In the modern healthcare landscape, data is as critical as any clinical tool. But with the rise of digital health comes a significant challenge: the proliferation of Shadow AI —unauthorized, unvetted AI tools used by staff to bridge gaps in legacy systems. As healthcare IT leaders, we must recognize that patient trust is fragile. When data privacy is treated as a "checklist" rather than a strategic pillar, we risk more than just regulatory fines; we risk the very foundation of the...