🎙️ Episode 12 - AI vs. Delirium: Saving Brains & Billions in Healthcare with John Klepper (PIPRA)
In this episode of the ReeThink Podcast, host Rudi Adigbli speaks with John Klepper, co-founder of PIPRA, about how AI in healthcare is being used to predict delirium before surgery, saving hospitals millions and protecting long-term brain health.
You’ll learn why delirium affects 1 in 4 patients over 60, how a single episode can increase dementia risk by 1400%, and why this “silent epidemic” costs more than diabetes in the US healthcare system.
Beyond the medical breakthrough, this conversation explores the reality of building a MedTech startup:
regulatory hurdles, selling innovation to hospitals, and why culture beats CVs when building high-performing teams.
From AI-driven surgical workflows to the broader risks of automation and job displacement, this episode offers a grounded, real-world view of the future of AI in medicine.
00:00 Introduction — Who is John Klepper?
04:57 Why Hospitals Care About Delirium (Not Dementia)
09:18 40% Mortality & 1400% Dementia Risk Explained
15:17 The Silent Epidemic: Hypoactive Delirium
20:01 How PIPRA’s AI Integrates Into Surgery
28:26 Why Delirium Costs More Than Diabetes
30:05 The MedTech Grind: Regulation & Reality
36:14 Hiring for Grit, Culture & Values
48:33 The AI Paradox: Medical Cures vs Job Displacement
#AIinHealthcare #Delirium #Neurotech #DigitalHealth #MedTech #BrainHealth #HealthcareInnovation