The AI Shift: HIMSS26 with Adam Turinas

In this episode of The AI Shift, host Tom Foley sits down with Adam Turinas, founder and CEO of Health Launchpad and host of the Health Tech Marketing Show, to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare marketing, patient engagement, and consumer behavior. As conversational AI becomes the primary gateway for patients seeking health information—often replacing traditional Google searches—the episode delves into how healthcare organizations must adapt their marketing strategies to thrive in a 'zero-click' world. Turinas emphasizes that while AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude offer convenient, synthesized answers, they lack critical context—such as a patient’s medication history—making them potentially dangerous without proper integration with clinical data. He highlights that trust is paramount: patients are already using AI without realizing it, but they will quickly disengage if they feel surveilled or misled. The conversation shifts to how health tech companies can optimize for AI-driven discovery through enhanced content, technical SEO, and strategic citations, even as click-through rates decline. Despite this, Turinas notes that leads from AI are higher quality, with greater intent. Looking ahead, he envisions a future where AI engines could become the primary referral system, with virtual agents handling intake and follow-up care, though ethical and trust barriers remain. Ultimately, the episode paints a picture of healthcare’s digital evolution—where websites may fade, but brand presence in AI ecosystems becomes essential.