Doing More With Less
Learn how Raheel Sohail, MD, MBA, is using AI to dramatically alter the physician admin workload so they can focus on what they do best.
June 11, 2025
Are You Like Raheel?
After being a family medicine practitioner, Dr. Raheel Sohail knew he wanted to create deeper change for patients—beyond the exam room.
He transitioned into administrative leadership, focusing on value-based care initiatives to improve outcomes at scale.
But that wasn’t enough. At CVS, he evaluated cutting-edge technology vendors, searching for real solutions to fix a broken system.
Still, something was missing. Physicians like him were burning out, overwhelmed by administrative tasks, and losing precious time with patients.
So, Raheel cofounded Allyzent—a provider-founded conversational AI platform aimed at solving healthcare’s most pressing challenge: freeing up time to care.
Today, Raheel is a physician, consultant, and cofounder of Allyzent, helping healthcare systems and provider clinics streamline operations and reclaim what matters most: the patient-physician relationship.
His journey—from growing up in doctors’ offices to reimagining healthcare through technology—is a story of bold thinking and relentless care.
When did the first idea or concept of practicing medicine come into your life?
My father practiced family medicine for over 40 years. Growing up, I practically lived in his clinic when he used to practice. So, I knew almost everything about medicine from an administrative staff point of view.
From a young age, I was deeply intrigued by medicine. Not because I had to choose it but because I saw something most people didn’t: the quiet, powerful impact it had on patients.
My dad never pushed me to become a physician. In fact, he often told me not to—he believed the lifestyle was too hectic, too consuming. But watching the gratitude on patients’ faces after seeing him… it stuck with me. That kind of fulfillment was rare, and I found it fascinating.
He was my hero. I looked up to him in every way, and he remains the biggest inspiration behind why I chose medicine—and why I continue to build solutions for physicians today.
I practically lived in his clinic when he used to practice. So I knew almost everything about medicine from an administrative staff point of view.
Ask yourself:
Biography
Name
Raheel Sohail, MD
Residency
Family Medicine at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital
Speciality
Family Medicine
Sub-specialities
Practicing since
2012
Location
Chicago, IL
Current Role
Healthcare Strategy and Operations Leader
And you've gone beyond just practicing medicine. You have a lot of different roles as a consultant and entrepreneur. So when you're at a dinner party and meet somebody, and they ask, "What do you do?" What do you tell them?
I tell them that I'm changing the lifestyle for providers and physicians.
Unfortunately, physicians are burnt out, and that is just the norm. I would say 60% to 70% of my time, or any other physician's time, is spent on non-patient work. You are stuck with your EMRs. You are calling in for insurance, prior authorization status, and checking on paperwork and insurance forms that you have to fill in.
There are a lot of nonclinical things that you have to learn during residency because this is something that you're not taught when you're in med school. Those are things that no one teaches you because once you're in med school, you think, "I'll be seeing patients a hundred percent of my time," which is what we all want to do. But it's not the reality.
So, my burning desire was to get treating patients back at the top physicians’ priorities. That's what I wanted to focus on, and I think that led me to this journey to a different side of healthcare where I wanted to make an impact on patient care.
Once you're in med school, you think, "I'll be seeing patients a hundred percent of my time," which is what we all want to do. But it's not the reality
Why is it so difficult for physicians to spend more time with patients?
Because healthcare today is built to prioritize volume over value.
Too often, patients are treated like fee-for-service transactions.
And I get it—everyone wants to provide for their families, live well, and succeed financially. But somewhere along the way, we crossed a line. If a patient is doing well, why are we calling them just to generate revenue?
That mindset always bothered me.
I wanted to shift that dynamic—to give physicians the ability to focus on quality care, not quantity. That’s what first led me into value-based care. But I quickly realized I couldn’t drive change by staying within the four walls of a clinic, seeing 30 patients a day.
So I made the leap into healthcare administrative leadership positions.
There, I saw the bigger picture: asking physicians to see 25–30 patients a day isn’t sustainable. It becomes a numbers game. You miss details. You lose connection.
But what if we could flip that?
What if we could enable doctors to see fewer patients—maybe 10 to 15 a day—and still earn the same or more because they're being rewarded for outcomes instead of volume?
That’s what value-based care does. It shifts the accountability.
Physicians become responsible for long-term patient health, not just one-off visits. But this kind of care model isn’t something you can do alone. It takes a team.
That’s where I focused my efforts: designing care navigation pathways that begin with the physician and then extend through admin teams, care coordinators, and analysts. Everyone plays a role. Everyone is aligned. That’s how you build a sustainable, value-driven healthcare system—where physicians get to do what they do best: care for patients..
A lot of times, the patients are looked at as cash dispensers, and there's an unethical line and boundary in healthcare.
Essentials
Favorites
- Your go to for having a good laugh?
My wife
- Top 3 things you love to do with your free time?
Spending time with my family – Whether it’s a simple dinner, playing with my kids, or just hanging out doing nothing special, that time grounds me and reminds me what matters most.
Exploring new places or road trips – I love spontaneous travel, especially to spots off the beaten path. It resets my mind and brings a sense of discovery that work sometimes can’t.
Thinking creatively and building – Even in my downtime, I enjoy brainstorming ideas, sketching out visions for new projects, or finding ways to solve problems. It doesn’t feel like work—it’s energizing.
- What’s one ingredient you put in everything?
Sriracha
- Favorite piece of clothing you own?
My denim jeans which is over a decade old and still nothing has topped it
- Three things you can’t live without?
Family, coffee and my phone charger
Leisure & Culture
- If we were visiting your town/city for the weekend, what are your 3 top local tips?
Bring stretchy pants. You're going to eat. A lot. And somehow the best food will come from a spot that looks like it failed its last health inspection but serves the kind of meal that makes you question your entire diet plan.
Avoid driving between 4–7 PM unless you enjoy staring at taillights and questioning your life choices. Honestly, it’s faster to walk, teleport, or emotionally prepare yourself to sit in traffic while listening to a podcast about inner peace.
Say yes to chai or coffee from anyone who offers. It’s not just a drink—it’s a social contract. And chances are, you’ll get at least one deep life lesson, unsolicited career advice, and a snack that wasn't part of the plan.
- Top 3 travel destinations (and why)?
Istanbul, Turkey – Where East meets West, and somehow your stomach meets 12 meals a day. The food, the call to prayer echoing through the streets, the layers of history—you feel like you’re walking through a living museum while eating the best baklava of your life.
Maui, Hawaii – The kind of place where your biggest decision is: beach nap or beach snack? It’s the perfect combo of lush hikes, slow mornings, ocean therapy, and shave ice that somehow tastes like happiness. Plus, sunsets here are next-level spiritual.
Amalfi Coast, Italy – For the views, the pasta, and the sweet, sweet illusion that you might just move there and write a book. Every corner is a postcard. And every meal ends with "just one more espresso."
- What’s your current TV obsession?
The Bear—because apparently I like stress with a side of Michelin-star storytelling.
- A book that everyone should read?
When Breath Becomes Air. He was a neurosurgeon and writer who, at the age of 36, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Facing his mortality, he penned this memoir reflecting on life, death, and his transition from doctor to patient
Rituals
- What’s your wakeup ritual?
Morning exercise and prayer
- What’s your go to bed ritual?
My go-to bed ritual always involves a quick check-in with my wife. No phones, no distractions—just a few minutes to talk about the day, sometimes serious, sometimes just random thoughts or things that made us laugh. It’s become our daily reset, even when the day’s been chaotic. After that, we usually wind down with something light—maybe a show we’re both into or just some quiet time together before lights out. It’s simple, but it’s the part of the day that reminds me what matters most.
- What’s your favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is early evening, right after work and it’s just family time. That moment when the pace shifts, the laptop closes, and I’m fully present with my kids and my wife—it grounds me. Whether we’re having dinner, goofing around, or just catching up on each other’s day, it’s a reminder of why I do everything I do.
- Go-to snack to power through a long day at work?
What ever is in the pantry
- Best way to take a rest/decompress?
Prayer
So far...
- Most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life?
Sky diving
- What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had?
The biggest surprise I’ve ever had was getting a message from someone I barely remembered meeting—years after we had a casual conversation. They told me that something I said stuck with them and gave them the push they needed to make a huge life decision: they left medicine entirely and pursued a completely different path that aligned more with who they were. I was shocked—not because they left medicine, but because I never realized that a simple, honest conversation could impact someone so deeply. It reminded me that people are always listening, even when you think it’s just small talk—and sometimes, the most unexpected moments can spark real change.
- Best gift you’ve ever received (or given)?
The best gift I’ve ever received was a spontaneous weekend road trip with my family. No planning, no packed schedules—just us, a car, and a few snacks. We ended up in a small town we’d never heard of, stayed in a quirky little inn, and spent two days completely disconnected from everything. There was no agenda—just conversations, laughter, and moments you don’t realize are special until much later. It reminded me that sometimes, the best gifts are just uninterrupted time with the people who matter most. No distractions. No pressure. Just presence.
- Best piece of advice you’ve received (and from who)?
“Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you’ll be heard.” —Advice from a former healthcare executive I worked with during my transition into administrative leadership.
Essentials
- How would you describe yourself in three words?
Curious. Resilient. Impact-driven.
- If your life were a song, what would the title be?
Uncharted but Certain
- If you made a documentary, what would it be about?
It would be about the untold stories of physicians behind the scenes—the burnout, the business pressures, the quiet sacrifices, and the rare moments of fulfillment that keep them going. The documentary would follow the journey of doctors who are not just healers, but also innovators, entrepreneurs, and change agents—people who are rebuilding healthcare from the inside out. Title idea: “Beyond the White Coat: Redefining the Role of the Modern Physician”
- What’s your secret talent?
BBQ pit master
So, what motivated you to go beyond practicing or healthcare leadership?
Even though I truly valued my journey—from seeing patients to stepping into administrative leadership—it still wasn’t enough.
Yes, I was delivering high-quality care. Yes, I was helping build better systems.
But I couldn’t ignore the bigger issue: physicians were still burning out.
Whether in fee-for-service or value-based care, doctors—and clinicians across the board—were overwhelmed by nonclinical work.
And for independent providers, it’s not just about practicing medicine.
You're also running a business. It's a daily grind, and it's exhausting.
From the administrative side, I saw just how broken the system was.
The average front office staff turnover in healthcare is six months. Six months!
Not because doctors are bad managers. But because nonclinical staff get burnt out too—juggling endless phone calls, scheduling, billing, intake, and prior auths.
All it takes is a $1 per hour raise down the street, and they’re gone.
That’s when it hit me:
If we want to protect providers and keep clinics running well, we need to start valuing not just physicians but the whole care team.
Let providers, nurses, and staff practice at the top of their licenses.
Let them focus on care, not clerical chaos.
That’s what inspired me to build and cofound Allyzent—a provider-founded AI company that removes the administrative burden, automates repetitive tasks, and gives clinicians their time back.
Burnout isn't just a buzzword. It’s a system failure.
And I knew I couldn’t fix it by staying in the same system. I had to build a new one.
From the administrative side, I saw just how broken the system was. The average front office staff turnover in healthcare is six months. Six months! Not because doctors are bad managers.
Prior to starting Allyzent, you worked for CVS. Why did you leave such a seemingly impactful organization to start your own business?
Working at CVS was an incredible experience. I had the opportunity to lead, innovate, and work with some brilliant people on meaningful projects. But at the end of the day, you’re still part of a large system. I'm not the CEO of CVS, so there's only so much you can do.
And with any large organization, things can become political. I often found myself saying, “We could be doing so much more.” However, change at that scale is slow—especially when innovation bumps up against bureaucracy.
At the same time, I was watching the rise of AI. I saw its potential to transform healthcare, but I also saw its limitations. Most AI tools were siloed. They couldn’t truly integrate with all EMRs. Or they required so much manual intervention that they weren’t scalable for real-world clinics.
That’s when I knew I had to step out and build something myself.
Allyzent was born from that moment. From the understanding that if we want to reduce provider burnout, we can’t wait for slow systems to catch up—we have to build better ones ourselves.
Allyzent isn’t just another tech company. It’s a provider-founded platform designed with real-world pain points in mind. We’re here to help clinicians get their time back, reduce administrative overload, and let them do what they are trained to do—care for patients.
I'm not the CEO of CVS, so there's only so much you can do.
Explain how Allyzent is tackling the problem of burnout.
How often do you walk into a physician’s office and not wait at all? Almost zero. And we’re not talking five or ten minutes—it’s often 30 minutes or more. In ERs and the provider’s office, people have literally died while waiting. That’s how overwhelmed our system is.
It’s not just the physicians—front office staff are burning out, too.
The average nonclinical staff turnover in healthcare is six months. Not because they don’t care, but because the workload is crushing. They’re managing phones, intake, scheduling, billing, and more—all at once.
That’s why I started Allyzent.
Our conversational AI handles the admin chaos—so front desk staff can focus on patients, and clinicians can practice at the top of their license.
And the AI is powerful. It doesn’t need months of training.
It handles repetitive tasks instantly—scheduling, reminders, insurance checks, follow-ups—all on autopilot.
We’re not just making healthcare more efficient. We’re giving time back to the people who care for us.
How often do you go to a physician's office and not wait at all? That's zero.
What do you say to physicians and administrators who are skeptical of AI?
Skepticism is healthy in healthcare—and I had plenty of it.
As a physician, I’ve always believed we should be skeptical. It’s part of how we’re trained: question everything until it proves itself.
I was a big skeptic of AI. But once I started digging in—learning what it can actually do, testing it in real workflows—I realized its potential.
I always say: AI is the brain of the operation, but you still need a body to function. In healthcare, the body is integrated.
AI alone doesn’t change anything unless it’s integrated in systems—your EMR, your scheduling, your patient messaging. That’s where the magic happens.
Imagine bypassing the tedious process of reviewing calendar schedules just to schedule a follow-up.
Imagine AI automatically sending reminders and freeing up your time to actually care for patients.
That’s not science fiction. That’s what we’re doing now.
No one’s doing this properly in healthcare at scale—and that’s what makes this space so exciting.
So that’s where my journey is now. And knock on wood, we’ve been blessed. Providers embrace it—not blindly, but cautiously, and rightly so.
But once they see it in action, skepticism turns into belief.
AI is the brain of the operation, but you still need a body to function.
The biggest challenge when pitching AI in healthcare isn’t intelligence—this industry is full of incredibly smart people. It’s trust. Many clinics have already been burned by tech companies that promised the world and delivered very little. I remember one multi-specialty clinic telling me, “Raheel, another AI company pitched us, said they could do everything, and then couldn’t even integrate with our EMR.” That’s the issue. These experiences give AI a bad name, and that skepticism becomes the biggest barrier to adoption.
That’s where we come in. At Allyzent, we always say: AI is the brain, but it needs a body to function. Integration to EMRs is that body. Without true integration into systems like EMRs, schedulers, and messaging tools, AI is just another dashboard that collects dust. Unfortunately, healthcare still lags behind non-healthcare sectors in tech adoption—we’re in 2025 and still using fax machines. Why? Because it’s familiar. It works. And in a high-stakes industry, change is hard to justify when the old way still “gets by.”
But AI doesn’t need to be disruptive in a scary way—it just needs to be helpful. I always give the analogy of my Blackberry. At one point, I loved it. I thought, “Why would I ever need a smartphone?” Then, Apple launched a campaign where you could try the iPhone risk-free. I figured I’d return it after two weeks. But by day two, I couldn’t go back. It made everything easier. That’s how I see AI. Don’t go all in—just try it. Let it handle one process: appointment scheduling, follow-ups, or insurance checks.
Once they try it, most clinics never want to go back. Admins aren’t juggling ten things at once. And providers? They get to focus on what they are actually trained to do—care for patients. Your office staff are going to be happy, and if they are happy, you should be happy.
The technology is ready. The real challenge is just getting people to experience it once.
Your office staff are going to be happy, and if they are happy, you should be happy.
Quick Q&A
Summer or winter?
Give me Summer!
Morning rounds or night shift?
Bright and early
ER or Grey’s Anatomy?
Errr.. ER, obviously
Tea or coffee?
Coffee
Window or aisle seat?
A? No way!
Scrubs or white coat?
Scrubs. Simple
What have you learned about yourself being in this new role as one of the founders of a technology company?
I never really expected myself—or most physicians—to become entrepreneurs. We’ve always had this image of entrepreneurs as tech-savvy, hoodie-wearing geniuses from MIT building the next big app in a basement. That wasn’t me. That’s not the case for most of us in healthcare. But over time, I realized that physicians are actually entrepreneurs by nature—especially those who run their own clinics.
Think about it: if you’re managing a practice, balancing overhead, supervising staff, maintaining compliance, and still seeing patients—you’re not just a clinician, you’re a business owner. Sure, it may not be traditional tech entrepreneurship, but it’s entrepreneurship nonetheless.
The real challenge is mindset. We’re trained to think clinically, systematically. That’s important, but it can make it hard to think outside the box. It took me a while to break out of that pattern myself. And many of the physicians I talk to—who have been practicing for 10 or 15 years—are burnt out but keep going because it’s all they’ve ever known. They don’t always realize there is a path beyond just seeing patients day in and day out.
But here’s what I believe: physicians actually have the upper hand when it comes to innovation. That’s why we’re seeing more and more physician CEOs and physician-led companies. If you’ve never lived the reality of being a provider, how can you truly understand how to build something that supports them?
Physicians are smart. We went through med school, crushed exams, and did all that because we’re wired to solve problems. Physicians just need to apply that same intelligence and curiosity beyond the clinic walls. Because if anyone understands where healthcare is broken, it’s us. And we’re the ones who should be leading the solutions.
Physicians just need to apply that same intelligence and curiosity beyond the clinic walls.
For physicians who are going outside of the box and stepping out, what are some red flags that they should look out for?
For physicians who are stepping outside the box and exploring new paths, there are definitely red flags to watch for—but also opportunities for growth. One of the biggest things I tell others is to embrace challenging the status quo—but do it constructively. This doesn’t mean going rogue or risking your job, but rather offering thoughtful, solutions-driven feedback to leadership. Healthcare needs more of that.
The truth is, many physicians already know how things could be done better. We've seen the inefficiencies firsthand. We know where the system breaks down. The key is finding the courage to speak up and bring those insights forward in a productive way. That’s where real innovation begins.
So if you’re stepping out—whether into tech, administration, or your own venture—watch out for environments that shut down dialogue or see questioning as a threat. Health systems welcome physician voices because we bring lived experience. Be mindful of places where your expertise is undervalued or where you're told to “just stick to clinical work.” That’s a red flag.
Physicians need to realize that we’re not just caregivers—we’re change-makers. The more we use our voice, the more we shape the future of healthcare. And that’s exactly what we need.
One of the biggest things I tell others is to embrace challenging the status quo—but do it constructively
What lesson have you learned the hard way in your career?
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned in my career is that knowing the right answer isn’t enough—especially in business and administration. You can have the perfect solution, but if you don’t know how to implement it at scale, it won’t matter. For me, the biggest challenge was patience. Physicians are used to solving problems quickly and decisively just as diagnosing an issue with patients and providing a treatment. But in leadership, you have to bring people along. You can’t just walk in and change everything overnight—even if the change is obviously needed.
I had to learn how to align teams, explain the “why,” and build consensus around the idea. That took time. I realized that the most effective way to drive change is to invite others into the process—to make it our idea, not just mine.
Especially in healthcare, where decisions affect so many layers of staff and patients, change has to feel collaborative. So if you’re a physician with a big idea: don’t let go of it—but be patient, be strategic, and build a coalition. That’s how you create lasting impact.
Follow Jason
Want articles like this delivered straight to your inbox?
Subscribe to our newsletter, The Dose and stay inspired every week.