AI in Healthcare: Best Practices and Critical Pitfalls for Wellness Practitioners
Feb 04, 2026The AI revolution has arrived at your wellness practice's doorstep. Every week brings new tools promising to save time, improve efficiency, and solve problems you didn't know you had. Meanwhile, concerning headlines about AI therapy apps and healthcare automation raise serious ethical questions. How do you separate helpful innovation from dangerous hype?
Anna and Kendall dive into this complex territory with characteristic honesty, sharing both their enthusiasm for certain AI applications and their serious concerns about others. The result is a nuanced conversation that helps wellness practice owners navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.
Anna opens with a vulnerable admission about why AI matters so much to her: "As a neurodiverse person, I don't find linear thought or process driven thought particularly... it doesn't come easily to me. And so when I can pick up an agent and talk to the agent and discuss things through and iterate and reiterate my thought processes, I get clarity in a matter of hours versus weeks or months." This personal context grounds the conversation in real benefits for real people.
Both hosts discuss practical applications they've implemented successfully. Recording meetings with AI tools like Fathom eliminates note-taking burden while improving presence. AI scribes within their EHR systems offer similar benefits for clinical documentation—though Kendall notes significant resistance from practitioners who are comfortable with current workflows.
One of the most innovative applications Anna shares involves hiring: "I started bringing in different data points and asking AI to synthesize data from various places... an applicant's DISC assessment plus what they responded on the Google form plus their resume, plus feedback from interviews." This approach reduces bias while providing data-driven insights that complement human judgment.
Kendall discusses a new device called Plaud that she's testing—a wearable AI recorder designed to capture in-person meetings and spontaneous insights without requiring phone or computer access. This represents the kind of tool that enhances rather than replaces human interaction.
But the conversation takes a serious turn when addressing AI therapy companies. Kendall doesn't mince words: "My biggest issue are the AI therapy companies... Legally, right, you can't even call yourself a therapist unless you have a license to practice therapy. These AI agents don't have a license." She describes documented cases where AI has affirmed dangerous thoughts in vulnerable users, leading to tragic outcomes.
The comparison to a hypothetical acupuncture robot makes the concern visceral. As Anna responds, "I cannot imagine a person wanting a robot to put a needle into them without that feedback from that human." Yet as Kendall notes, "People will try it" if it's offered—which is exactly what's happening with AI therapy despite the risks.
The hosts acknowledge the systemic problems driving people toward AI alternatives. As Anna observes from recent personal experience trying to find immediate mental health support for her teenager, "Trying to find help and support immediately in the moment can be extremely difficult... everybody is turning you away because it's an immediate need, you're going to turn to AI." This accessibility crisis doesn't justify dangerous solutions, but it explains why they exist.
The episode concludes with balanced guidance: embrace AI tools that enhance human capacity while maintaining vigilance about applications that replace human judgment in contexts requiring nuanced expertise, ethical responsibility, and genuine connection.
Anna summarizes: "I don't know what the answer is. We just have to be aware." This honest acknowledgment—that we're all navigating uncharted territory—may be the most valuable takeaway. There's no simple formula, but thoughtful practitioners can make wise choices about which AI tools serve their patients and which cross ethical lines.
If you're trying to make sense of AI's role in your wellness practice, this episode offers both practical guidance and ethical grounding for the decisions ahead.
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About Anna Rudel
Anna Rudel, L. Ac is the owner and founder of Lokahi Acupuncture Clinic in San Jose California, founded in 2003. Anna is a master organizer and clinician, and as a Coach she specializes in working with Clinic Owners in the state of California, and Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Clinic Owners, or groups wanting to add Acupuncture worldwide, as well as teams that need support with employee retention and satisfaction. Born in the UK, Anna has traveled extensively in Asia and now has a thriving multi-practitioner clinic in the US!
Anna's Website and Links
- Website: https://lokahiacupuncture.com/
- Learn Group Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/group-coaching
- For info about Individual Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/individual-coaching
About Kendall Hagensen
Kendall is a Somatic Mental Health Therapist, Multidisciplinary Clinic Owner and Business Coach. She specializes in, and is passionate about, working with healthcare professionals to create the businesses of their dreams. Big goals always have a psychological component beneath the surface, so Kendall uses her background in Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy mixed with Business Coaching tools to help clients develop a healthy relationship with their business and their strength as a leader.
As someone who lives with a chronic illness herself, Kendall feels that health happens best within community, which is why she takes a holistic, integrative, and collaborative wellness approach to her personal and professional life.
Kendall’s Web/Social Links