You Can't Automate Giving a Damn.

As many of you know, my daughter Isabeau has faced many medical challenges throughout her life. We've spent countless hours in hospitals, met more specialists than I can count, and navigated a healthcare system that isn't always easy.

And just when you think you've figured it all out, life takes you somewhere new, and you have to start building that support system all over again.

With Isabeau now living away from home, one of my biggest concerns is making sure she has the right medical care. Doctors who understand her complicated history, listen, and will be there when something unexpected happens.

This past weekend, I traveled to Boston to help her get established with a new medical team. The plan was simple. Meet with three doctors, schedule a few more appointments, get a few things organized, and head home.

Well, things didn't quite go as planned.

After seeing one doctor, Isabeau had some lab work done. The results came back, and some of her numbers were concerning. Suddenly, what should have been a routine visit became much more urgent.

Anyone who has dealt with the healthcare system knows how difficult it can be to get an appointment with a specialist, especially as a new patient. Sometimes you're waiting weeks or even months.

But what happened next was something I won't forget. That one doctor started reaching out to colleagues, explaining Isabeau's situation and asking them to make time for her. Somehow, within a single day, multiple specialists saw Isabeau we hadn't even expected to meet.

And she didn't stop there. She kept checking in, making sure we knew where we needed to be, that we showed up for each appointment, and that nothing was falling through the cracks. She wasn't just connecting us with other doctors. She was personally making sure Isabeau was taken care of.

Together, they worked out what she needed and arranged an urgent infusion.

Then came the insurance process. Authorizations, paperwork, approvals between hospitals. And time wasn't on our side. But instead of telling us to wait, the medical team took it upon themselves to work through the obstacles. They called, followed up, called again, and kept pushing to get Isabeau the treatment she needed.

I was amazed. Not just by how quickly everything happened, but by how it happened.

It wasn't some perfectly designed process. It was people helping people. A doctor recognizing the urgency, colleagues trusting one another, and a team refusing to let paperwork stand in the way.

What touched me most was that they understood there was a person behind those lab results. A young woman trying to navigate college and independence while managing a complicated medical journey. And a mother trying to make sure her daughter would be okay, even when she couldn't always be there.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, I found myself thinking about AI.

We talk about how AI can make healthcare smarter, faster, and more connected. And I believe it can. Imagine medical records moving seamlessly between hospitals, doctors having the right information at the right time, or insurance approvals not requiring endless phone calls.

That would make such a difference for families like ours.

But could AI have made what happened this week possible?

Could it have picked up the phone and asked a colleague for a favor?

Recognized the worry behind a mother's questions?

Understood that sometimes doing the right thing means going beyond the normal process?

One day AI will be able to coordinate much of that. But what I witnessed this week was more than coordination. It was trust, relationships, and people choosing to help because they cared.

I came to build a medical support system, but I'm leaving with something far more meaningful: the peace of mind that comes from knowing people will look out for her, even when I can't be there.

Intelligence can help us know what needs to be done. Humanity is what makes us care enough to do it.