Shaping Healthcare’s AI Future
Artificial intelligence is reshaping many industries, but few environments are as complex—or as consequential—as healthcare. At UCSF Health, Dr. Sara Murray is leading the charge to bring AI into clinical care in ways that are safe, equitable, and deeply human-centered. Her work is not only transforming UCSF, but also extending UC Health’s innovations to hospitals and communities across California.
A physician-turned-health services researcher, Sara launched her AI journey during the early days of electronic health record (EHR) adoption—when EPIC was first implemented at UCSF in 2015. That pivotal moment sparked her interest in using data to improve care delivery. She went on to build UCSF’s Health AI team, a cross-functional group that blends data science, clinical insight, and operational know-how to deliver real-world impact.
Transforming Care with Real-World AI
One of Sara’s most successful initiatives is the AI scribe program, now available to UC physicians across the state. This tool automates medical note-taking, enabling doctors to spend more time connecting with their patients rather than typing at a computer. The impact has been remarkable:
- Physicians report lower burnout and improved job satisfaction
- Patients experience more attentive, personalized visits
“As Sara describes it, AI is helping restore the human connection in healthcare.”
→ Read more from UCSF
Sara’s team is also developing AI tools to support pre-charting—gathering relevant patient information before a visit—which helps streamline physician workflow and improves visit efficiency.
Monitoring for Equity and Safety
Innovation without oversight is risky—especially in healthcare. That’s why Sara and her team developed IMPACT, the first continuous AI monitoring platform integrated into clinical operations. This system does more than track performance; it helps ensure every AI tool remains:
- Effective
- Safe for diverse populations
- Fair and free from bias
The IMPACT platform exemplifies how academic health systems can integrate technological innovation with governance and quality improvement.
→ Learn more about IMPACT
Extending AI Equity Across California
Sara is especially proud of UCSF’s role in the Health AI Partnership—a national collaboration that supports the responsible adoption of AI in safety-net and community hospitals. Through this initiative, UCSF mentors smaller institutions across California, sharing proven methods for:
- Implementing AI tools in resource-constrained settings
- Monitoring for bias and fairness
- Building sustainable AI infrastructure
This partnership extends UC Health’s mission and supports equity in care delivery statewide.
→ Visit healthaipartnership.org
Why It’s Working: Culture, Collaboration, and Vision
What sets UCSF’s AI efforts apart is not just the tools—it’s the ecosystem. Sara credits the success to:
- A long-term vision and willingness to invest strategically
- Strong partnerships between academics and clinical operations
- A unique combination of platforms and operational processes
- A deeply collaborative team culture
This alignment allows AI innovations to move from prototype to practice, with ongoing feedback loops that support continuous improvement in patient care.
Looking Ahead: The Transformative Power of AI in Medicine
Sara believes that generative AI marks a turning point in healthcare. She envisions a future where technology helps:
- Reduce clinician workload
- Expand patient access
- Deliver high-value, precision care at scale
Her message to other innovators:
“Build oversight from the beginning, foster deep collaboration, and always focus on the people—the patients and clinicians—who the technology is meant to serve.”
A Model for Health Innovation
By bridging clinical insight, academic research, and operational excellence, Dr. Sara Murray is redefining what healthcare AI can achieve. Her work at UCSF Health and across the UC system is setting new standards—not just for how AI is used, but for how it’s governed, shared, and scaled responsibly.
