Trust, Testing, and the Future of Intelligent Health Systems

Presented by NinjaOne & Carahsoft

As health IT systems become more intelligent, trust and measurement are emerging as defining challenges. Ram Sriram, Manager of the Health IT
Program at NIST, explains that EHRs have evolved through multiple phases, from billing and scheduling tools to active systems capable of supporting AI-driven insights. The next phase, he says, centers on patient-centric personal health records that integrate clinical data, wearables, and genomic information.

Sriram emphasizes NIST’s role in building trust through standards, testing, and benchmarking. As AI becomes more prevalent, new metrics are needed to assess reliability, uncertainty, and trustworthiness. Measuring performance is not straightforward, particularly for systems like large language models that can generate convincing but incorrect outputs. Developing rigorous evaluation frameworks is essential to ensuring AI supports safe and effective care.

He also describes the future of AI as increasingly neuro-symbolic, combining pattern recognition with reasoning to reduce errors and improve reliability. This evolution reflects decades of AI research and addresses current limitations such as hallucinations and lack of contextual understanding.

Egon Rinderer, Senior Vice President of Federal & Enterprise Growth at NinjaOne, offers a vendor perspective grounded in patient advocacy. He argues that transparency is non-negotiable when applying AI in healthcare. While vendors naturally seek to protect intellectual property, patient safety and trust must take precedence. Providers need clear visibility into how AI tools operate and how decisions are made.

Rinderer acknowledges the tension between innovation and regulation but views it as healthy and necessary. Slowing progress slightly in the name of safety and trust is preferable to advancing technology that undermines patient well-being. Listening to both technical experts and healthcare professionals is critical to maintaining balance.

Together, Sriram and Rinderer outline a future where intelligent health systems are not only powerful but trustworthy, transparent, and centered on patient care. Building that future will require rigorous testing, clear standards, and a shared commitment to responsible innovation.