The Heart of Healthcare | A Digital Health Podcast

What does one do after selling their company to Amazon for $1 billion? Start a new one, of course.In this episode, Halle sits down with TJ Parker, pharmacist, entrepreneur, and advocate for consumer-centric digital health. After co-founding PillPack and selling it to Amazon, TJ stayed on for four years helping build Amazon Pharmacy. Now, he’s back at it with General Medicine, a new company focused on making care as seamless as any other online transaction.We cover:🧾 Why pricing opacity and short-term incentives make care so frustrating📦 What TJ learned from building PillPack—and how the Amazon acquisition actually played out🏥 His vision for General Medicine, and why his second time around feels more like sport than survival📉 The wild ride of taking on PBMs (and winning) 🪄 The one change he’d make to fix healthcare’s misaligned incentives—About our guest:TJ Parker is a general partner with Matrix and is the co-founder and former CEO of PillPack. As CEO of PillPack, in just five years, TJ raised over $100M in financing, grew the company to more than a thousand employees, and successfully sold the business to Amazon for $1 billion in 2018. Today, TJ is focused on starting, investing in, and advising other healthcare and consumer focused businesses. Most recently, he founded and is the lead investor in General Medicine.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTok See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most medical care is backed by varying types of evidence, yet we apply higher standards to digital health tools before they’re trusted, adopted, or reimbursed.In this special episode, guest host Lucia Savage is joined by Dr. Vindell Washington of Verily and Dr. Aaron Carroll of AcademyHealth for a candid conversation about the uneven standards we apply to digital versus traditional care. Together, they explore how we define evidence, whose voices shape that definition, and what it takes to build trust in an AI-powered healthcare future.We cover:🧪 Why much of traditional care isn’t based on randomized controlled trials🔍 What types of validation make digital tools trustworthy to patients, payers, and regulators👩‍⚕️ Whether generative AI should be evaluated like other medical devices📣 How to integrate patient perspectives into evaluating health tech📉 The risks of requiring more proof from digital tools than from “standard” care📊 Why transparency—not perfection—is key to building trust in innovation—About our guests:Lucia Savage is a nationally recognized expert in healthcare regulation, digital health, privacy, and AI. She is the Chief Privacy and Regulatory Officer at Omada Health, a virtual-first care provider that has served over one million people with evidence-based cardio-metabolic and physical therapy programs. Lucia also serves on the boards of AcademyHealth and Tidepool, and advises ClaimsHero, which uses AI to simplify healthcare claims appeals. She was previously Chief Privacy Officer at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT under the Obama Administration, and has testified before Congress on health data and digital care. Lucia was named one of Rock Health’s Top 50 in Digital Health in 2021 and is a contributing author to two bestselling books on digital medicine and health technology.Vindell Washington, MD, MS, is the Chief Clinical Officer and Head of Health Equity at Verily. Dr. Washington provides clinical leadership across Verily’s research and care solutions and currently leads the company’s Center of Excellence for Health Equity. Dr. Washington previously served as the CEO of Onduo, Verily’s care solution for chronic condition management. Prior to Verily, he was Chief Medical Officer and EVP at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana where he oversaw network operations and contracting, medical policy and quality, disease management, and pharmacy benefits. Dr. Washington also served as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), where he provided high-level executive direction and leadership for ONC programs, operations, and policies. Dr. Washington also served in several capacities at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System including, President of the Health System Medical Group, Chief Medical Information Officer, and as the leader of health system quality and information technology. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia and his MS in healthcare management from the Harvard University School of Public Health.Dr. Aaron E. Carroll is President and CEO of AcademyHealth and a nationally recognized pediatrician, health services researcher, and science communicator. Formerly Chief Health Officer and Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics at Indiana University, his work has focused on pediatric health IT, decision analysis, and healthcare policy. He is the author of The Bad Food Bible, co-author of three books on medical myths, and a former contributor to The New York Times and The Atlantic. He also co-edits the health policy blog The Incidental Economist and hosts the YouTube channel and podcast Healthcare Triage, where he explains health research and policy to broad audiences. —🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTok See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most AI in healthcare promises superintelligence—but what if that’s the wrong goal entirely?In this episode, Michael and Halle speak with Othman Laraki, co-founder and CEO of Color Health, to talk about why real-world care doesn’t need a perfect model—it needs a better system. Othman breaks down how Color evolved from a consumer genetics startup into a nationwide virtual cancer clinic, why most diagnostics businesses fail, and how AI can actually support clinicians without trying to replace them.We cover:🤖 Why chasing “healthcare superintelligence” misses the point🧠 How Color uses AI to speed up care and not take over decision-making🏥 Their pivot from genetic testing to full-scale clinical delivery📉 How they cut time to treatment in half and boosted screening by 70%🤝 Partnering with OpenAI, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and major employers—About our guest:Othman Laraki is CEO and co-founder of Color Health, a platform for healthcare delivery, providing the technology, infrastructure, and logistics required to distribute large-scale health initiatives to diverse populations. Color is changing the way patients access cancer care through a first-of-its-kind, vertically integrated, and fully owned Virtual Cancer Clinic. Powered by a 50-state oncologist-led team of cancer-focused clinical experts, Color provides proactive, evidence-based care that is accessible to anyone, anytime, and at every step of the cancer journey. Prior to Color, Othman was an early Product leader at Google, where he worked on performance infrastructure and client-side software, including the Google Chrome browser. After leaving Google, he co-founded MixerLabs, which was one of Twitter's first acquisitions. Othman holds degrees in computer science and management from Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a long-time investor and advisor to leading companies such as Pinterest, AngelList, Coinbase, Slack, Instacart, Gitlab, and others.—🙏 Thanks to Flexpa for sponsoring this episode. Flexpa is refactoring healthcare. Connect to 300+ health plans through a single, secure integration to access patient-consented, identified claims data instantly.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTok See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over half of Americans now live with at least one chronic condition, yet our healthcare system still revolves around episodic, reactionary care instead of continuous, coordinated support.We talk with Dr. Jaewon Ryu—former CEO of Geisinger and now CEO of Risant Health—about how integrated delivery systems are reshaping the way care is paid for and delivered. With decades of experience spanning medicine, law, government, and leadership at some of the most respected healthcare institutions, Dr. Ryu offers a rare inside look at what it takes to scale value-based care in a fragmented system.We cover:🏥 What an integrated delivery system actually looks like—from both the patient and provider perspective📉 Why two patients with the same condition often face very different outcomes based on their insurance💡 How value-based care can ease workforce shortages and improve access without cutting corners📈 What Risant Health is doing to help more systems scale value-based care without sacrificing local autonomy—About our guests:Dr. Jaewon Ryu, MD, JD, is the CEO of Risant Health, a nonprofit created by Kaiser Permanente to expand and scale value-based care across diverse, multi-payer, multi-provider health systems. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Geisinger, Risant Health’s inaugural member. With a mission to improve community health outcomes and healthcare affordability, Risant Health aims to bring the benefits of coordinated, value-based care to a broader national landscape.Dr. Ryu brings deep cross-sector experience, having held leadership roles at Humana, University of Illinois Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, and in federal government at CMS and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He began his career as a practicing corporate healthcare attorney. From 2018 to 2024, he served two terms on MedPAC, advising Congress on Medicare policy, and currently sits on the boards of NCQA, The Commonwealth Fund, and the KP Medical Foundation. Dr. Ryu earned his B.A. from Yale, and both his M.D. and J.D. from the University of Chicago, completing his emergency medicine residency at Harbor-UCLA.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTok See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the digital health IPO drought over? Halle and Michael dig into the Hinge Health IPO and what it signals for the return of digital health companies to the public markets. They explore how much equity founders typically hold at IPO, the growing role of private equity, and why down rounds aren’t the deal-breaker they once were.Plus: Elizabeth Holmes’ husband launches a head-scratching startup, a former McKinsey healthcare partner faces prison time, and OpenAI teams up with the FDA.We cover:📈 What Hinge Health’s IPO means for digital health exits📊 A new analysis of founder equity and CEO pay at IPO🤖 OpenAI’s behind-the-scenes work with the FDA⚖️ Why a startup is suing Epic for alleged anti-competitive behavior🧪 The eyebrow-raising new diagnostics startup from Elizabeth Holmes’ husband🚨 The McKinsey partner sentenced in the opioid crisis investigation—Show NotesHow Much Equity Do Founders Own at IPO? Read the full analysis on SubstackEpic Faces Another Antitrust Lawsuit More on the Epic lawsuit via Fierce HealthcareOpenAI and the FDA Are Talking Drug Reviews Wired’s coverage of OpenAI-FDA discussionsMcKinsey Partner Sentenced in Opioid Probe NYT on McKinsey's legal fallout—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

US healthcare has more unproductive labor and more unstructured data than any other industry, making it both vulnerable to disruption from generative AI and especially unprepared for it.That’s the provocative thesis of Eric Larsen, president of TowerBrook Advisors. In this episode, he joins host Steve Kraus to explain why generative AI is unlike any other technology we've seen—and why the $4.9 trillion healthcare sector is uniquely exposed.We cover:🧠 What makes GenAI a true “general purpose technology”—and how it compares to past innovations like the microprocessor or the internet🏥 Why healthcare has failed to adopt past tech shifts, and why this time could be different🔐 The role of the “F-150”—the 150 leaders who effectively control the US healthcare system🤝 Whether incumbents or insurgents will win the AI race in healthcare📉 Why GenAI will reduce labor costs and what that means for health systems that spend over half their budgets on people🌐 How China is sprinting ahead in deploying medical superintelligence🧬 What a compressed century of biomedical discovery could look like—and why Larsen believes we’re approaching longevity escape velocity—About our guests:Eric Jon Larsen is President of TowerBrook Advisors and a member of the healthcare leadership team at TowerBrook Capital Partners, a $30 billion AUM investment firm based in New York and London. TowerBrook invests across private equity, structured minority, and growth opportunities, with a strong focus on healthcare, partnering with health systems, payers, and other strategics. Notably, TowerBrook is the first mainstream private equity firm to achieve B Corp certification, reflecting its commitment to responsible business practices.Eric is a nationally recognized healthcare strategist with a global advisory portfolio spanning CEOs and boards of leading healthcare organizations. He spent 25 years at The Advisory Board Company—five of those as President—advancing best practices in healthcare delivery worldwide. Following the firm's 2017 acquisition by Optum (UnitedHealth Group), Eric co-led strategic partnerships and market development efforts at UnitedHealth. He is also a Venture Partner at Thrive Capital and SignalFire, and serves on several digital health boards, including Somatus and Contessa Health. Beyond healthcare, Eric is active in the arts as Chairman of The Washington National Opera and trustee of The Washington Ballet. A Georgetown University graduate, he lives in Washington, D.C., and Miami with his wife and three children.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTok See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over 160 million Americans are served by Optum, yet many still don’t fully understand what it actually does—or why it matters.Dr. Patrick Conway, newly appointed CEO of Optum and former head of CMS Innovation Center and Blue Cross NC, joins Steve for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of healthcare delivery, affordability, and the potential of value-based care at a national scale. With experience spanning the frontlines of medicine to top government and corporate leadership, Conway breaks down how Optum aims to improve care while controlling costs—and why he continues to practice as a pediatric hospitalist on weekends.We cover:💡 What Optum actually does—and how it operates across care delivery, pharmacy, and data📉 How value-based care is being scaled, and why two-sided risk models matter🧠 Using AI to reduce cycle times, drive affordability, and improve clinical decision-making💊 What’s broken—and what’s working—in the U.S. pharmacy system🧑‍⚕️ What leaders, policymakers, and physicians need to know to truly fix healthcare🧵 How personal tragedy, frontline stories, and government service continue to shape Conway’s leadership today—About our guests:Patrick Conway, MD, MSc, was named chief executive officer of Optum Rx in August 2023. In this role he leads an integrated pharmacy care services organization that is making drugs more affordable and creating a better experience for consumers, filling more than 1.5 billion adjusted retail, mail and specialty drug prescriptions annually. He joined Optum in February 2020 andpreviously served as the chief executive officer of Care Solutions, where he led a portfolio of care continuum businesses serving over 70 million people across acute and post-acute care, care in the home in-person and virtually, mental and behavioral care benefits and delivery, broad population and complex disease health management, specialty care and government health services.Dr. Conway was president and chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina from 2017-19. From 2011 to 2017, he served as Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and as director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and the agency’s Chief Medical Officer. Before joining CMS, he oversaw clinical operations and quality improvement at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.Dr. Conway is a practicing pediatric hospitalist. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2014, received the President’s Senior Executive Distinguished Service Award, and was a White House Fellow from 2007 to 2008. He earned his MD with high honors from Baylor College of Medicine, residency training at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Master of Science in clinical epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania.—🙏 Thanks to Flexpa for sponsoring this episode. Flexpa is refactoring healthcare. Connect to 300+ health plans through a single, secure integration to access patient-consented, identified claims data instantly.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTok See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Women make 80% of healthcare decisions and outspend men two to one on care—yet when it comes to designing, funding, and scaling health tech, they’re still treated like a niche.In this episode, we break down the broken flywheel holding women’s health innovation back including fewer growth-stage investments, limited exits, and a system not built to serve women as the primary users of care. I’m joined by Carolyn Witte, co-founder of Tia, and Katie Drasser, CEO of Rock Health, to talk about what needs to change—and how we get there.We cover:📱 What Rock Health’s latest report says about women as digital health consumers🚫 Why men shouldn’t be the benchmark for women’s health💸 How women’s health companies struggle to raise beyond Series A (and what to do about it)👩‍⚕️ Why every company should be a women’s health company💡 What founders and investors need to do differently to unlock women’s health at scale—About our guests:Katie Drasser is CEO of RockHealth.org, leading a team of experts in health equity, social enterprise, and design to encourage more equitable innovation in digital health. Drasser has launched programs that address complex global issues with a focus on public health innovation and the role of innovative financing and leadership in systems change. Previously, she curated health content for the Aspen Ideas Festival and was managing director of the Aspen Global Innovators Group, steering global leadership programs to address poverty alleviation and human rights. Drasser has worked internationally on HIV/AIDS treatment strategies in Romania, private health services delivery in Myanmar, and the scale up of Kenya’s national emergency medical system. She designed a network of charter schools and developed Good Capital, a venture fund that invests in social enterprises like the Hub Bay Area and the Social Capital Markets Conference.Carolyn Witte is a visionary healthcare entrepreneur dedicated to creating a personalized, preventive, and human-centered healthcare system. As the founding CEO of Tia — the leading tech-enabled primary care provider for women — she pioneered a new model of “whole-women’s” healthcare, integrating virtual and retail-style clinics, technology, and a multidisciplinary care teams to transform the business and experience of going to the doctor. A former strategist at Google’s Creative Lab, Carolyn brings an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare innovation through design, technology, and brand. Her latest passion project is The XX Factor — a newsletter and community advancing the women’s health category through hard won lessons, shared learnings and collective action. She’s been recognized by Fast Company, Forbes, and Inc. Magazine as a trailblazer for women in business.—Show notes:Women in focus: understanding women as digital health consumers (Rock Health)There’s a Growth-Stage Cliff Plaguing Women’s Health Startups—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteTikTok (NEW!)LinkedInInstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this month's Digital Health Download, Steve and Halle unpack the headlines shaping healthcare, policy, and technology—with an eye toward where things may be heading next. From shifting political support for Medicaid and the ACA to state-level action on PBMs, they explore the unexpected ways the system is evolving.We cover:🩺 Why more Republicans are backing Medicaid and ACA expansion—and what the data tells us🧠 Autism in the spotlight (and Halle's favorite show)⚖ How a new Arkansas law could disrupt the PBM status quo📊 Bessemer’s new Health AI Adoption Index, including what separates pilots from true deployments📚 A lawsuit against academic publishers that’s raising questions about access and transparency in research—📍 Show notes:Enrollment Growth in the ACA Marketplaces (KFF)Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)Arkansas adopts first-in-the-nation law forcing companies to choose between running a PBM or pharmacies (STAT News)Scientists’ suit against top academic publishers lays bare deep frustration over unpaid peer review (STAT News)Another Call for Open Access (Halle’s blog)The Healthcare AI Adoption Index (BVP)—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The average American family spends over $24,000 a year on healthcare, and costs continue to rise faster than inflation. Why can't we create a healthcare system that delivers more value for less money?In this conversation with Ann Somers Hogg, Director of Healthcare Research at the Clayton Christensen Institute, we explore the concept of "Zero Inflation Healthcare" and uncover why traditional health insurance models continue to drive costs up. Ann breaks down why many InsureTech startups initially struggled to disrupt incumbents and how a new approach to business model innovation could finally tame runaway healthcare costs.We cover:🌟 The "optimal care business model" that could help transform healthcare📊 Why InsureTechs like Oscar and Clover struggled initially against incumbents🧰 If and how insurance companies can fix their reputations💰 Why health insurance companies' "spend more to make more" profit formula fails to incentivize the desired outcome🔄 How regulations create barriers to disruptive innovation in health insurance🛑 Why Haven (the Amazon-Berkshire-JPMorgan venture) failed despite its resources💡 How the "Jobs to Be Done" theory applies to healthcare choices—About our guest:Ann Somers is the director of health care research at the Clayton Christensen Institute where her research focuses on the structural pathways to improve health. This includes business model design, leadership approaches, customer orientation, and innovation strategy. Prior to joining the Institute, Ann Somers worked for Atrium Health (now Advocate Health), where she served as the AVP of Strategy and Transformation. She started her career in consulting at Oliver Wyman, working to develop value-based care strategies for large payers. Ann Somers holds an MSPH in Health Policy and Management from UNC-Chapel Hill and a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and two children.—🙏 Thanks to Flexpa for sponsoring this episode. Flexpa is refactoring healthcare. Connect to 300+ health plans through a single, secure integration to access patient-consented, identified claims data instantly.—Show notes:Read the full paper here: christenseninstitute.org/publication/health-insurance-innovationIf you’d like to learn more about the Institute’s broader work, feel free to explore: www.christenseninstitute.org—If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Each year, 2 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer and face a fragmented, overwhelming healthcare system with minimal guidance between doctor visits, even as they make life-altering decisions.In this episode, we talk with Robin Shah, Founder & CEO of Thyme Care, who has devoted his 17-year career to improving oncology care and is now building a virtual support system that has already helped over 50,000 cancer patients nationwide.We cover:🏥 Robin's origin story saving his father's oncology practice during the 2008 financial crisis💊 How community oncology has consolidated from independent doctors to large corporations🚀 Key insights from scaling Flatiron Health as employee #3 and co-founding One Oncology📈 How value-based care is creating new opportunities in specialty care🔮 The future of cancer care coordination beyond active treatment—About our guestRobin Shah is the Founder & CEO of Thyme Care, an oncology population management company providing virtual clinical support for cancer patients. His career in oncology began by helping his father's community practice survive both the Great Recession and aggressive competition from hospital systems. Robin was an early employee at Flatiron Health and a founding team member of One Oncology before launching Thyme Care, which now supports over 270,000 people across the country with a team of 400 employees.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteYouTube (NEW!)LinkedInInstagramTikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Health insurance has a Net Promoter Score of around 0-10 industry-wide, one of the lowest ratings of any industry. This is exactly why the founders of Oscar Health, with no background in healthcare and a distaste for the industry, started the company in 2012. Since then, Oscar has grown to 1.7 million members, gone public, and achieved profitability—all while receiving an NPS significantly higher than the industry average.In this episode, we talk with Mario Schlosser, co-founder and CTO of Oscar Health, about building a tech-first health insurance company in an industry notorious for poor customer experiences.We cover: 🏥 Why outsiders without healthcare backgrounds decided to tackle the insurance industry💰 How Oscar grew to 1.7 million members while maintaining a 60+ NPS score in a hard-to-please industry📊 The balance between denying unnecessary care and empathetically supporting members⚙️ How ICHRAs (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements) are disrupting traditional employer-sponsored healthcare🧶 The beginning of the unraveling of the employer markets💼 The changing employer healthcare market and why small businesses are seeking alternatives—About our guest:Mario Schlosser is the Co-Founder & CTO at Oscar Health. In this role, Mario leads product and engineering, with a focus on building Oscar’s technology platform for the future and continuing to set the strategy for the +Oscar strategy.Previously, Mario served as CEO of Oscar, leading the company from inception to serving over 1M members across Individual & Family, Medicare Advantage, and Small Group health plans.Before co-founding Oscar, Mario also co-founded the largest social gaming company in Latin America, where he led the company's analytics and game design practices. Prior to that, Mario was a Senior Investment Associate at Bridgewater Associates and worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company in Europe, the U.S. and Brazil.Mario also spent time as a visiting scholar at Stanford University, where he wrote and co-authored 10 computer science publications, including one of the most-cited computer science papers published in the past decade, in which he developed the EigenTrust Algorithm to securely compute trust in randomized networks. In May 2019, Mario and his co-authors, Sepandar D. Kamvar (Mosaic Building Group Inc) and Héctor Garcia-Molina (Celo), received the prestigious Seoul Test of Time Award from the International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2) for this work.Mario holds a degree in computer science with highest distinction from the University of Hannover in Germany and an MBA from Harvard Business School.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this month's Digital Health Download, Steve, Halle, and Michael take a deliberately optimistic look at key headlines in healthcare technology. From the impressive impact of AI scribing tools on physician satisfaction to encouraging survival rates among digital health unicorns from the ZIRP-era, the hosts highlights bright spots in an often challenging industry.We cover:🏆 Rock Health's 10th annual Consumer Adoption Survey revealing how each generation uniquely engages with digital health🤖 How AI-powered ambient scribing is transforming physician documentation and reducing burnout👩‍⚕️ The concerning trust gap between younger generations and healthcare providers💊 The effectiveness but not yet cost-effectiveness of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic💼 New analysis showing 89% of digital health unicorns from the pandemic era are still operating🏛️ Potential opportunities for innovation within the current administration's healthcare policies—Show notes:Rock Health's Consumer Adoption ReportJAMA article: Lifetime Health Effects and Cost-Effectiveness of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide in US AdultsHalle's article: What Happened to the Digital Health Unicorns of 2020-2022?JAMA article: Clinician Experiences With Ambient Scribe Technology to Assist With Documentation Burden and Efficiency—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInInstagramTikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Venture capital in healthcare has evolved from "the trailer park of venture investing" to a fundamental core tenant of the ecosystem, reflecting a quarter-century transformation of the entire industry.In this episode, we sit down with Mohamad Makhzoumi, co-CEO of NEA, who shares his 25-year journey from unpaid intern to leader of one of the largest healthcare investment funds, offering his insights into the evolution of healthcare startups and VC.We cover: 💼 His trajectory from carrying a partner's briefcase to co-CEO, and what it takes to break into venture capital today 🎭 Healthcare's distinct "eras" - from HMO revolution to digital health booms and regulatory cycles 🏥 Why healthcare venture capital follows different rules and timelines than traditional tech investing 💰 The challenges of timing exits in healthcare, and the regrets that come with leaving promising companies too early 🚀 How NEA has moved beyond traditional investing to incubating healthcare companies 🔄 The cyclical nature of healthcare regulation and its impact on investment strategies 🔮 Where digital health stands today – "transitioning from one party to another"--About our guest:Mohamad Makhzoumi first joined NEA in 2000 and now serves as co-CEO of the firm. He was previously NEA’s co-president, prior to which Mohamad served as managing general partner, healthcare, where he led and oversaw NEA’s global healthcare investing practice across digital health and life sciences. Mohamad’s investment practice is focused on healthcare services and technology from early venture to late-stage growth, and he has helped many entrepreneurs build and scale transformative companies. Outside of NEA, he is a board member of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health at Stanford.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One in four Americans relies on Medicaid, yet the program faces billions in federal funding cuts.In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rajaie Batniji, co-founder and CEO of Waymark, about delivering tech-enabled community care to Medicaid patients.We discuss what cuts to Medicaid could mean, the impact of "value veneers", and how predictive algorithms can overcome bias in healthcare delivery. Dr. Batniji also shares his personal connection to healthcare equity and his motivation for serving vulnerable populations despite investor skepticism about Medicaid-focused businesses.We cover:🏥 How to address the unique needs of Medicaid patients💰 The potential impact of proposed $880 billion Medicaid cuts and why they may not generate real savings🔄 The failures of Medicaid work requirements and why eligibility cuts won't reduce actual healthcare 📊 What "value veneers" are, and how they are harmful to healthcare innovation🌍 Advice for founders looking to serve the Medicaid population—About our guest:Dr. Rajaie Batniji is a physician, entrepreneur, and advocate for improving healthcare delivery. He is the co-founder and CEO of Waymark, a company providing tech-enabled community care for people on Medicaid. Previously, he co-founded Collective Health where he served as Chief Health Officer for eight years. He was also a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University in Medicine where he trained in internal medicine.—Show notes:Supporting Rising-Risk Medicaid Patients Through Early Intervention (NEJM Catalyst)Geographic Variations and Facility Determinants of Acute Care Utilization and Spending for ACSCs (AJMC)Procedural Prescription Denials and Risk of Acute Care Utilization and Spending Among Medicaid Patients (JAMA Open)Value Veneers And How To Enable Value In Medicaid Care Delivery (Health Affairs)A Social ACO For Medicaid Managed Care (Health Affairs)The Public's View on Potential Changes to Medicaid (KFF)—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteTikTok (NEW!)LinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2020, telemedicine company Teladoc acquired remote patient monitoring company Livongo for a record $18.5 billion, creating a $38 billion entity. Today, the combined company is worth less than a tenth of that.Rebecca Mitchell, who spent years as a product leader at both companies, reveals how this landmark healthcare deal fell short of expectations despite strong underlying products, and what we can learn from it.We also get her insights on the need for physician innovators, and how she came to co-found Scrub Capital.We cover:💻 The rise of physicians in product management roles at digital health companies💰 The untold "body and internal organs" story of the Livongo-Teladoc merger🩺 How incorporating clinician expertise leads to better healthcare products💼 Scrub Capital's approach to leveraging 700+ clinicians for smarter healthcare investing🤝 Why healthcare innovators should support rather than criticize each other🏆 Critical lessons for future healthcare M&AAbout our guest:Rebecca Mitchell began her career in global health as an academic researcher and Fulbright Fellow in maternal health. After receiving her medical degree from UCSF, she served as the medical officer for innovation at HHS before spending a decade in product roles at startups, including Livongo and Teladoc. Rebecca now leads Scrub Capital, an early-stage fund that incorporates the expertise of over 700 clinicians, founders, and operators to invest in healthcare companies.—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteTikTok (NEW!)LinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Startup capital accelerator and venture capital firm Y Combinator has a long history of backing healthcare startups, with a particular focus on technical founders tackling difficult problems. In this episode, YC partners Jared Friedman and Ankit Gupta share their insights on healthcare investment, the transformative potential of AI, and why they believe young, tactical founders will continue to disrupt the healthcare industry despite its challenges.We cover:🏥 YC's approach to healthcare investing over the years⚕️ How AI has a 10x faster adoption curve than anything else we've seen💻 The potential for AI to automate healthcare's administrative burdens and provide universal access to medical knowledge🌍 The opportunity to bring primary care to billions who currently lack access🔄 Why an outsider's perspective can be valuable when rebuilding healthcare systems🚫 How patient privacy regulations might be hindering healthcare innovation—About our guests:Jared Friedman is Managing Director, Software and Group Partner at YC. He was co-founder of Scribd, which was funded by Y Combinator in 2006 and grew to be one of the top 100 sites on the web. Jared previously worked at a pioneering AI company and studied computer science at Harvard.Ankit Gupta is a Visiting Partner at Y Combinator and former Co-Founder and CTO of Reverie Labs, a small molecule therapeutics company that leverages machine learning to develop oncology treatments. Ankit led the team through its acquisition by Ginkgo Bioworks in February 2024. Ankit studied computer science at Harvard.—🙏 Thanks to Flexpa for sponsoring this episode. Flexpa is refactoring healthcare. Connect to 300+ health plans through a single, secure integration to access patient-consented, identified claims data instantly.—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this monthly healthcare news roundup, Halle and Steve break down the biggest healthcare headlines this month.We cover:🏥 How a $5/month medication subscription service is improving adherence and saving patients money🧠 How microplastic levels in our brains have increased 50% in just eight years⚕️ The viral beef between a surgeon and UnitedHealthcare💉 Louisiana's decision to stop promoting vaccination and the politicization of public health messaging🏛️ The impact of DOGE cuts on key health agencies📈 Hims & Hers' Super Bowl ad criticizing the healthcare system💊 Updates on GLP-1 medication access and pricing as compounding ends—Show notes:PlasticList.org—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From law school to leading one of healthcare's most successful value-based care companies, Oak Street Health co-founder Mike Pykos shares the story of building, scaling, and ultimately selling his company to CVS for $11 billion.He reveals the challenges of scaling a new care model, the importance of focusing on outcomes over financials, and what it takes to transform American healthcare.We cover:🏥 Why Oak Street intentionally designed an "unprofitable" care model👥 The critical role of co-founders and finding the right cultural fit📈 Taking the company public during COVID and navigating the markets💰 The decision to sell to CVS and letting go of control⚕️ The state of value-based care and why innovation has slowed🔄 Lessons learned from scaling from startup to Fortune 500--About our guest:Mike is the co-founder of Oak Street Health ®, a leading network of more than 200 primary care centers across 25 states that delivers value-based care to older adults. He served as its chief executive officer from its founding in 2012 through the company's acquisition by CVS Health in 2023.Prior to founding Oak Street Health he was a Principal for Boston Consulting Group. Mike has a JD from Harvard Law School and a a BS in Biochemistry from University of Notre Dame.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Full-body MRIs are a controversial and expensive screening tool that some believe could revolutionize early cancer detection, while others worry they create unnecessary anxiety and waste medical resources.In this episode, we dive deep into this debate with Emi Gal, founder & CEO of Ezra, who is using AI to make full-body MRI screening faster, more accessible, and more accurate.We cover:🏥 What are full-body MRI scans, and how they're being used today💰 The current costs and insurance coverage challenges of preventative MRI screening🔬 Why medical societies don't currently endorse full-body MRI scans (and if they ever will)🧬 How full-body MRIs compare to other cancer diagnostics like liquid biopsy🤖 The role of AI in enhancing image quality and translating medical reports🔄 The importance of longitudinal monitoring for certain medical findings—About our guest:Emi Gal is a software engineer and entrepreneur working at the intersection of AI and healthcare. He's currently the Founder & CEO of Ezra, an AI healthcare company that has created a new way to screen for cancer using a full body MRI powered by AI.Prior to Ezra, Emi was the Founder & CEO of Brainient, an advertising technology company he started at age 19. Brainient became the largest video ad server in Europe and was acquired by Teads in 2016, where Emi spent two years as CEO of Teads Studio helping grow the company to nearly $1 billion in revenue.—Show notes:Emi's Longevity ProtocolInterested in trying the full-body scan? Listeners can use the promo code HOH250 for $250 off your scan. Note: Heart of Healthcare is not affiliated with Ezra and receives no compensation for this code.—🙏 Thanks to Flexpa for sponsoring this episode. Flexpa is refactoring healthcare. Connect to 300+ health plans through a single, secure integration to access patient-consented, identified claims data instantly.—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From fast food drive-throughs to Netflix autoplay, many of America's favorite products are designed to maximize profits at the expense of our health. But Thomas Goetz, co-founder of Building H, believes there's a better way. In this episode about corporate responsibility and public health, the former WIRED editor explains why changing company behavior may be easier than changing consumer habits – and how a new health accountability index could help transform America.We cover:🏗️ Why the structure of modern society makes healthy choices nearly impossible for most Americans📊 How Building H's new corporate health index is measuring companies' impact on consumer wellbeing🎮 The surprising companies getting health right, from Pokemon Go to sustainable housing developers📈 Why health metrics should be included in ESG frameworks and corporate KPIs🏃‍♀️ The challenge of aligning corporate profits with positive health outcomes🔄 How small product changes can drive meaningful population health improvements💡 Why traditional public health approaches need reinvention for today's challenges🏢 The role of public benefit corporations in building health-first businesses—About our guest:Thomas Goetz is a journalist, entrepreneur, and author. He uses data and design and stories to help people understand and navigate complicated issues in their world.Thomas is the co-founder of Iodine, an award-winning website that has helped millions of people make sense of their health and medicines. In 2016, Iodine was acquired by GoodRx, America’s leading source for prescription drug savings, where he presently serves as chief of research. Thomas was previously the executive editor at WIRED, which he led to a dozen National Magazine Awards in as many years. He began his career as a reporter at the Village Voice and the Wall Street Journal. He also wrote the LaunchPad column for Inc. magazine.Thomas is co-founder of Building H, a nonprofit with a mission to build health into everyday life. He has written two books, most recently the 2014 bestseller The Remedy: Robert Koch, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Quest to Cure Tuberculosis. He served as the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Curator-in-Residence for Adobe Systems. His TED talk on visualizing medical data has been viewed half a million times.Goetz holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's in American literature from the University of Virginia. He graduated from Bates College, and lives in San Francisco.—Show notes:Building H Index—🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitter—See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2025 has started with sobering reminders of healthcare's challenges, while also showcasing technology's potential to save lives. Join us for this week's episode as we analyze recent headlines:🏥 UnitedHealth's first earnings report since CEO's murder 🔥 How the Watch Duty app is helping Californians navigate devastating wildfires 🏛️ FDA's flurry of new health protection rules 📊 A concerning new report on healthcare consolidation 💰 The compelling economic case for investing in women's health --Show notes:📈 UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Earnings Call Transcript📕 HHS Consolidation in Health Care Markets Report💃 The WHAM Report on Women's Health---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From selling deceased patients' body parts to denying cancer treatment over upfront payments, the Lown Institute's annual Shkreli Awards spotlight the most egregious examples of profiteering and dysfunction in American healthcare. Dr. Vikas Saini, President of the Lown Institute, walks us through 2024's (dis)honorees and what they reveal about the state of our healthcare system.We cover:🏆 The origin and impact of the Shkreli Awards🏥 How a Texas medical school sold body parts without family consent💉 The booming business of unnecessary infant tongue-tie procedures💊 A Montana oncologist's shocking pattern of patient harm🏦 UnitedHealth's growing control over American healthcare💰 How private equity firm Steward Health Care bankrupted community hospitals🔍 What these cases tell us about healthcare's future--Show notes:➡️ Nominate someone for the $25k Bernard Lown Award for Social Responsibility--About our guest:Vikas Saini, MD is president of the Lown Institute. He is a clinical cardiologist trained by Dr. Bernard Lown at Harvard, where he has taught and done research. Dr. Saini leads the Institute’s signature project, the Lown Institute Hospitals Index, the first ranking to measure hospital social responsibility. The Index, first launched in July 2020, evaluates hospitals on equity, value, and outcomes, and includes never-before-used metrics such as avoiding overuse, pay equity, and racial inclusivity. In his role at the Lown Institute since 2012, Dr. Saini led the development of the Right Care series of papers published by The Lancet in 2017; convened six national conferences featuring world-renowned leaders in health care; and guided other Lown Institute projects such as the “Shkreli Awards.” Dr. Saini also serves as co-chair of the Right Care Alliance, a grassroots network of clinicians, patient activists, and community leaders organizing to put patients, not profits, at the heart of health care.Prior to the Lown Institute, Dr. Saini was in private practice in cardiology for over 15 years on Cape Cod, where he also founded a primary care physician network participating in global payment contracts. He also co-founded Aspect Medical Systems, the pioneer in noninvasive consciousness monitoring in the operating room with the BIS device.Dr. Saini is an expert on the optimal medical management of cardiologic conditions, medical overuse, hospital performance and evaluation, and health equity. He has spoken and presented research at professional meetings around the world, and has been quoted in numerous print media, radio, and television.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this bonus episode, Bessemer Venture Partners’ Healthcare and Life Sciences team shares the top industry developments they anticipate in the year to come.We cover:⚖️ The future of Obamacare under Trump💊 Novel drug modalities📊 Improved GLP-1 payment models🏥 Caregiver workforce shifts🤖 Multimodal clinical AI in practice🔮 And more!Join Bessemer Partners Steve Kraus and Andrew Hedin, and Vice Presidents Sofia Guerra and Morgan Cheatham, for this bonus episode on the state of the healthcare business in 2025.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitter---See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Healthcare attracts a lot of good people, but it also attracts a lot of morally unscrupulous people who consistently demonstrate their willingness to do horribly unethical stuff to make a lot of money."Join us for many mic-drop moments with recording artist-turned-healthcare-investor D.A. Wallach, who tells it like it is—but in a nice way only someone who grew up in the Midwest can.From questioning the "doctor" honorific to calling large health systems "the root of evil," D.A. challenges healthcare's sacred cows and offers a provocative vision for the future.We cover: 🏥 Why the "doctor" title might be outdated and how to reframe medical authority🤖 The future of AI in medicine and why software can and should handle more💊 How to preserve humanity while automating healthcare delivery💰 Starting a healthcare VC fund as an outsider 🎵 Parallels between the music industry and healthcare🔄 The need for a universal, evidence-based standard of care--About our guest:D.A. Wallach is a venture capital investor at Time BioVentures and an acclaimed recording artist who Fast Company named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. While an undergraduate at Harvard, D.A. studied with professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and received the Andrew Ramroop and Alain Locke prizes as the top graduate in his department. Prior to leaving school, Pharrell Williams discovered D.A.’s band Chester French and signed the group to Interscope Records, where they released two full-length albums. He has toured with Lady Gaga, Weezer, and Blink 182, performed on TV Shows including Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and appeared in Rolling Stone and Vogue.In 2011, D.A. stopped touring in order to focus on his other passion, investing. He has since built a parallel career as a venture capitalist, backing a series of industry-defining technology companies including Spotify, SpaceX, Ripple, The Boring Company, and Memphis Meats. Since 2015, D.A. has focused on biotechnology and healthcare, seeking to reinvent medicine through breakthrough start-ups like Beam, Glympse, Doctor on Demand, Devoted Health, and Neuralink. As co-founder and General Partner of Time BioVentures, he brings this experience to a new generation of talented entrepreneurs in the life sciences.Outside of work, D.A. appeared as an actor in the film La La Land, which received 14 Academy Award nominations. He publishes essays on a range of topics on his website www.dawallach.com, and is the co-founder of the non-profit Franca Fund for preventive genomics, an advisory board member of No Patient Left Behind, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Fe Institute.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As thousands of healthcare leaders descend on San Francisco for the annual JPM Healthcare Conference, Steve and Michael break down January's biggest stories in digital health. From unprecedented bipartisan scrutiny of PBMs to surprising patient satisfaction data and the industry's first major M&A deal of the year, 2025 is already shaping up to be transformative for healthcare.We cover:🏥 Why PBMs are suddenly in the crosshairs of Trump, Warren, and Musk💳 The controversy over hospitals charging patients for doctor emails📊 The puzzling disconnect between Americans' personal healthcare experiences and their view of the system💰 Breaking down Transcarent's acquisition of Accolade and what it means for digital health M&A📦 How UPS is transforming healthcare logistics with its new lab testing hub🏢 Why ICHRAs could reshape employer-sponsored health insurance---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitter---See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Five-time Midas List investor Annie Lamont has seen every healthcare cycle since the genomics revolution. Now, as co-founder of Oak HC/FT and early investor in category-defining companies like One Medical, Athena Health, and Devoted Health, she believes 2025 could mark the return of animal spirits to healthcare investing. In this forward-looking conversation, Annie shares why AI might finally deliver on technology's promise to transform American healthcare, even as she warns entrepreneurs to watch out for the "revenge of the incumbents."We cover: 💬 The advice she's giving her founders right now🔮 How many healthcare IPOs we can expect in 2025 🤖 How AI is changing everything from medical education to care navigation 🏛️ What a potential Trump administration could mean for Medicare Advantage and Medicaid in 2025 💰 Why hospital monopolies remain healthcare's fundamental cost problem 🔑 The "superpower" that's helped her pick winning entrepreneurs for three decades—About our guest:Annie Lamont co-founded Oak HC/FT in 2014. Prior to founding Oak HC/FT, Annie spent 28 years at Oak Investment Partners, where she served as a Managing Partner and led the healthcare and fintech practices. Over the course of her career, she has invested in category-defining companies across the healthcare and financial services industries, including athenahealth, OneMedical, VillageMD, Castlight Health, iHealthTechnologies (which becameCotiviti), Aspire Health and NetSpend. Annie has been featured on the Forbes Midas List, Modern Healthcare's 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare list, Institutional Investor’s FinTech Finance 40 list, and the Top 100 Venture Capitalist rankings published by CB Insights. She also served as a core participant of the Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary’s Innovation and Investment Summit (DSIIS). In addition to her portfolio company board seats, Annie serves on the Board of Directors for Bloomberg Inc. and has served on the Board of Trustees for Stanford University, from which she holds a B.A. degree. —🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!—📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitter—See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the return of "historic norms" in funding to the rise of AI and strategic pharma partnerships, 2024 was quite the year for digital health. Rock Health Advisory CEO Megan Zweig joins us on this episode to unpack a year defined by resilience, consolidation, and the 'revenge of the Goliaths.' We look at the funding data, reveal how the industry's unicorns survived their valuation hangovers, and share why 2024 might be remembered as healthcare's boiling point.We cover:💰 How digital health funding returned to 2019 levels at ~$10B, with fewer mega-deals but healthier fundamentals🤖 How 40% of investment dollars went to AI-enabled companies despite growing incumbent competition🔄 Why M&A hit decade-lows as buyers and sellers struggled to align on valuations🏢 The concentration of power among top VCs, with just nine funds raising 50% of all venture capital🏥 The surprising resilience of 2020-2022's unicorn cohort in navigating the downturn💊 Eli Lilly's strategic partnership with Ro and what it means for the future of weight care👥 The rise of women's health, from Maven's success to Midi's innovative health system partnerships---Show Notes: Don't Do a Down Round Until You Read ThisDo We Need an “OBGYN for Men”?---About our guest:As President and CEO, Megan leads Rock Health Advisory, a digital health strategy group that helps enterprise companies understand and act on opportunities, craft novel solutions, and succeed in an evolving landscape. Previously, Megan served as COO of Rock Health and oversaw Rock Health’s membership offering and research efforts. Prior to joining Rock Health, Megan worked at The Advisory Board Company, where she led the Physician Executive Council, a best practice research membership supporting Chief Medical Officers at over 1,300 hospitals and health systems nationwide. Megan received an MBA from Berkeley Haas, where she graduated valedictorian of her executive MBA class in January 2020. Megan graduated cum laude from Duke University, earning a B.A. in Public Policy Studies with a focus on health policy.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitter---See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After building and selling Meebo, Seth Sternberg wanted his next venture to transform lives at scale. A decade later, Honor has become the world's largest in-home senior care network, delivering care to 35,000 US homes daily. In this candid conversation, Sternberg reveals how AI saved the company from near collapse in 2015 and why treating caregivers like true professionals creates better outcomes for everyone.We cover:🏠 How Honor grew from a "shed startup" to a $2B global care network🤖 Why AI was the key to solving home care's scaling problem - and how they use 22 different AI models today👥 The surprising truth about what really drives caregiver retention (hint: it's not hourly wages)💼 Why they switched from contractors to W2 employees in the first 6 months🔍 How "revealed preferences" help match caregivers with the right clients🌐 The dramatic differences in home care models across countries🚀 Their vision for expanding beyond basic care to solve food, medication and other challenges for aging adults--About our guest:Seth Sternberg is the Co-Founder and CEO of Honor, a non-medical home care company with a mission to enable our parents to remain in their homes as they age. Prior to Honor, Seth was the Co-Founder and CEO of Meebo, which brought instant messaging to the web and reached close to half the internet population in the United States. Meebo was acquiredby Google, where Seth became a Product Director working on the Google Identity Platform, and then within GoogleX. Seth started his career with IBM’s Corporate Development group after graduating from Yale.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitter---See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"There's been a degree of toxic positivity in US healthcare," says Dr. Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN Health Plan. In this episode about healthcare's need for radical change, Dr. Jain challenges industry orthodoxy and calls for a leadership revolution. From Medicare Advantage turbulence to the failures of healthcare consolidation, he offers an insider's view of what needs to change.We cover:🔄 Why healthcare needs to move beyond "toxic positivity" and incremental improvements toward real transformation⏰ The fundamental flaw in value-based care: measuring outcomes in one-year increments when real health improvements take decades💰 Medicare Advantage's current challenges, including benefit cuts, market exits, and controversial star ratings🏥 Why healthcare consolidation has failed to deliver better outcomes and may be driving clinician burnout🏠 How SCAN's "12 angry seniors" sparked a movement to help people age at home, and why that mission remains relevant today⚡ The need for a new generation of healthcare leaders willing to think big instead of being trained to be incrementalists🔑 His advice for the new administration---About our guest:Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA is President and CEO of SCAN, where he is charged with leading the organization’s growth, diversification, and emerging efforts to reduce healthcare disparities. SCAN’s revenues top $4.3 and the organization serves 300,000 patients. Under his leadership, SCAN has grown its revenues by more than $1B.Previously, Dr. Jain was President and CEO of CareMore and Aspire Health, innovative care delivery systems with > $1.6B in revenues serving 200,000 Medicare and Medicaid patients and 2500 associates in 32 states. He pioneered the first clinical program in the world focused on social isolation. Dr. Jain is also an adjunct professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine and a contributor at Forbes.Prior to joining CareMore, Dr. Jain was global Chief Medical Information & Innovation Officer at Merck & Co. He contemporaneously served as an attending physician at the Boston VA-Boston Medical Center and a member of faculties at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School. From 2009-2011, Dr. Jain worked in leadership roles at the US Department of Health and Human Services, where he was senior advisor to the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Dr. Jain was the first acting deputy director for policy and programs at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). He also served as special assistant to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.---Thank you to medical school student Eric Shan for help preparing this episode!---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twenty years before value-based care became a healthcare buzzword, Rushika Fernandopulle was told he had to choose: be a doctor or join "the dark side" of business. Instead, he chose both – building Iora Health from a bootstrapped startup into a billion-dollar healthcare company. In this candid conversation, Fernandopulle reveals the unconventional journey that helped transform American healthcare, from midnight meetings in Las Vegas speakeasies to breaking every rule in the traditional medical playbook.We cover:💡 How bootstrapping for 7 years shaped Iora Health's success 🛫 The "Southwest Airlines Theory" of healthcare transformation 💰 The midnight meeting that led to a $4M investment from Zappos' Tony Hsieh 🔄 Why the employment-insurance link needs to break for real healthcare reform 🏢 The challenges tech giants face in transforming healthcare 💪 Why refusing to take "no" for an answer is Rushika's entrepreneurial superpower--About our guest:Rushika Fernandopulle is a practicing physician and former Chief Innovation Officer of One Medical, a leading Advanced Primary Care company based in San Francisco, CA. Before this, he was co-founder and CEO of Iora Health, was the first Executive Director of the Harvard Interfaculty Program for Health Systems Improvement, and Managing Director of the Clinical Initiatives Center at the Advisory Board Company. He is a member of the Albert Schweitzer, Ashoka, Aspen, and Salzburg Global Fellowships, and is co-author or editor of several publications. He serves on the staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital and on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He earned his A.B., M.D., and M.P.P. from Harvard University, and completed his clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts General Hospital.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s in our water, our food, and so many other products we use on a daily basis, from non-stick pans to popcorn bags. And it’s making us really sick.More and more scientists are becoming concerned that PFAS chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals,” are impacting human health. Evidence is growing that links these everyday exposures, particularly to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (or EDCs), are linked to cancer, infertility, birth defects, asthma, allergies, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and more.In this episode, we talk to one of the world’s leading environmental health scientists and advocates about the impact of forever chemicals and what we can do about it. Arlene Blum is the founder and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute. This is a replay from 2022.We cover:🧪 What are PFAS and why do they exist?🔄 How do forever chemicals get into our bodies, and why does it matter?👕 Her work in the 70's getting the gene-altering agent Tris, known to cause cancer, banned from the use in children's pajamas⚖️ Why policymakers are so slow to take action🛡️ How to keep yourself safe from forever chemicals---About our guest:Arlene Blum, PhD, biophysical chemist, author, and mountaineer, is a Research Associate in Chemistry at UC Berkeley and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute. The Institute’s scientific research and policy work with government and business has contributed to preventing the use of “Six Classes” of harmful chemicals, including flame retardants and fluorinated chemicals, in children’s sleepwear, furniture, electronics, and other products worldwide.Arlene Blum led the first American—and all-women’s—ascent of Annapurna I, considered one of the world’s most dangerous and difficult mountains, co-led the first women’s team to climb Denali; completed the Great Himalayan Traverse across the mountain regions of Bhutan, Nepal, and India; and hiked the length of the European Alps with her baby daughter on her back. She is the author of Annapurna: A Woman’s Place and Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life.Blum’s awards include her 2018 induction into the California Hall of Fame, 2017 UC Berkeley International House Alumna of the Year, 2015 award for lifetime achievement of a Reed College graduate, selection by the UK Guardian as one of the “World’s 100 Most Inspiring Women”, National Women’s History Project selection as one of 100 “Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet,” selection as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, and election to the Hall of Mountaineering Excellence.Arlene Blum received her PhD in Biophysical Chemistry from UC Berkeley and has taught at UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and Wellesley College. More information at www.greensciencepolicy.org and www.arleneblum.com---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What's the boldest company in healthcare? In our last Digital Health Download of the year, Halle and Steve stumble over the answer to this question and break down the latest healthcare headlines and what they mean for our sector.We cover:🤖 Why AI chatbots outperformed doctors in diagnosis - and what it really means for the future of medical practice🚀 Amazon's entry into primary care and what it means for Hims & Hers💊 The latest on GLP-1s: From Walmart's earnings impact to Medicare coverage proposals📱 The extension of telehealth prescribing rules and what it means for digital health companies📊 New evidence showing the ROI of addressing social determinants of health and why politics shouldn't override data🏥 Forward Health's sudden shutdown and what it teaches us about healthcare disruption versus incrementalism (listen to Adrian on the show last year here)---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Technology is transforming genetic testing and bringing hope to families facing rare diseases. In this episode, GeneDx (Nasdaq: WGS) CEO Katherine Stueland sits down with Steve Kraus to share how AI is being used to crack life's most complex code and speed up diagnosis from years to days.We cover:🧬 The evolution from single-gene testing (remember BRCA?) to whole genome sequencing, and why the Supreme Court's decision to ban gene patents changed everything🔬 How 1 in 10 Americans has a rare disease, yet the path to diagnosis traditionally takes 6-8 years💪 How parents become "honorary PhDs" in their children's rare conditions and how this drives research forward🤖 With only 1,500 medical geneticists nationwide, AI can help bridge the expertise gap💰 The shifting landscape of insurance coverage and why states are starting to see the value of early genetic diagnosis📊 How GeneDx built the world's largest rare disease database (700,000 clinical exomes and counting) and what that means for future drug development👩‍💼 Katherine's journey from communications major to CEO, and why having more women leaders matters in healthcare---Shortcuts:00:00 Introduction and Overview01:29 Advancing Diagnoses for Rare Diseases06:33 The Evolution of Genetic Testing10:44 The Cost and Coverage of Genetic Testing21:55 The Role of AI in Genomics and Genetic Testing29:43 From Communications to CEO: Katherine's Journey35:23 Promoting Gender Equality in the C-Suite---About our guest:Katherine Stueland has dedicated her career to revolutionizing healthcare with patient-centered business approaches. Instrumental in obtaining FDA approval for breakthroughs like the first protease inhibitor for HIV/AIDS and pioneering cancer immunotherapy, she champions the integration of genomic data for precision diagnostics in rare diseases and cancer. As President and CEO of GeneDx (Nasdaq: WGS) since June 2021, she is at the forefront of transforming healthcare through the Company’s industry-leading exome and genome testing. Previously, as Chief Commercial Officer of Invitae (NYSE: NVTA), she elevated the brand to a market cap of over $6 billion.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

🤗 In this bonus episode, pharmacoeconomist Yoona Kim, co-founder and CEO of Arine, talks about tackling the $530 billion problem of medication mismanagement. She shares her approach to optimizing medication therapy using data science and clinical expertise.We cover:💊 The shocking scale of medication-related problems and their impact on patient health and healthcare costs🛢️ How data silos and time constraints in healthcare contribute to dangerous medication errors🌐 The use of AI and machine learning in predicting and preventing medication-related issues⚖️ Balancing cost optimization with clinical appropriateness in medication recommendations🚧 The challenges of integrating with existing healthcare systems and winning provider trust---About our guest:Yoona Kim is the Founder & CEO of Arine, an AI-driven SaaS platform company focused on medication intelligence that grew 100% last year, and has produced more than 33 million life-improving recommendations for over 15 million patients. Prior to Arine, she was the Head of Clinical Modeling and Analytics at Proteus Digital Health. She was responsible for health economic and clinical implementation activities for Proteus Digital Health. Her team developed health economic value propositions from strategic conceptualization to business case development to actualization in the real-world.Yoona holds a Bachelor's Degree from Stanford University, a PharmD with an emphasis in health policy and management from the University of California, San Francisco and a PhD in health economics and outcomes from the University of Texas at Austin.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Despite heart disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, cardiovascular care has been an overlooked opportunity in digital health. With 1 in 3 Americans facing cardiovascular disease in their lifetime, how can innovation help turn the tide?In this episode, we explore heart health in the digital age with Dr. Jeff Wessler, cardiologist and founder/CEO of Heartbeat Health, the nation's largest virtual-first cardiovascular company.We cover:⌚If we can trust cardiovascular data from wearable devices (and what doctors call “Apple Heart Syndrome”)🔢 The difference between “heart age” and “chronological age”🤨 Why he’s skeptical of the remote monitoring market❣️ The impact of stress on heart health and the role of inflammation⚖️ Why he believes GLP-1s are the best heart drugs that have ever existed🩺 Practical tips for listeners to improve their cardiovascular health (including the important but often-overlooked LPA test)---About our guest:Dr. Jeff Wessler is a Cardiologist and the Founder and CEO of Heartbeat Health, the nation's largest virtual-first cardiovascular company. Dr. Wessler graduated from Williams College, received an MPhil in public health and epidemiology from Cambridge University, and his MD from Harvard Medical School.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Make America Healthy Again?It's official— Trump was elected as our 47th president and plans to use his second term to "go wild on health." For this special episode, Aneesh Chopra, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer and author of Innovative State: How New Technologies can Transform Government, joins Steve to talk about what we can expect in Trump's second term.We cover:🔮 The future of the Affordable Care Act💻 What a privatized version of Healthcare.gov could look like🤝 The potential for value-based care to thrive in a bipartisan environment♀️ The challenges facing women's health and reproductive rights👵 How Medicare Advantage is facing significant financial and outcome challenges🏆 Who will be the winners and losers of the next four years---About our guest:Aneesh Chopra advocates for interoperability and data-driven approaches that help providers, payers, and employers make smarter decisions to succeed in the shift to value-based care.Chopra’s influence and leadership in technology includes extensive experience in the public sector. He served as the first U.S. Chief Technology Officer under the Obama Administration, where he spearheaded initiatives to modernize the nation’s healthcare system using electronic health records and health information exchanges. These efforts strengthened the data infrastructure used in healthcare delivery reform, ultimately helping the industry progress toward a more connected and efficient healthcare ecosystem.Chopra also served as Virginia’s Secretary of Technology under Governor Tim Kaine, where he championed the growth of the state’s technology sector, enhanced educational opportunities through technology, and drove innovation in government operations. As a public servant, Aneesh fostered better public-private collaboration, a theme central to his 2014 book, “Innovative State: How New Technologies Can Transform Government.”Chopra’s significant contributions to the fields of technology and healthcare have cemented his reputation as a forward-thinking leader committed to leveraging technology for the public good. He’s been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare and one of the top 25 "Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers” by Government Technology magazine.Chopra serves on the boards of IntegraConnect, Virginia Center for Health Innovation, and the George Mason Innovation Advisory Council. He earned his master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and holds a bachelor’s degree in health policy from Johns Hopkins University.---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Keep up with healthcare news in under an hour with our monthly Digital Health Download! We can't believe it's already November. In this episode, we cover the biggest headlines of October:📝 Findings from Bessemer's State of Health Tech 2024 Report🤝 Take-aways from the 2024 HLTH Conference📊 New “AI services as software” benchmarks😵‍💫 How election season is causing stress and anxiety⚖️ New data on cost savings for ACOs💊 Walmart plans to deliver prescriptions in as little as 30💻 Oracle replacing Cerner with a new AI health record---🙏 If you're enjoying the show, we would so appreciate it if you left us a review!---📍 Connect with us:Heart of Healthcare websiteLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Doctors are not okay. Nearly half of physicians in the United States experienced burnout in 2023, leading to absenteeism, reduced productivity, turnover, and many leaving the profession altogether. In this episode, we discuss the clinician burnout and mental health crises with two expert guests: Dr. Jessie Gold, the first chief wellness officer for the University of Tennessee System and author of "How Do You Feel? One Doctor's Search for Humanity in Medicine," and Dr. Aparna Atluru, co-founder and chief medical officer of Marvin, a company that provides specialized mental health care for healthcare workers.We cover:😮‍💨 The definition and symptoms of burnout, and if we should add it to the DSM👩‍⚕️ Gender disparities in physician mental health and suicide rates💻 The impact of technology on clinician well-being✍️ Personal experiences with burnout and mental health struggles in medicine💡 Potential solutions and interventions, including specialized mental health care for healthcare workers---You can learn more about Marvin at MeetMarvin.com.You can learn more about Dr. Gold's work and buy her new book on DrJessiGold.com.---🫶 If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a review!---Heart of Healthcare website: https://www.heartofhealthcarepodcast.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-heart-of-healthcare-podcast?Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoh_podSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Approximately one in five American children have a mental health condition, with many more at risk for developing one. In this episode, Halle Tecco and Michael Esquivel dive deep into the youth mental health crisis with Naomi Allen, co-founder and CEO of Brightline.We cover:📲 How technology has worsened the youth mental health crisis and how it can help solve it🧭 Key drivers of the crisis🏡 “Families are comorbid”: Family-centered care approaches in pediatric behavioral health⚕️ The challenge of over-pathologizing vs. providing appropriate care💡 Strategies for parents to manage children's technology use---You can learn more about Brightline at hellobrightline.com. ---🫶 If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a review!---Heart of Healthcare website: https://www.heartofhealthcarepodcast.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-heart-of-healthcare-podcast?Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoh_podSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Bryan Roberts, a partner at Venrock and one of the healthcare industry's most illustrious investors, shares insights from his long and successful career in healthcare investing.We cover:💼 The key traits and principles that have contributed to his exceptional success in healthcare investing 🔄 How to navigate investment cycles and make non-consensus decisions 🧬 The story behind Bryan's early, transformative investments in companies like Illumina and Athena Health 📱 His perspective on the current state of digital health and value-based care innovations 🤖 The potential impact of AI on healthcare efficiency and clinical practice 📈 Strategies for exits and IPOs in the current market environment 📉 Valuable lessons from Bryan's biggest investment misses and what they taught him—About our guest:Bryan Roberts is a Partner at Venrock where he focuses on healthcare investments. With over 25 years of experience, Bryan has helped build companies that have transformed multiple areas of healthcare, including genomics, healthcare IT, and care delivery. He has been named to the Forbes Midas List of top technology investors multiple times and serves as a director on the boards of several innovative healthcare companies. Immediately prior to joining Venrock, Bryan received his Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University. He received his B.A. from Dartmouth College.—Thanks for listening. Please subscribe and leave us a review!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ready for your October digital health download? This month, we discuss:Progyny losing business to MavenThe entire 23andMe board resigningParticle Health suing Epic (and Epic clapping back)A plan to erase $4B in medical debt in North CarolinaThe first at-home nasal spray flu vaccineWeight Watchers losing Oprah and its CEO, can they get on the GLP-1 train?Tune in for all the digital health tea 🫖!"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we sit down with one of the most influential figures in government today: Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. As the youngest FTC chair to ever be appointed, during her tenure the FTC has pushed to ban non-compete agreements, filed lawsuits against healthcare companies engaging in anti-competitive practices, and strengthened the Health Breach Notification Rule (HBNR) to protect sensitive health data.We cover:The FTC's role in healthcare and how it compares to other sectorsThe impact of consolidation and vertical integration in the healthcare industryThe agency's efforts to combat rising drug prices, including the recent actions against major PBMsThe controversial "Orange Book" patent challenges and their implications for drug innovationThe nationwide ban on non-compete agreements and its potential effects on doctorsChair Khan's vision for the future of competition law and its application to healthcareSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the election around the corner, Halle and Steve welcome Dan Diamond back on the show to talk about how the election will impact healthcare (and how healthcare impacts voting). Dan is a national health reporter for the Washington Post, focused on accountability, federal agencies, and public health.We cover:Trump's concept of a plan and if he would really repeal the ACAHarris abandoning Medicare-for-allHow reproductive health remains a contentious voting topicMedicaid redetermination leading to millions losing coverageBipartisian issues like Medicare Advantage, drug pricing, and mental health coverageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have transformed best practices for weight loss care and created an opportunity for digital health innovation. In this episode, Steve Kraus sits down with Evan Richardson, founder and CEO of Form Health, to discuss GLP-1s and the virtual medical weight loss care landscape.We cover:- How Form Health differentiates itself in the competitive weight care market- The impact of GLP-1 medications and the challenges of drug shortages- The role of compounding pharmacies and potential regulatory changes- The importance of holistic care and patient adherence for sustainable weight loss- Obesity treatment innovation and the future of healthcare- Advice for aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs from his experiences at Castlight Health and Included HealthSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Halle Tecco sits down with John Mackey, founder and former CEO of Whole Foods Market. Mackey discusses his new venture, Love.Life, that aims to do for healthcare what Whole Foods did for grocery shopping.We cover:His vision for rethinking the healthcare experienceWhat he learned about healthcare running a self-insured employerHow Whole Foods gamified employee healthHis views on healthcare regulation and personal responsibilityWhy he doesn't believe in market researchHis advice for entrepreneurs taking on venture capital fundingAre you enjoying the show? Subscribe, and help us by leaving us a review!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your September Digital Health Download is here! This month, Steve and Halle discuss:TEFCAHow employers are getting sued for mismanaging health plansWhy virtual care is way up in rural AmericaThe TruePill / LetsGetChecked mergerJ&J taking aim at hospital drug-discount programsWhat happens to compounding startups now that the end of drug shortages is in sightTune in for all the digital health tea 🫖!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Dr. Jon Cohen, CEO of Talkspace, discusses his unconventional journey from vascular surgeon to leading a publicly traded digital health company.We cover:The glass ceiling for physicians, and why people wrongly think physicians can’t run businessesHis run for Lieutenant Governor of New York, and why more physicians should get involved with politicsThe role of online therapy in making mental healthcare more accessible and affordableHow Talkspace is leveraging AI to detect suicide risk, support therapists, and enhance patient careThe challenges and opportunities of running a public company, especially one that went public via SPACHis insights on the future of healthcare and the importance of physician leadership in driving changeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Christine Lemke, co-founder and CEO of Evidation Health, shares how her personal struggles with chronic pain fueled her mission to transform how we measure and improve health outcomes. She shares the company's evolution and innovative approach to generating real-world evidence (RWE) using a global research platform serving millions of people.We cover:- The power of real-world data and understanding health outside the clinic- Lessons from pivots: Evidation's journey to its current focus- How they recruit diverse participants, prioritize consent, and even compensate individuals- Accelerating research and making it more representative of the populations drugs will actually serve- Where the company's unique data platform goes next, and how it could change healthcareSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Halle speaks with Dave Chase, co-founder and CEO of Health Rosetta, who is on a mission to end the 30-year heist of stolen income from the working middle class. He’s working to popularize a new parallel economy: community-owned health plans (COHPs). Dave explains how these plans aim to transform healthcare from a driver of debt and bankruptcy to a driver of well-being and wealth.We cover:The structure and benefits of community-owned health plans (COHPs)How these plans can reduce healthcare costs while improving care qualityThe role of primary care, including direct primary care models, in reshaping healthcare deliveryChallenges with the current employer-based health insurance systemRecent legal developments pushing for change in employer-sponsored health plansDave shares insights on how community-owned health plans can address issues like misaligned incentives, inefficient spending, and poor health outcomes. He also discusses the potential for these models to redirect healthcare savings into community investments, ultimately improving social determinants of health.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.