Sara Fikrat discusses vibe coding in the healthcare space and the importance of a diverse and creative skillset that is in line with a changing world.
Vibe coding is a style of programming that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate and deploy code. The AI model, under the supervision of the user, can undertake much of the time intensive labour, allowing the user to apply strategic oversight and make changes based on feedback and analytics.
Once a technical skill that required significant training, programming for professionals in the STEM space could be considered a challenge for some experts, due to the need for consistent upskilling and industry advancements. Which is perhaps why vibe coding has emerged as a popular skill in a wide array of sectors.
“Inside these companies, finance teams, marketing departments and other non-technical professionals are experimenting with it to move ideas from concept to working prototypes more efficiently,” explained Sara Fikrat, the CPO of healthcare tech company Semble, who also has a background working with a number of UN agencies and health-tech scale-ups.
Referencing a recent study that explored how vibe coding is creating a new world order in the area of biomedical software development, Fikrat agreed with the authors of the paper that for biomedical researchers and clinicians, many of whom may lack formal computer or data skills, vibe coding can represent a democratising force.
“It’s easy to see the appeal,” she said. “Teams get to focus on describing the desired outcome rather than writing every detail as it is currently done in traditional coding. It speeds up development and encourages creativity, but it also lowers the barriers for people who don’t have formal coding skills, allowing other team members to actively contribute and iterate on ideas that build practical solutions.”
She is of the opinion that, because not everyone has the ability to write code, or may not have the extended amount of time that it takes to learn a new technical skill, vibe coding is an opportunity for team members to test and deploy solutions quickly, without the limitations of technical barriers.
But, she cautioned, it is by no means “an avenue for shortcuts”. In actuality, it can enable users in the healthcare space to grow their skills by interacting with new tools, test prototypes, gather feedback and refine functionality and the overall experience. “It opens the door to faster innovation and new approaches,” she said.
Risk management
But that is not to say that the popularity of healthcare vibe coding is a sign that tried-and-tested traditional models are outdated or in need of being replaced. Rather, the onus is being put on industries and teams to create “trusted environments where innovation and experimentation can coexist”.
And that begins with ensuring that every employee with access to a company’s network has a robust understanding of safety protocols and frameworks.
“We must be cautious of the security risks that can be present in vibe coding,” explained Fikrat, who noted there is “growing evidence that some vibe coded applications carry vulnerabilities”. As a critical sector with access to incredibly sensitive data, the healthcare space is not an area where organisations can afford to take risks.
“I see the real challenge as bridging the gap between experimentation and embedding these innovations safely into the workflows that clinicians and other healthcare professionals rely on every day,” she said, further explaining that vibe coding is not just a trend or passing fad.
When used responsibly, she thinks it can become a method for tangible innovation, but the key is to have an understanding of the day-to-day realities of healthcare, while remaining clinically safe.
“What looks efficient in theory has the potential to create challenges in practice if it doesn’t reflect the realities of the people using the tools. Early validation and human oversight are essential to catch potential issues before they can develop into problems.”
This is a situation she experienced first hand when building an agent to assist in desk research, designed to pull together data points and summarise information. “At first it looked like magic,” she said, but when it came time to validate the results some of the supposed facts were discovered to be false.
“It was able to fabricate information so convincingly. That’s when it really hit me, this is exactly why human judgement is essential. Without people in the loop to review, validate and ensure compliance with standards, you can end up building decisions on unreliable foundations.”
Which is why, for Fikrat, it is almost impossible to overstate how essential collaboration among innovators and healthcare professionals is, especially when aiming to implement new technologies or ideas. As the “ones living the reality”, she finds healthcare experts “spot the opportunities for improvement long before anyone else”.
“Clinicians are much more likely to champion and adopt new tech when they’ve had a say in how it’s created and can see that it genuinely reflects their needs. After all, in healthcare, your main product is trust.”
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