Healthcare data becomes more powerful when it helps people see where care, resources, and community support are needed most. In this episode, Dr. Juan C. “JC” Rojas, Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Rush University Medical Center, discusses his path from medicine and critical care to clinical informatics, public health, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. He shares how early experiences with EHR data showed him how difficult it can be to turn clinical information into useful insights for research, quality improvement, and population health. The conversation also explores the Rush Health Equity Data Analytics Studio, Chicago Health Map, and how privacy-preserving EHR data can help researchers, community organizations, and policymakers better understand chronic disease patterns across neighborhoods. Dr. Rojas also discusses AI adoption in healthcare, the need to train teams for an AI-native environment, and his vision for a future where clinicians spend less time clicking and more time caring for patients. Tune in and learn how data, AI, and health equity can reshape care delivery inside and outside the hospital. About Dr. JC Rojas: Juan C. “JC” Rojas, MD, MS, is the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Rush University Medical Center and an academic pulmonary and critical care physician in Chicago. He works at the intersection of healthcare delivery, clinical informatics, AI, data science, and community health. At Rush, Dr. Rojas serves as a clinical informatics leader, helping connect clinical departments, IT teams, and executive leadership as the organization shapes its AI and data science strategy. He also evaluates AI solutions, supports clinical validation efforts, and contributes to AI governance and strategy work. Dr. Rojas is also Director of Clinical Informatics and Data Science at Rush University, where he leads efforts to integrate high-quality clinical data for research and scientific discovery. His work focuses on predictive modeling, quality improvement, data analytics, healthcare delivery science, and using informatics to improve patient outcomes, operational efficiency, health equity, and healthcare worker satisfaction. Key Takeaways Healthcare data can support better decisions beyond individual patient visits, especially when it helps reveal patterns across populations, neighborhoods, and communities. EHR data is powerful, but it is often difficult to access, structure, and use, making data quality and delivery major barriers in research and quality improvement. Health systems can play a larger role in public health by breaking down data silos and sharing privacy-preserving insights that support community action. Chicago Health Map helps researchers, community organizations, and policymakers see chronic disease patterns at the neighborhood level, making it easier to target resources where they are needed most. AI adoption in healthcare is moving quickly, especially in areas like revenue cycle, supply chain, patient engagement, ambient documentation, and future care gap workflows. Healthcare leaders need to prepare teams for an AI-native work environment, where clinicians and staff know how to use AI safely, effectively, and responsibly. Resources Connect with Dr. JC Rojas on LinkedIn. Follow Rush University Medical Center on LinkedIn and discover their website here!
