As demand for precision medicine grows, health systems are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and big data to transform diagnostics. In a recent interview with Becker’s Healthcare, Christopher Garcia, M.D., chief digital innovation officer at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, shared how AI is reshaping the future of diagnostics and making advanced insights more accessible.

“Data-driven diagnostics is about using computational tools to manage complexity and move from reactive to predictive care,” says Dr. Garcia.

He outlines three major shifts: using data to anticipate risk before symptoms appear, integrating lab results with other modalities like imaging and genomics, and tailoring diagnostics to individual patients rather than population averages.

Dr. Garcia also highlights the rise of multimodal AI and foundation models, which are expanding access to powerful tools once limited to specialized settings. With improved algorithms and cloud computing, these innovations are now more widely available.

Looking ahead, he’s excited about using AI to help deliver subspecialist-level insights to underserved communities, building continuous learning systems, and embedding AI tools into everyday clinical workflows. However, he emphasizes that patient safety must remain the top priority, and every tool must prove its value.

Read the full interview and listen to the podcast.