HealthTech Check Up

What does it take to keep cancer care from getting stuck between visits, in paperwork, and in prior authorization queues?

Co-Hosts Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas are joined by Dr. Bobby Green, President and Chief Medical Officer of Thyme Care, former CMO of Flatiron Health, and a medical oncologist with more than 20 years in practice.

Dr. Green explains how Thyme Care partners with health plans, risk-bearing primary care groups, and oncology practices to deliver virtual navigation for patients in active cancer treatment. That support includes social work, mental health counseling, palliative care, and help managing other conditions alongside cancer. He describes what sets the model apart from the “well-meaning” care management programs he saw fail as a practicing oncologist: closing the loop with the treating physicians, focusing on interventions with proven results, and staying clinician-led.

The conversation also covers:

• Why prior authorization should help clinicians make better decisions instead of simply approving or denying care, and why guideline-standard genomic testing in lung cancer shouldn’t face hurdles
• The nuance around minimal residual disease testing and multi-cancer early detection tests like Grail’s Galleri
• How AI and large language models could improve clinical trial access, and why Thyme Care is focused on educating and empowering patients rather than only matching them to trials
• Lessons on culture carried over from Flatiron, and why Thyme Care is staying focused on oncology after its Series E
• His one prescription for the next five years: building value-based care into the system itself 
• His excitement about AI in healthcare, and his worry about overreaching technology creating false hope for patients

Plus, the real story behind the name “Thyme” and a nostalgic detour into the first time fax machines blew everyone’s minds.

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

Welcome back to Health Tech Checkup! Hosts Perry Dimas and Rachelle Galant are joined by Dr. Michael Ybarra, Chief Medical Officer at PhRMA and a practicing emergency room physician, for a conversation that bridges two worlds rarely held by the same person: the immediacy of bedside emergency medicine and the slow, high-stakes grind of federal health policy.

Dr. Ybarra traces his path from ER residency "side hustle" to full-time health policy leader, and explains why staying connected to clinical practice still shapes how he thinks about the rules coming out of Washington. He shares two moments that stuck with him — a vaccine-preventable meningitis death in his own department, and the realization, years into practice, that cystic fibrosis patients had all but stopped showing up in his ER thanks to a new generation of treatments — as reminders that today's standard of care isn't the ceiling.

The conversation turns to prior authorization, where Dr. Ybarra cites data that seven out of ten initial requests for branded medicines are denied, and that physicians and staff still spend roughly 13 hours a week on the process. He makes the case that friction in the system carries real costs that don't show up on an insurer's spreadsheet including clinician burnout, delayed care, and patients left waiting on treatments that are usually approved anyway.

Perry, Rachel and Dr. Ybarra also dig into:

• The "three-legged stool" Dr. Ybarra says is required to sustain a healthy biopharmaceutical innovation pipeline: a stable regulatory environment, strong IP protections, and a reimbursement system that rewards successful innovation
• How AI is already being used at the local level — from in-house EHR tools to personal GPT workflows — to reduce the administrative friction clinicians face every day
• The 340B drug pricing program: what it was designed to do, how hospital markups are distorting it, and why Michael says reform is needed to make sure savings actually reach patients
• Direct-to-patient pricing models and price transparency tools 

Plus: why the fax machine is "the glue that holds the U.S. healthcare system together," what Dr. Ybarra hopes the next 10 years of medicine will make obsolete, and why he believes today's death sentence doesn't have to be tomorrow's.

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

Welcome back to Health Tech Checkup! Hosts Perry Dimas and Rachel Gallant are joined by Dr. Rebecca Miksad, Chief Medical Officer at Color, for a conversation about what it actually takes to deliver guideline-quality cancer care at scale. Where does AI genuinely help? Where does it still need to earn our trust?

Dr. Miksad, a Harvard-trained medical oncologist who moved from treating GI cancer patients into digital health strategy, walks through the gaps that pulled her out of the clinic and into building systems: patients getting younger and younger colon cancer diagnoses, life-changing trial data that never reaches the people who need it, and a survivorship crisis that's almost invisible — there are 8 to 10 times more cancer survivors than active cancer patients in any given population, yet primary care physicians rarely get trained to support them once treatment ends.

The conversation covers how Color's 50-state virtual cancer clinic works — the first (and currently only) virtual practice to earn ASCO certification — and what that certification actually required: meeting the same seven domains of care (patient engagement, 24/7 availability, evidence-based medicine, comprehensive team-based care, quality improvement, goals-of-care conversations, and antineoplastic therapy safety) that brick-and-mortar Centers of Excellence are held to.

Perry, Rachelle and Rebecca also dig into:

• A real patient case where a multidisciplinary tumor board caught a rarer-than-expected cancer diagnosis and opened up a clinical trial the patient wouldn't otherwise have found
• Why something as simple as scheduling an at-home infusion can be a logistical black box for both patients and their own oncologists — and how removing that friction improves cost, convenience, and adherence all at once
• Where Rebecca sees AI genuinely working today (matching patients to coverage, reducing administrative friction, identifying at-risk patients in the EHR) versus where it still needs more validation (direct clinical decision-making)
• The sobering stat that only 14% of eligible patients actually get the lung cancer screening they're guideline-eligible for — a reminder that some of the biggest gaps in cancer care aren't about new technology at all, but about using the tools we already have

Plus: the "three worst words in the English language," why survivorship care deserves as much attention as treatment, and what Rebecca hopes we better understand about trusting AI in oncology over the next five years.

Subscribe to HealthTech Check Up to stay up to date on where tech meets care, and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

Ever wonder what's happening behind the pharmacy counter — and how technology is changing it?

In this episode of Health Tech Checkup, hosts Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas sit down with Dr. Michelle Gregg, oncology pharmacist at Georgia Cancer Specialists, for a candid conversation about the evolving role of pharmacy in a tech-driven healthcare world.

Dr. Gregg draws on 10+ years in oncology (plus stints in hospital pharmacy, PBM, and health informatics) to unpack where the system is working, where it's falling short, and what's coming next. From the first fully CPOE hospital in Georgia to the rise of oral chemotherapy at home, she traces the technology milestones that have shaped patient safety and care delivery.

The conversation gets real around one of oncology's biggest blind spots: care coordination. Patients hit with a cancer diagnosis are often overwhelmed and lost in the system — and Dr. Gregg makes a compelling case for why patient navigation is one of the most urgent unmet needs in oncology today.

In this episode:

• How CPOE and barcoding transformed medication safety
• Why inter-system data sharing remains a stubborn gap
• The growing complexity of oral chemotherapy regimens at home
• What AI and technology could mean for pharmacists in five to ten years
• A surprising conversation about smart pill tech — and why it flopped with one patient population

Subscribe to HealthTech Check Up to stay up to date on where tech meets care, and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

On this episode of Health Tech Checkup, host Rachelle Galant and co-host Perry Dimas take you into the world of precision medicine, alongside two leaders in the field—Stephane Budel and Megan Nacar from DeciBio. This deep dive into diagnostics, personalized treatments, and cutting-edge technology highlights how these advancements are transforming healthcare.

In this episode, we cover:

• How diagnostics drive 70% of treatment decisions but are often underappreciated.
• The shift from managing disease to early detection and prevention with personalized treatments.
• Exploring the revolutionary impacts of gene therapies, molecular diagnostics, and the mapping of the human genome.
• What to consider before diving into at-home health tests, from privacy issues to data ownership.
• Navigating the complex pathway of bringing diagnostic innovations to market and achieving reimbursement.
• How AI and machine learning are poised to transform the analysis of genomic data, leading to more personalized treatments.

We also have a compelling discussion on how AI is shaping the future of healthcare. Stephane shares how tools like ChatGPT can aid diagnosis faster than doctors in some cases, while Megan emphasizes the importance of patient protections and transparency in AI usage. Additionally, we cover how AI can streamline physician workflows, reduce burnout, and even predict complex conditions based on subtle data patterns, like how you type on your phone.

This episode is packed with thought-provoking insights and real-world applications of technology in healthcare. Don’t miss this chance to learn about the future of precision medicine and what it means for patients, providers, and the healthcare industry.

In this episode of Health Tech Checkup, hosts Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas sit down healthcare veteran Lary Ippolito to unpack more than three decades of transformation across health systems, technology, and patient care.

From his early days at Accenture to a 29-year career at Cerner, Lary shares a firsthand look at the evolution of electronic medical records (EMRs)—from early resistance to total reliance. He reflects on how clinicians went from paper charts and fax machines to fully connected systems, and what happens when that technology suddenly disappears.

Lary also explores the promises—and risks—of AI in healthcare, from clinical decision support to patient self-diagnosis, highlighting where automation can enhance care and where human judgment remains essential.

Looking ahead, Lary shares candid insights on what he would do differently, including the missed opportunity to engage patients earlier, and why winning the “hearts and minds” of providers has historically determined which technologies succeed. 

He also outlines where innovation is heading next: AI-powered clinical insights, preventative care, and tools that help patients better navigate an increasingly complex healthcare system.

This episode is a thoughtful exploration of how far healthcare has come—and where it’s still catching up—through the lens of someone who’s been in the room for it all.

Subscribe to HealthTech Check Up to stay up to date on where tech meets care, and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

What if the key to better healthcare isn’t more technology — but using it to make care feel simpler, clearer, and more human?

In this episode of Health Tech Checkup, hosts Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas sit down with Dr. Tricia Baird, VP of Care Coordination at Corewell Health, to explore how care coordination sits at the center of everything. 

The conversation unpacks how care coordination has evolved from discharge planning into a critical function that connects clinical, behavioral, and social care. Dr. Baird shares how health systems are using predictive analytics, EHR workflows, and even chatbots to reduce confusion, prioritize patient needs, and dramatically lower readmission rates.

They also introduce a powerful framework: the difference between “complicated” and “complex” patient journeys, and why that distinction determines when technology helps most, and when human intervention is essential.

At the heart of it all is a simple idea: patients don’t need more information—they need the right information, at the right time, delivered in a way they can actually act on.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between complicated vs. complex care journeys—and why it matters
  
  
  
• How predictive analytics and outreach can reduce readmissions from 23% to 7%
  
  
  
• Why patients often prefer chatbots for repeat guidance (and how that frees up clinicians)
  
  
  
• How to reduce “noise” for both patients and providers to improve outcomes
  
  
  
• Why the future of healthcare depends on prevention, primary care, and lifestyle—not just intervention
  
  
  

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed navigating healthcare—or wondered how technology can actually make it better—this conversation offers a clear, practical perspective.

Subscribe to HealthTech Check Up to stay up to date on where tech meets care, and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

In this episode of Health Tech Checkup, hosts Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas take on one of the most talked-about — and often misunderstood — topics in healthcare today: interoperability.

With a wave of healthcare legislation rolling out over the past several years — including the Transparency and Coverage Final Rules, the No Surprises Act, and now the Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule signed in January 2024 — the industry is once again being pushed toward greater transparency and accountability. But what does interoperability actually mean in practice? And why is prior authorization the starting point?

They explore the government’s role in setting the framework, the challenges of API and FHIR requirements, and what new CMS reporting could reveal about prior authorization approvals and denials.

They also discuss prior authorization as the proving ground for interoperability, transparency requirements coming in 2026, the emotional realities of healthcare delays, rural and small-practice hurdles, data standardization issues, the rise of third-party vendors, AI’s potential impact, and whether timing — more than technology — will determine success.

As Rachel and Perry debate whether healthcare is finally at a tipping point, they ask the bigger question: Will interoperability actually work — or will it become another well-intentioned regulation with limited impact?

Subscribe to HealthTech Check Up to stay up to date on where tech meets care, and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

What if AI didn’t replace clinicians — but actually helped them care more like humans?

In this episode of Health Tech Checkup, hosts Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas sit down with Dr. Dacre Knight, Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Virginia and Medical Director of the UVA Health EDS Center, as well as host of the podcast Bendy Bodies.

The conversation dives into why complex conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome are frequently misdiagnosed, and how augmented intelligence can surface hidden patterns across fragmented care. Instead of replacing physicians, AI may finally help connect years of scattered records, recognize longitudinal trends, and support earlier diagnoses — reducing the exhausting diagnostic journeys many patients face.

They also tackle the biggest tensions in modern healthcare:
 balancing automation with human connection, precision medicine with insurance limitations, and innovation with regulation.

Ultimately, Dr. Knight explains why he’s optimistic: when used correctly, technology doesn’t distance clinicians from patients — it gives them the time and clarity to focus on what matters most.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why AI should be considered “augmented intelligence,” not artificial intelligence
  
  
  
• How pattern recognition across years of medical data can shorten diagnostic delays
  
  
  
• Where fragmented care hurts patients — and how technology can fix it
  
  
  
• The role regulation, payers, and clinicians play in scalable personalized medicine
  
  
  
• Why better tech could actually bring humanity back into healthcare
  
  
  

If you’ve ever wondered whether health tech will depersonalize care — this conversation argues the opposite.

Subscribe to HealthTech Check Up to stay up to date on where tech meets care, and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com

On this episode of Health Tech Checkup, host Rachel Gallant and co-host Perry Dimas sit down with John McCluskey to dive deep into the transformative power of price transparency in healthcare. John shares his journey from navigating the complexities of self-funded employer groups to becoming a thought leader in healthcare compliance and innovation.

In this episode, we cover:

• [02:15] The importance of benchmarks for employers: Understanding how performance compares nationally and regionally.
• [05:30] Emerging tools leveraging machine-readable data to provide actionable insights for cost, quality, and outcomes.
• [09:45] Opportunities for incorporating transparency data into platforms that benchmark employer healthcare performance.
• [12:20] The role of ROI in employer-sponsored healthcare: Balancing cost with long-term benefits and value.
• [16:00] Integrated care teams and the value of simplifying complex healthcare decisions for individuals.
• [19:10] Addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes across different U.S. regions and demographics.
• [23:35] Vision for future healthcare: Flexible, configurable plans that adapt to individual needs over time.
• [28:00] The critical role of education, transparency, and collaboration among payers, providers, and consumers. 

From leveraging machine-readable data to measure outcomes, to envisioning a healthcare system focused on accessibility, affordability, and tailored solutions, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of healthcare and the role businesses play in driving meaningful change.

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Keep in touch with our hosts, Rachelle Galant and Perry Dimas on Linkedin! 

To learn more about careviso, visit, www.careviso.com