank and validated on 1.9M Danish health records. It projects individualized risk across 1,000+ conditions and can simulate long-term health trajectories—though fairness and bias remain challenges.
⏱️ ~8 min read | Nature study

Why this matters for PTs:
Chronic disease trajectories shape rehab goals. Risk stratification tools could one day flag who benefits most from preventive PT (falls, bone health, cardiometabolic programs).

AI Risk Tool Reduces Colorectal Surgery Complications

A Danish hospital deployed an AI model predicting 1-year mortality in colorectal cancer surgery, tailoring perioperative care. Severe complication rates dropped significantly in real-world practice.
⏱️ ~7 min read | Nature Medicine

Why this matters for PTs:
Stratified surgical care influences prehab intensity, post-op monitoring, and discharge planning—shaping PT referral volumes.

AI vs Professional Translation for Discharge Instructions

Seattle Children’s compared Azure Translator to professionals in 4 languages. AI was adequate for Spanish but weaker in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Somali, raising equity concerns.
⏱️ ~5 min read | JAMA Network Open

Why this matters for PTs:
If clinics adopt AI translation for HEPs, language-specific validation and interpreter backup remain essential.

APTA Issues Advisory on AI Ambient Scribes

Released Sept 19, APTA’s new practice advisory outlines clinician responsibilities, consent, accuracy checks, and legal considerations when using ambient scribe tools in PT.
⏱️ ~4 min read | APTA Advisory PDF

Why this matters for PTs:
Ambient scribing is entering outpatient rehab. This advisory can guide policy-setting and chart review practices in your clinic.

Bonus Reads