About Bob

Dr. Robert M. Wachter is a national leader in healthcare, best known for pioneering the hospitalist movement—the fastest-growing medical specialty in U.S. history. He is currently a Professor and the esteemed Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Bob is a leading voice in patient safety and healthcare quality, receiving the nation’s top honor, the John M. Eisenberg Award, in 2004. He is known for his humorous and insightful commentary on the biggest issues in medicine. His bestselling 2015 book, The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine’s Computer Age, warned the industry to think more carefully about the human side of implementing new technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bob became a key public source, using his social media platform (X, formerly Twitter) to provide clarity on the rapidly changing clinical, public health, and policy issues. His posts were viewed over 300 million times, establishing him as a trusted voice during a chaotic time. He has now turned his focus to the next great technological transformation: Artificial Intelligence (AI). His new book, A Giant Leap: How AI is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future, is set for publication in early 2026, exploring how AI will fundamentally change the practice of medicine.