Neuroradiologist and AI champion Dr. Suzanne Bash and host Dr. Eric Gantwerker discuss the present and future applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging.

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SHOW NOTES

In this episode, neuroradiologist and AI champion Dr. Suzanne Bash and host Dr. Eric Gantwerker discuss the present and future applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging.

Dr. Bash defines AI as a way to utilize computers to enhance human thinking. The ultimate goal is to use this technology to achieve better outcomes for clinical efficiency and quality of patient care. While AI technology has played a role in radiology for the past 15 years, its use has exploded in recent years.

Dr. Bash describes her current role at RadNet, a large US-based outpatient imaging enterprise. She is interested in conducting clinical validation trials and evaluating product fit with her company's imaging facilities. Additionally, she serves as a clinical advisor to multiple AI companies.

We cover a variety of AI applications in medical imaging, including triage, stroke detection, and cancer screenings. Dr. Bash gives us examples of companies and products that are at the forefront of each mission. She encourages all AI companies to stay in touch with clinicians to determine the clinical applicability of their products. One major factor to consider is how a product can be integrated with a radiologist’s workflow. Successful products will save the radiologist time, while adding value to their clinical decision-making. We also cover the challenges that the AI industry faces, such as FDA regulation and the question of legal liability when technology makes mistakes.

Finally, Dr. Bash gives advice about entering the AI space, as well as the case for accepting and adapting to AI technology. She tells clinicians to find opportunities to learn from colleagues and experts and envision the types of products that will be useful in their particular clinical setting.

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RESOURCES

RadNet:

https://www.radnet.com/

Viz.ai:

https://www.viz.ai/

Deep Medicine:

https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Medicine-Artificial-Intelligence-Healthcare/dp/1541644638

Radiological Society of North America (RSNA):

https://www.rsna.org/

In this episode, medical education entrepreneur Shiv Gaglani and I discuss the founding, journey, and acquisition of Osmosis, a leading medical education platform.

Reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and engage to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ via point-of-care learning activities here: https://earnc.me/Wbmsek

Shiv shares the impetus behind Osmosis: He and classmate/co-founder Ryan Haynes were medical students at Johns Hopkins, and they wanted to find an efficient way to study high-yield topics for their exams. What started as a text-based question bank for classmates evolved into an app and a video learning platform that millions of healthcare students use today. The co-founders took a leave of absence from medical school to dedicate energy towards building up Osmosis into the comprehensive platform that it is today.

His advice? "Medicine is not always the most forward-looking field. Don't be discouraged by the masses who are not ready for your product. Find your true fans and keep focusing on improving your content."

In this episode Dr. Eric Gantwerker talks with Dr. Steve Goudy about the importance of finding and thoroughly researching pain points for patients and their families, to then drive innovative solutions.

Reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and engage to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ via point-of-care learning activities here: https://earnc.me/Jhj06n

In this episode, interventional radiologist and entrepreneur Dr. Sandeep Bagla joins our host Dr. Aaron Fritts to discuss the founding and multispecialty focus of Prostate Centers USA, a rapidly expanding network of office based labs (OBLs). 

You may reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and engage to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ via point-of-care learning activities here: https://earnc.me/Ogw44h

In this episode, interventional radiologist and entrepreneur Dr. Sandeep Bagla joins our host Dr. Aaron Fritts to discuss the founding and multispecialty focus of Prostate Centers USA, a rapidly expanding network of office based labs (OBLs). 

Dr. Bagla describes why he decided to shift away from his former private practice and embark on a new venture that would eventually become Prostate Centers USA. Dr. Bagla sought to focus on embolization, a novel area of interventional radiology. He recounts the process of conducting prostate artery embolization clinical trials in a private practice environment, including challenges encountered and lessons learned about changing FDA regulations.

Dr. Bagla developed Prostate Centers USA from a vision of collaboration with urologists to provide comprehensive procedural and clinical care. He describes how he pitched his collaborative approach to urologists and how he dealt with pushback. He also describes why the centers’ ownership structures and focused training pathways are attractive to physicians. Finally, Dr. Bagla highlights technologies that allow for ease of communication between the team members, such as task management systems and centralized monitoring systems.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Ep. 164- Collaborative Approach to Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) for BPH: https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/164/collaborative-approach-to-prostate-artery-embolization-pae-for-bph 

Prostate Centers USA: https://www.prostatecentersusa.com/ 

Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society (OEIS) Annual Meeting: https://oeisociety.com/

Reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and earn AMA PRA Category 1 CMEs here: https://earnc.me/jn8hp9

In this episode, pediatric airway surgeon Dr. Michael Rutter and our host Dr. Eric Gantwerker discuss risk-taking and effective market analysis in entrepreneurship.

Dr. Rutter shares about his career path from medical school, to orthopedic surgery training, to his current hybrid role in otolaryngology and device entrepreneurship. Interestingly, his experience in orthopedic surgery has inspired him to adopt orthopedic tools and techniques in solving complex ENT cases. He elaborates on this idea of borrowing concepts from other fields, saying that he cultivates a congenial OR environment and often seeks ideas from other team members with different areas of expertise. These problem solving-driven conversations often result in pioneering of new airway surgery techniques.

As we transition to discussing product development, Dr. Rutter outlines his twelve year journey of creating a balloon dilator for the trachea, explaining how he obtained intellectual property rights, cleared FDA regulations, and marketed the product. When in a competitive marketplace, he highlights the benefits of conducting a non-inferiority (“Pollyanna”) study combined with attractive value propositions. Finally, he discusses the reality that some good ideas will not necessarily be successful, due to insufficient market size or extremely high costs of research and development. We conclude on the point that an entrepreneur must evaluate the balance between benefits gained and losses incurred when bringing their product to market.

In this episode, otolaryngologist and entrepreneur Dr. Matthew Bromwich joins our host Dr. Eric Gantwerker to discuss the idea of “intelligent ignorance,” which describes the idea of questioning and challenging the status quo to improve outcomes.

Dr. Bromwich encourages listeners to approach new environments with a curious and open mind, in order to identify inefficiencies that could be addressed with innovation. He applies this concept when recounting his own invention of DizzyFIX, a therapeutic device for patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). The device has allowed for at-home repositioning maneuvers and has improved patients’ quality of life. 

The doctors also talk about competition and failure as a drivers for innovation. Dr. Bromwich sees competitors as validation that his ideas are applicable and failure as a sign to pivot the idea towards a new setting. He describes three spheres that the healthcare innovator must navigate: healthcare, research, and business. Dr. Bromwich also mentions that support systems such as experienced entrepreneurs and online communities have helped him navigate these three spheres.

Finally, Dr. Bromwich reiterates the importance of root cause analysis and asking why certain processes have been accepted as the standard. He encourages entrepreneurs to stay problem-focused to ensure that their innovations are addressing real healthcare needs. 

Reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and earn AMA PRA Category 1 CMEs here: https://earnc.me/WnXEE9

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

DizzyFIX: https://www.dizzyfix.com/

SHOEBOX: https://www.shoebox.md/

In this episode, interventional radiologist and entrepreneur Dr. Bob Smouse joins our host Dr. Bryan Hartley to discuss his journey through the development of the ConvertX stent and the recent acquisition of his company, BrightWater Medical.

Dr. Smouse starts by describing his path from private practice physician, to key opinion leader, to company advisor, and finally to entrepreneur. While incubating several product ideas, he emphasizes the importance of conducting 360 degree evaluations to identify market opportunities and competitors. Dr. Smouse talks about market research strategies, which include population research and physician interest surveys. He also recounts the process of obtaining intellectual property rights and regulatory approval for the ConvertX nephroureteral and biliary stent system. 

When building his leadership team, Dr. Smouse recommends bringing on an experienced CEO once the company has reached a growth stage. He recognizes the benefits of using equity as a tool to incentivize early employees.

In the second part of our interview, Dr. Smouse discusses the importance of selling a vision to investors and strategics. He advises entrepreneurs to overestimate the time and capital required for each step of product development, in order to address unexpected challenges. Finally, he highlights the need to develop a sales model with a revenue ramp that shows investors how customers will be acquired and retained.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

ConvertX Stent: https://www.merit.com/peripheral-intervention/drainage/intervention/resolve-convertx-nephroureteral-stent-system/

In this episode, video game developer and entrepreneur Sam Glassenberg joins our host Dr. Eric Gantwerker to discuss the emerging genre of medical education-based video games and his continual goal of improving user experience.

From his early career in the gaming industry, Sam knew that he wanted to address technical and business constraints that artists face in transforming their visions into products. When he fused this vision with healthcare applications, he found himself on an unconventional path towards founding Level Ex, a gaming studio built with the intention of helping physicians develop and maintain clinical skills. What started as a small favor evolved into a preliminary app for fiber optic intubations, and it has since grown into a company that caters to the educational needs of more than 750K players.Sam describes his company’s free-to-play model, and how ad revenues allow his team to adopt a user-centered approach to innovation. 

Throughout our interview, Sam gives practical advice on networking across interdisciplinary fields, learning business skills on the job, and collaborating with competitors to push the boundaries of healthcare gaming.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Level Ex- https://www.levelex.com/ 

JAZZ Venture Partners- https://jazzvp.com/

In this episode, anesthesiologist and venture capitalist Dr. Orrin Ailloni-Charas joins our host Dr. Bryan Hartley to discuss the mechanics of fundraising from both the entrepreneur and the investor side. 

First, they talk about the definition of venture capitalism (VC)  and its impact on GDP. Dr. Ailloni-Charas notes that the only way to get true and sustainable growth is through innovation of new products, opportunities, and industries. These efforts rely on VC for support. On a macro-level, new technologies require large investments in order to accelerate to the market. On a micro-level, each company also needs investment and guidance.

Dr. Aillioni-Charas walks through different stages of fundraising rounds: friends/family, seed, Series A, Series B, and so on. He says that each round should be centered around a milestone goal that advances the company closer to the final product and exit strategy. He also emphasizes the importance of storytelling and communicating product-market fit and uniqueness to potential investors.

From an investor standpoint, Dr. Aillioni-Charas highlights “green flags” and “red flags” that he has seen in startups. Positive factors are the presence of true clinical need, the ability to receive constructive feedback, and establishment functional oversight boards. Finally, we talk about the valuable clinical perspective that doctors can bring to a company and pathways that doctors can get involved in angel and VC investing.  

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Angel MD: https://angelmd.com/ 

Cura Capital: https://www.curacapital.co/