Dr. Maxim Topaz

Health AI Researcher

Maxim Topaz

Building AI that helps nurses and doctors make better decisions, so patients get better care.

PhD, RN, MA, FAAN, FIAHSI, FACMI  ·  Columbia University  ·  Past MEDINFO President

TEDx Talk

Radical System Transformation

About

My journey began in the field as an Army medic and Registered Nurse, experiences that taught me what patients truly need. Today, I channel that frontline wisdom into building AI tools that help nurses and doctors make better decisions, faster.

As a Fulbright Fellow at UPenn and one of the first nurse scientists to complete a postdoc at Harvard Medical School, I've bridged the gap between clinical practice and cutting-edge technology.

Now at Columbia University and VNS Health, I lead a team developing AI that predicts which patients need help before a crisis happens, especially in home healthcare, where early intervention saves lives. I share these ideas as a TEDx speaker and through keynotes worldwide.

Popular Insights

View all

January 2025

I'm an associate editor at one of the top medical informatics journals. Last month, I sent 52 emails asking professors to review a scientific paper. Three said yes. That 6% response rate? That's the sound of scientific quality control breaking. Here's what most people don't see...

484 likes · 86 comments

January 2025

There's a career trajectory my mentors taught me years ago. Now I teach it to every PhD student and postdoc. Stage 1: Hustle and survive. Chase first-author papers. Prove you belong. Stage 2: Lead and thrive. Build teams. Learn to let go a little. Stage 3: Become the grumpy prof...

263 likes · 54 comments

December 2024

I found this meme I posted in 2018 and had to update it! Back then, the joke was about how we all front-loaded effort on Abstract/Intro/Aims… then limped to the finish line with Discussion sections that looked like a tired stick figure. Seven years later? Those Discussion secti...

244 likes · 12 comments

Follow for daily insights on AI in healthcare

8,000+ followers on LinkedIn

Follow on LinkedIn

Research Focus

AI-Powered Clinical Decisions

Intelligent systems that analyze patient data and clinical notes to surface critical insights.

Predicting Patient Risk

Machine learning models that identify patients heading toward hospitalization or decline.

Home Healthcare Innovation

Tools that help visiting nurses prioritize their caseloads and catch problems early.

Fair & Unbiased AI

Rigorously testing AI tools across diverse patient populations to eliminate hidden biases.

Columbia
Associate Professor
VNS Health
Senior Research Scientist
MEDINFO
Past President
NIH
AI Review Co-Chair

Available for Speaking

TEDx speaker. Keynotes and workshops on AI in healthcare, delivered to audiences worldwide.

220+
Publications
$25M+
Research Funding
30+
Grants Awarded
Top 2%
Stanford Scientists