Responsible clinical AI
Use AI to strengthen clinical judgement, reduce avoidable administrative burden and make care safer and more human.
Advancing augmented intelligence for more personalized, proactive care.
A futurist physicianClinical AI scientistDigital health leaderAdvancing personalized medicine
Abbas Zavar brings more than two decades of experience in medicine, digital health, artificial intelligence and health information technology. His career spans clinical practice, health-system leadership, digital health consulting, research and clinical AI.
Biography
From frontline medicine to responsible clinical AI.
Abbas Zavar is a futurist physician, AI scientist, digital health researcher, leader and educator with more than two decades of experience across clinical care, health-system leadership, AI and health informatics, research and teaching.
His career began in family and emergency medicine and expanded to include hospital and senior executive leadership, mental health and addiction care, and personalized medicine. After moving to Canada, he built on this foundation through health informatics, clinical data science, digital health consulting, and the evaluation, implementation and adoption of AI-enabled healthcare solutions.
Today, he leads digital health research at OntarioMD, teaches health informatics and AI at the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University, and advances personalized prevention through AZ Digital Health Consulting Inc.
His guiding vision is to use responsible AI and personalized medicine to make healthcare more proactive, precise, connected and human-centred—turning evidence and data into practical improvements for patients, clinicians and health systems.
Explore experience and contributionsA working vision
The right clinical intervention, for the right person, at the right time.
Personalized medicine becomes practical when clinical knowledge, individual data, responsible AI and care delivery work as one connected system.
Personalized and preventive care
Move from reactive treatment toward prevention informed by individual risk, context and evidence.
Connected data and evidence
Turn fragmented health data into useful knowledge that can guide care, research and system improvement.
Implementation that works
Design, test and scale change with clinicians, patients, educators and partners so innovation succeeds in real practice.
Professional profile
Career & contributions
01Academic education & fellowshipsMedicine, public health, health informatics, data science and clinical AI.8 entries
AMS-Fitzgerald Fellowship in AI & Human-Centred Leadership
Dalla Lana School of Public Health · University of Toronto
AI for Health Care: Concepts and Applications
T.H. Chan School of Public Health · Harvard University
Healthcare Analytics: AI, Big Data & Digital Transformation
Rotman School of Management · University of Toronto
Data Science Certificate
School of Continuing Studies · University of Toronto
Executive Master of Health Informatics
Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation · University of Toronto
Health Informatics Certificate
The Chang School · Toronto Metropolitan University
Master of Public Health in Mental Health and Addiction Control
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences · Iran
Doctor of Medicine
Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences · Iran
02Professional experienceClinical practice, health-system leadership, data science and digital health advisory roles.10 entries
Digital Health Research Lead
OntarioMD · Toronto
Leads research on clinical AI, physician burnout, clinic automation, workflow and digital transformation in community-based primary care.Co-Chair & Executive Director
Future of Health Leadership, Informatics and Policy Conference · University of Toronto
Leads strategic planning and interdisciplinary engagement for a health leadership and informatics conference community.Founder, Principal Investigator & Consultant
AZ Digital Health Consulting Inc. · Toronto
Provides physician-led advisory, research, education and mentoring across clinical AI, digital health and personalized medicine.Program Analyst
OntarioMD · Toronto
Developed business-intelligence tools and contributed subject-matter expertise to primary-care digital health products and services.Clinical Data Scientist
InfoClin Inc. · Toronto
Designed EMR data algorithms, clinical decision-support workflows and tools for research, case finding and opioid management.Health Informatics Program Specialist & Coordinator
Skills for Change · Toronto
Developed and delivered a health informatics bridging curriculum for internationally educated health professionals.Co-Founder & Decision Support Director
Institute of Preventive Medicine SYB · Mashhad, Iran
Led planning, evaluation and multidisciplinary programs in prevention, health data, research and quality improvement.Medical Director & Physician
Addiction Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre · Mashhad, Iran
Combined direct clinical care with medical leadership, quality monitoring and service management.Senior Decision Support & Business Intelligence Leader
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences · Iran
Held senior executive roles spanning a regional hospital and health network, provincial health education, mental health and addiction, knowledge management and research.Family Physician & Emergency Physician
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences · Iran
03Research experienceApplied clinical, digital health, public health and implementation research.5 entries
Digital Health Research Lead
OntarioMD · Toronto
Research leadership in AI-enabled care, physician workflow, clinic automation and responsible digital transformation.Principal Investigator & Research Team Lead
AZ Digital Health Consulting Inc. · Toronto
Leads multidisciplinary work on preventive assessment, personalized prevention and the data foundations for precision medicine.Visiting Researcher
Toronto Metropolitan University, in partnership with InfoClin Inc.
Contributes to EMR case-finding validation and clinical data analysis across applied research projects.Executive Director & Research Director
Addiction Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Led proposal development, methodology, ethics, grant and data-management processes.Public Health Research Director
Provincial Health Authority, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Managed research governance, contracting, monitoring and audit activities.04TeachingUniversity, college, professional and patient education across two decades.6 entries
Adjunct Faculty
Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation · University of Toronto
Quantitative Skills; Knowledge Management & Systems; Health Informatics Practicum; Practicum Extension.Course Instructor
The Chang School · Toronto Metropolitan University
CHIM 305 — Introduction to Health Informatics.Professor
George Brown College
Health Informatics Technology and Clinical Practice II — Precision Medicine and AI module.Digital Health Workshop Instructor
AZ Digital Health Consulting Inc.
Workshops for internationally educated health professionals in collaboration with employment and settlement organizations.College Professor
Khorasan Welfare College · Iran
Mental health, addictions, CPR and first aid.Academic Faculty
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences · Iran
Mental health, addiction, continuous quality improvement and healthcare management.05PublicationsPeer-reviewed research, white papers and professional publications from 2012–2026.28 entries
Peer-reviewed
From Silos to Synergy in Preventive Care: The Personalized Assessment Tool as a Bridge for Standardized, Shareable Prevention Data
Building Bridges: A Multi-Pronged Strategy to Modernize Primary Care Clinics and Advance Interoperable Healthcare
From Scaling the Preventive Assessment Tool to a Holistic Personalized Preventive Plan
Empowering Health Through Personalized Preventive Prescription
Empowering Health: Model for Sustainable AI Implementation
Personalized Multi-Domain Digital Platform for Dementia Prevention
From Blueprint to Best Practice: Gauging the Efficacy of Digital Health Solutions
From Strategy to Synergy: Paving Ontario’s Proactive Path in Precision Medicine with Collaboration and Visionary Leadership
Multi-EMR Structured Data Entry Form: User-Acceptance Testing of a Prototype
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: Reliability and Validity of the Persian Version
Knowledge and Attitude of Health Network Staff toward Illegal Drug Use
Smoking among High School Students of an Area with Medium Socioeconomic Status
Assessment of Education Needs for Retraining of Physicians Working at Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres
Self-Esteem and Illegal Drug Abuse in High School Students
Snakebite Prognostic Factors: Leading Factors of Weak Therapeutic Response Following Snakebite Envenomation
Curriculum Development in Regard to Illicit Drug Abuse
Thallium Poisoning: One Additional and Unexpected Risk of Heroin Abuse
Illegal Drug Self-Poisoning-Induced Death: Referred or Not Referred to the Health System in Mashhad, Iran, 2004–2007
Professional publications & white papers
Building a ‘Front Door’ for Personalized Disease Prevention in Canada
Personalized Preventive Plan (PERSOVENTA) Project
Transforming Primary Care with AI: A Collaborative Implementation Strategy
Enhancing Primary Care Through AI: A Strategic Framework for the Future
OntarioMD’s Strategic Approach to Combat Physician Burnout
Preparing for Precision Medicine in Ontario: A Current State Assessment
Evaluation of Depression and Contributing Factors in Pregnant Women Referring to Urban and Rural Health Care Centres
Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Physicians Working in Governmental Institutions
Evaluation of the Frequency of Unwanted Pregnancy and Its Related Factors
Addiction Prevention Programs
06PresentationsOral presentations, workshops and posters in Canada and internationally.34 entries
Empowering Health Through Personalized Preventive Prescription
FHLIP · Oral
Empowering Health: Model for Sustainable AI Implementation
FHLIP · Oral
Personalized Prevention: Transforming Healthcare with Next-Generation Preventive Tools
HIMSS Eastern Canada · Oral
Meeting the Needs of Patients and Physicians: AI as a Catalyst for Change
HEAL · Workshop
From Strategy to Synergy: Paving Ontario’s Proactive Path in Precision Medicine
FHLIP · Oral
From Blueprint to Best Practice: Gauging the Efficacy of Digital Health Solutions
FHLIP · Oral
Optimizing for Precision Medicine in Ontario: A Comprehensive Review and Evaluation
e-Health Conference · Oral
Preparing for Precision Medicine in Ontario: An Environmental Scan and Assessment
HIMSS Ontario · Oral
User Acceptance of a Web-Based EMR/EHR Data Entry Form
NAPCRG · Poster
Standardizing Free Text in EMRs: Automating Data Coding in Primary Care
e-Health Conference · Oral
Re-Architecting Interoperability: A Creative Use of Constraints
e-Health Conference · ePoster
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic with Evidence
e-Health Conference · Oral
Improving the Accuracy of Identifying Patients with Hypertension in EMR
IHPME Research Day · Poster
Identifying Patients with Cancer in Electronic Medical Records
Accelerating Precision Medicine Conference · Poster
Re-Architecting Interoperability
e-Health Conference · ePoster
Using Disease-Risk Prediction Models to Improve Diabetes Prevention Processes in Canada
TMU Symposium · Poster
Bending the Cost Curve in Healthcare
TMU Symposium · Poster
Re-Architecting Interoperability
IHPME Research Day · Poster
Are mHealth Apps Effectively Delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Techniques?
IHPME Research Day · Poster
Population Health Economics: A Novel Currency for Transactions in Healthcare
IHPME Research Day · Poster
Evaluation of the Reliability and Validity of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
International Congress of Alcohol Abuse · Oral
Evaluation of the Demographic Factors of Alcohol Consumers in Mashhad
International Congress of Alcohol Abuse · Poster
Domestic Violence in Alcohol Abuse
International Congress of Alcohol Abuse · Poster
Specific Adverse Consequences in Alcoholic Women
International Congress of Alcohol Abuse · Poster
Epidemiology and Pattern of Alcohol Use among Drug Abusers Attending a Drop-In Centre
International Congress of Alcohol Abuse · Poster
Methanol Poisoning: Outcome Predictor
Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology · Poster
Health and Medical Education Regarding Illicit Drug Use
National Congress on Addiction Sciences · Oral
Drug Abuse in High School Students and Its Related Factors
National Congress on Addiction Sciences · Oral
Self-Esteem and Illegal Drug Use in High School Students
National Congress on Addiction Sciences · Poster
Knowledge and Attitude of Health Network Staff towards Illegal Drug Use
National Congress on Addiction Sciences · Poster
Pattern of Change in Illicit Overdose in Iran
Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology · Poster
Thallium-Contaminated Opium: Case Reports
Iranian Society of Toxicology · Poster
Illegal Drug Self-Poisoning-Induced Death: Health-System Referral
Iranian Society of Toxicology · Poster
Pattern of Illegal Drug Use over Five Decades among Patients in Voluntary Treatment
Iranian Congress of Addiction & Poisoning · Poster
07Certifications & membershipsContinuing education and sustained participation in health, AI and informatics communities.18 entries
Professional certifications
AI for Health Care: Concepts and Applications
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Healthcare Analytics: AI, Big Data & Digital Transformation
Rotman School of Management
Cybersecurity Certificate
OntarioMD
Lean Six Sigma Master Yellow Belt
SRA Academy
Adult Education Techniques
Skills for Change
Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans
Panel on Research Ethics
Cochrane Standard Training
University of British Columbia
Advanced Online Search of Scientific Literature
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Treating Narcotic Drug Dependency
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Professional memberships & activities
Member
Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine
Mentor
TRIEC Mentoring Partnership
Member
HIMSS Ontario Chapter
Member
Digital Health Canada
Founding member
Institute of Preventive Medicine SYB
Council member
Health Promotion Research Center, MUMS
Council member
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Research Center, MUMS
Council member
Addiction Research Center, MUMS
Member
Medical Council of Iran
08Honours & achievementsRecognition for health leadership, education, research and institution-building.15 entries
Honours
Service and Contribution Recognition
OntarioMD
Best Health Promoter Award
Minister of Health · Iran
Best Health Director
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Employee of the Year
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Selected achievements
Organized the FIRST FHLIP Conference at the University of Toronto
Contributed as part of the OntarioMD team that designed and developed its FIRST metric to evaluate AI scribe performance
Contributed as part of the OntarioMD team that designed the FIRST provincial dashboard offering comparative insights for primary care physicians
Created the FIRST Health Informatics Bridging Program curriculum in Ontario, Skills for Change, Toronto
Became the FIRST Iranian physician to study in the Executive Master of Health Informatics program at the University of Toronto
Conducted the FIRST International Congress of Alcohol Abuse in Iran as Head of the Organizing Committee
Founded the FIRST private health promotion research center in Iran
Became the FIRST Ph.D. candidate for alcohol abuse in Iran
Established the FIRST private Institute of Preventive Medicine in Iran
Co-founded the FIRST Addiction Research Center in Iranian medical universities
Founded the FIRST addiction rehabilitation clinic in the northeastern city of Iran
09Grants & fundingFunded applied research in preventive assessment and personalized prevention.2 entries
PERSOVENTA (Phase 1: Preventive Assessment Tool identification)
Canada Health Infoway · $16,000
PERSOVENTA (Risk-Factor Mapping)
George Brown College IGNITE Fund · $20,000
Student research and principal-investigator support for preventive tools and AI-ready risk-factor mapping.Start a conversation
Complex healthcare challenges deserve thoughtful collaboration.
Connect about clinical AI, digital health research, personalized medicine, speaking, teaching or a consulting engagement.