ISQua 41st International Conference Proceedings & Reflections: Healthcare AI Leadership

São Paulo, Brazil | October 12-15, 2025

Dr. Greenhill recently delivered keynote presentations and led critical discussions at the 41st International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) Conference in São Paulo, Brazil—one of the world's premier gatherings of healthcare quality and patient safety leaders. Over four dynamic days, healthcare professionals from across Latin America and beyond convened to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

Keynote: When Healthcare System Leadership Meets AI – Opportunities and a Way Forward

Dr. Greenhill's opening keynote explored the transformative intersection of system leadership and artificial intelligence in healthcare. Brazil and other Latin American countries are making remarkable strides in digital health innovation, and Dr. Greenhill examined how these advancements are reshaping patient care delivery across the region.

The keynote set the stage for deeper conversations about responsible AI adoption—emphasizing that technological capability must be matched with ethical leadership and unwavering commitment to patient outcomes.

Expert Panel: Leading Through AI Disruption in Healthcare

Following the keynote, Dr. Greenhill joined a distinguished panel of global experts to tackle one of healthcare's most urgent questions: How do leaders ensure patient safety and quality improvement remain paramount when disruptive innovations emerge?

The panel discussion addressed four critical dimensions of AI leadership:

• Accreditation and Regulation: Establishing "Good AI Governance"The panel explored the imperative for standards that ensure ethical and appropriate AI practice in healthcare settings. Dr. Greenhill emphasized that leaders must champion frameworks that balance innovation with accountability, creating guardrails that protect patients while enabling technological advancement.

  
  

• Patient Safety and Quality of CareThe panel examined practical strategies for leveraging AI to drive measurable improvements in patient safety and care quality. From predictive analytics that identify at-risk patients to decision support systems that reduce clinical errors, Dr. Greenhill highlighted AI's vast potential—but only when implemented thoughtfully.

  
  

• Patient Empowerment and Person-Centered CareThe discussion addressed how leaders can optimize AI tools to enable patients to take greater personal responsibility in their care journeys. Dr. Greenhill noted that the goal isn't to replace the human element but to augment it, giving patients better information and more agency in their health decisions.

  
  

• Effective Leadership in the AI EraLeaders set direction. The conversation centered on how AI can help create clearer, more desirable outcomes for quality and safety. Dr. Greenhill stressed that the challenge lies in harnessing these tools to sharpen strategic vision rather than allowing technology to dictate the agenda.

The panel reinforced a central theme: AI is neither inherently good nor bad—its impact depends entirely on the quality of leadership guiding its implementation.

Workshop: ISQua Journals – Paper Development and Publication

In his capacity as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal for Quality in Healthcare Communications (IJCOMS), Dr. Greenhill led an intensive workshop designed to demystify the peer-reviewed publication process for healthcare professionals eager to share their work with the global community.

Quality Improvement vs. Research Publications

The workshop began by clarifying the key distinctions between QI and research methodologies, exploring different publication pathways and reporting standards. Participants engaged in group activities to understand when to apply SQUIRE, CONSORT, or PRISMA guidelines—essential knowledge for any author serious about publication success.

Mastering the Peer Review Process

Dr. Greenhill guided attendees through the peer review workflow, setting realistic timeline expectations and revealing common reviewer concerns. By addressing methodology, significance, clarity, and ethics proactively, authors can significantly improve their acceptance rates. This session equipped participants with insider knowledge to navigate what can often feel like an opaque process.

Manuscript Architecture and Development

The workshop concluded with a deep dive into manuscript construction. Dr. Greenhill examined each essential component—Title, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion—with specific writing strategies tailored to each section. He shared common pitfalls observed during his editorial work and provided practical guidance on how to avoid them.

The goal was straightforward: empower researchers and quality improvement professionals to transform their valuable insights into published work that advances the field.

Global Impact and Leadership Insights

The energy at ISQua 2025 was palpable. Healthcare leaders from across Latin America and around the world grappled with similar challenges: how to harness technological innovation while maintaining the human core of healthcare; how to lead organizations through unprecedented change; how to elevate quality and safety in resource-constrained environments.

São Paulo proved to be an ideal setting for these conversations. Brazil's healthcare system—with its mix of public and private sectors, urban and rural challenges, and innovative digital health initiatives—offers valuable lessons for the global community.

Dr. Greenhill's presentations reinforced the conviction that effective leadership in healthcare requires three essential capabilities:

1. Strategic foresight to anticipate how emerging technologies will reshape care delivery

2. Ethical grounding to ensure innovations serve patients first

3. Communication excellence to translate complex changes into shared understanding and action

As healthcare organizations navigate an era of rapid technological change, leaders who will make the greatest impact are those who can embrace innovation boldly while safeguarding the timeless principles of patient-centered care—principles that Dr. Greenhill demonstrated throughout his presentations at ISQua 2025.

Dr. Greenhill's service on the ISQua Board of Directors reflects his commitment to elevating healthcare quality standards on a global scale. Through his board leadership and keynote presentations at conferences like ISQua 2025 in São Paulo, he influences policy and practice across international healthcare systems, ensuring that innovation and patient safety advance together.

Dr. Greenhill is available for keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops on healthcare leadership, AI implementation, patient safety, and academic publishing. For speaking inquiries, visit thebranded-strategy.com.

Global Health System Leadership Meets AI Implementation: How Brazil is Leading Healthcare Innovation in the Amazon

A synopsis from my talk and follow-on panel at the 41st ISQua conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil on healthcare AI implementation.

Brazil's AI Healthcare Revolution

While many nations are still planning their AI healthcare strategies, Brazil is already implementing solutions that are saving lives—particularly in some of the world's most challenging environments.

Right now, Brazilian pharmacists in remote Amazon clinics are using NoHarm, an AI system developed by a Brazilian nonprofit with support from Google and Amazon, to catch dangerous prescription errors before they reach patients. The system processes hundreds of prescriptions simultaneously, identifying risks that even experienced pharmacists might overlook—a critical capability in areas where healthcare resources are stretched thin.

From Pilots to National Scale

Brazil's healthcare technology and AI landscape showcases several groundbreaking initiatives:

Expanding Access Through Telemedicine: Since telemedicine became permanently legal in Brazil in 2022, rural patients increasingly connect with specialists in São Paulo and Rio, bridging the urban-rural healthcare gap.

Advanced Diagnostics for Underserved Areas: Dasa, one of Brazil's largest healthcare companies, has established an AI laboratory bringing advanced radiology capabilities to regions facing specialist shortages.

Global Collaboration for Inclusive AI: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein is collaborating with Sheba Medical Center in Israel and Mayo Clinic to build a global AI data-sharing network. Their mission: training algorithms on diverse populations so AI works for everyone—not just wealthy urban patients.

Unprecedented Investment and Growth

The numbers tell a compelling story of commitment:

• President Lula launched a four-year, $4 billion plan to accelerate AI infrastructure, training, and innovation

• Brazil's IT sector surged from $49.8 billion in 2023 to $58.6 billion in 2024

• The AI healthcare market is projected to explode from $170 million in 2022 to $3.6 billion by 2030—a remarkable 46.22% compound annual growth rate

• As G20 host, Brazil showcased digital health and AI prominently on the global stage

Leading Latin America

Brazil currently leads Latin America in healthcare AI initiatives, setting the pace while health ministries in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia follow suit.

The Next Chapter: Integration and Scale

The technology exists. The expertise exists. The commitment exists. Brazilian leadership has laid a strong foundation with working, expanding solutions.

The next chapter focuses on connection and integration:

• Ensuring reliable connectivity reaches remote villages

• Creating interoperable AI systems across platforms

• Scaling workforce training nationwide

• Establishing regulatory frameworks that provide clarity while enabling innovation

• Extending infrastructure across Brazil's vast geography

A Vision Within Reach

This moment calls for collective vision to accelerate and integrate—to move from promising pilots to universal access. When we look back at this decade, a grandmother in the Amazon receiving the same quality care as someone in São Paulo won't be aspirational. It will be routine.

That future is within reach. And Brazil's leaders—combining system leadership with purposeful AI implementation—are building it today.

Brazil is not just adopting AI in healthcare, but pioneering solutions specifically designed for challenging environments, demonstrating that innovation and inclusion can advance together.

Mastering Leadership Impact Through Coaching

Leadership is not just about holding a title or managing a team. It’s about creating lasting impact that drives your organization forward. In today’s fast-evolving healthcare landscape, mastering leadership impact requires more than traditional skills. It demands a strategic approach to growth, self-awareness, and influence. That’s where leadership coaching strategies come into play.

You might ask, Why invest in leadership coaching? Because the right coaching transforms potential into performance. It sharpens your decision-making, enhances your communication, and empowers you to lead with confidence in an era defined by rapid change and technological disruption.

Executive chair in a modern office symbolizing leadership

Unlocking the Power of Leadership Coaching Strategies

Leadership coaching strategies are not one-size-fits-all. They are tailored, intentional, and designed to meet the unique challenges faced by C-suite healthcare leaders. These strategies focus on developing core competencies such as emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and resilience.

Here’s what effective leadership coaching strategies look like in action:

• Personalized goal setting: Coaching starts with clear, measurable objectives aligned with your organizational vision.

• Active listening and feedback: Coaches provide honest, constructive feedback that challenges your assumptions and encourages growth.

• Skill development: From conflict resolution to visionary thinking, coaching hones the skills that matter most.

• Accountability: Regular check-ins ensure you stay on track and continuously improve.

  
  

For example, a healthcare executive struggling with team alignment might use coaching to develop stronger communication frameworks. This leads to better collaboration, faster decision-making, and ultimately, improved patient outcomes.

Notebook with leadership coaching notes and strategies

What are the 3 R's in coaching?

Understanding the 3 R's in coaching is essential for mastering leadership impact. These principles serve as the foundation for effective coaching conversations and sustained growth.

1. Reflect - Coaching encourages leaders to reflect deeply on their experiences, decisions, and behaviors. Reflection uncovers blind spots and reveals new perspectives.

2. Respond - After reflection, leaders learn to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. This shift improves emotional regulation and decision-making.

3. Reframe - Reframing challenges as opportunities is a powerful mindset shift. It helps leaders embrace change and innovate under pressure.

   
   

By integrating the 3 R's into your leadership routine, you cultivate a mindset that thrives on continuous learning and adaptability. This is crucial in healthcare, where the stakes are high and the environment is constantly shifting.

Coaching session between a leader and coach focusing on leadership strategies

How Executive Leadership Coaching Elevates Your Influence

When you engage in executive leadership coaching, you’re not just improving your skills—you’re transforming your entire leadership presence. This specialized coaching is designed for senior executives who must navigate complex organizational dynamics and lead through uncertainty.

Here’s how executive leadership coaching elevates your influence:

• Enhanced self-awareness: You gain clarity on your leadership style, strengths, and areas for growth.

• Strategic visioning: Coaching helps you articulate and execute a compelling vision that inspires your team.

• Improved stakeholder engagement: You learn to build trust and influence across diverse groups, from board members to frontline staff.

• Resilience building: Coaching equips you to manage stress and maintain focus during crises.

  
  

Consider a healthcare CEO facing the challenge of integrating AI technologies into clinical workflows. Executive leadership coaching can help them balance innovation with operational realities, ensuring smooth adoption and sustained impact.

Practical Steps to Implement Leadership Coaching Strategies Today

You don’t have to wait to start mastering leadership impact. Here are actionable steps you can take right now:

1. Identify your leadership gaps: Use 360-degree feedback or self-assessment tools to pinpoint areas for improvement.

2. Set clear coaching goals: Define what success looks like for you and your organization.

3. Choose the right coach: Look for someone with healthcare industry experience and a proven track record.

4. Commit to regular sessions: Consistency is key to embedding new habits and mindsets.

5. Apply learnings immediately: Practice new skills in real-world situations and reflect on the outcomes.

6. Measure progress: Track key performance indicators related to leadership effectiveness and organizational impact.

   
   

By following these steps, you create a structured path to leadership excellence that aligns with your strategic priorities.

Sustaining Leadership Impact in the AI Era

The healthcare sector is undergoing a seismic shift with AI transforming diagnostics, treatment, and patient care. As a leader, your ability to adapt and lead through this change will define your legacy.

Leadership coaching strategies help you:

• Navigate complexity: Break down AI challenges into manageable, strategic initiatives.

• Empower your team: Foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning.

• Enhance your executive brand: Position yourself as a forward-thinking leader who drives meaningful change.

• Drive organizational impact: Align AI adoption with patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

  
  

Remember, leadership is not static. It evolves with the demands of your environment. Coaching ensures you stay ahead of the curve, ready to seize new opportunities and overcome obstacles.

Mastering leadership impact through coaching is a journey, not a destination. It requires commitment, courage, and a willingness to grow. But the rewards are profound - stronger teams, better decisions, and a healthcare organization that thrives in the AI era.

Are you ready to take the next step? Your leadership legacy depends on it.