HealthTech Remedy

Is the healthcare system drowning in paperwork and phone calls? The U.S. healthcare system spends over $80 billion annually on administrative tasks, a hidden tax that slows down patient care and burns out clinicians. Much of this cost comes from endless, inefficient phone calls for things like prior authorizations and benefits verification. This episode explores a transformative solution using AI for healthcare administration to automate these frustrating conversations and create a more efficient, "weightless" healthcare system. We're joined by Ankit Jain, the founder and CEO of Infinitus Systems, who is pioneering this change.

In this deep dive, we uncover the true scale of the administrative burden in medicine, where physicians can spend up to 15 hours a week on the phone for tasks that 98% of the time result in an approval anyway. This friction not only creates delays but can even have a chilling effect on care, as providers may avoid treatments they anticipate will be a bureaucratic nightmare. We explore how Infinitus Systems is leveraging sophisticated voice AI in healthcare to tackle this problem head-on. Ankit Jain explains how their technology, born from his experience at Google, goes beyond simply making calls. It navigates complex Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menus, engages in real-time conversations with payer representatives, and uses a proprietary knowledge graph to push back against incorrect information, correcting errors in real-time. This focus on prior authorization automation has already saved over 100 million minutes of conversation time for their partners.

We also discuss how to reduce healthcare administrative costs and the critical importance of building trustworthy AI in healthcare. Ankit details the safety guardrails Infinitus has built to avoid "hallucinations" and ensure every action complies with pre-approved protocols and regulations like HIPAA and SOC 2. We explore the difference between a fully autonomous Voice AI Agent and a Voice AI Co-pilot, which works alongside human staff to eliminate tedious work like waiting on hold. Finally, Ankit Jain of Infinitus shares his personal journey into health tech, offering powerful advice for anyone looking to build a career at the intersection of technology and healthcare.

About Our Guest:
Ankit Jain is the Founder and CEO of Infinitus Systems. A former engineering leader at Google who also helped start Google's AI venture fund, Gradient Ventures, Ankit has a deep background in technology and machine learning. The inspiration for Infinitus came from a conversation with his wife, a healthcare professional, who highlighted the immense potential for voice AI to solve the crippling administrative bottlenecks she and her colleagues faced daily.

Timestamps / Chapters:
(00:00) The $80 Billion Problem in Healthcare Administration
(03:08) Why Prior Authorization is a Broken System for Doctors and Patients
(05:43) The Vision for a "Weightless" Healthcare System with Infinitus
(08:27) How Voice AI Automates 100 Million Minutes of Phone Calls
(16:31) A Conversation with Ankit Jain, CEO of Infinitus Systems
(19:12) The "Fraud, Waste, and Abuse" Tax That Burdens Everyone
(22:13) Ankit Jain's Journey from Google's AI Fund to Solving Healthcare's Headaches
(24:33) What Are Voice AI Agents and Voice AI Co-Pilots?
(30:19) Building Trustworthy AI with Safety Guardrails and Context
(35:24) Ankit Jain's Career Advice for Health Tech Innovators

Is the pursuit of peak physical ability a noble goal or a dangerous game? This episode confronts the controversial world of human performance enhancement by taking a deep dive into Enhanced, a company poised to revolutionize sports, medicine, and our understanding of human potential. Joined by Enhanced CEO Dr. Aron D'Souza, we explore the razor-thin line between natural talent, medical treatment, and a future where aging itself could be considered a treatable disease. This conversation unpacks one of the most polarizing topics in modern science and culture: should we be allowed to enhance ourselves, and what happens when we do?

This deep dive with the HealthTech Remedy team and Dr. Aron D'Souza unpacks the vision behind Enhanced, a company building both a revolutionary sporting event and a direct-to-consumer health platform. We begin by exploring the complicated ethics of performance enhancement, using the real-world case of runner Caster Semenya to question where society draws the line on natural advantage. The discussion then moves to the Enhanced Games, an audacious alternative to the Olympics where athletes can openly use performance enhancements, aiming to showcase the true limits of human capability. We hear the incredible story of James Magnussen, an Olympic swimmer whose physical transformation for the games has gone viral, and Kristian Gkolomeev, who broke a 16-year-old world record after just three weeks on the program.

Beyond the spectacle, we scrutinize the business model of the performance medicine telehealth platform, which aims to democratize access to cutting-edge therapies for longevity, strength, and focus, moving beyond the realm of billionaires like Peter Thiel and Bryan Johnson. Aron D'Souza explains his mission to not only disrupt the traditional sports industry but to create a paradigm shift in medicine, framing aging as a disease we can solve. This episode tackles the fuzzy boundaries between treatment (like LASIK or GLP-1 drugs) and enhancement, the scientific rigor behind the company's advisory board, and the long-term vision to build a lifestyle brand around the concept of becoming "Human 2.0."

About Our Guest:
Dr. Aron D'Souza is the founder and CEO of Enhanced. With a background in law and a history of solving complex global problems, he has pivoted to what he believes is his greatest contribution to humanity: ushering in an "enhanced age." He shares his personal journey and the viral moment in a Miami gym that led to the creation of the Enhanced Games and its mission to redefine the future of human performance enhancement.

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction: Performance Enhancement in Daily Life
(01:17) What is Enhanced? A New Frontier in Human Performance
(01:58) The Caster Semenya Case: The Blurry Ethics of Natural Advantage
(04:19) The Enhanced Vision: A Health Platform & The Enhanced Games
(08:31) The Business Model: A Performance Optimization Telehealth Platform
(12:21) Interview Begins: Introducing Aron D'Souza
(14:08) The "Aha" Moment: The Origin Story of the Enhanced Games
(21:20) Beyond Sports: Is Aging a Disease We Can Cure?
(26:16) The Business of Enhancement: A Red Bull Model for Telehealth
(30:13) Building a New Field: Scientific Rigor & The Paradigm Shift in Performance Medicine
(36:30) The 5-Year Vision for Enhanced
(38:04) Final Advice for Mission-Driven Entrepreneurs

Why do patients have to wait months, or even years, for dementia care while their condition worsens? The current system is failing families, but our guests today have developed a new dementia care model to fix it. This episode of HealthTech Remedy dives deep into Isaac Health, a company using a technology-enabled services platform to deliver scalable, specialist-level brain health and dementia care directly to patients in their homes. We're joined by co-founders Dr. Julius Bruch, a former McKinsey consultant and dementia researcher, and Dr. Joel Salinas, a leading neurologist from NYU, to unpack how they are tackling one of healthcare's biggest challenges.

In this conversation, we explore the revolutionary approach Isaac Health is taking to solve the crisis of access in brain healthcare. You'll learn how their innovative, virtual dementia care platform is designed to eliminate the long wait times to see a neurologist - which can stretch over a year - and provide immediate support. We break down the new Medicare GUIDE model, a landmark payment initiative from CMS that is creating new pathways for comprehensive dementia services, and how Isaac Health’s model was perfectly positioned to lead the way. Co-founders Julius Bruch and Dr. Joel Salinas share the personal stories that drove them to leave successful careers in consulting and academic medicine to build a solution from the ground up.

This discussion is a masterclass in building a technology-enabled clinical services company. We cover how Isaac Health provides scalable specialist dementia care by using smart workflows and technology to empower a wider range of clinicians and extend the reach of top neurologists. The conversation also highlights the immense burden placed on families and the critical importance of dementia caregiver support, a core component of their comprehensive model. We also touch on the development of new value-based care models, the challenges of integrating medical and social care, and the incredible early results Isaac Health has achieved, including a 38% reduction in ER visits for their patients. From personal stories of patient impact to a high-level discussion of their business strategy and partnerships with Medicare Advantage plans, this episode is essential listening for anyone affected by dementia or interested in the future of healthcare innovation.

About Our Guests:
Dr. Julius Bruch is the CEO and co-founder of Isaac Health. His journey began with his grandmother's struggle with dementia, which inspired him to pursue a PhD in the field. After seeing the systemic issues from a health systems perspective as a consultant at McKinsey, he was driven to build a platform that could scale specialist care for brain health.

Dr. Joel Salinas is the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Isaac Health. A first-generation Nicaraguan-American, Dr. Salinas is a practicing neurologist at NYU, was previously faculty at Mass General, and has done extensive research with the Framingham Heart Study. He witnessed the growing public health crisis of specialist shortages and year-long wait times for patients, motivating him to co-found Isaac Health to bring expert care to all who need it.

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:15) Introducing Isaac Health: A New Approach to Dementia Care
(03:27) The Personal Toll of Dementia & Need for Better Caregiver Support
(05:34) The Medicare GUIDE Model: A New Payment Pathway for Dementia Care
(07:36) Why Neurologist Wait Times Are Over a Year
(10:10) Meet the Founders: The Personal Journeys Behind Isaac Health
(17:53) The Isaac Health Business Model: Clinical Expertise Meets Payer Savvy
(20:05) Bridging the Gaps in Conventional Dementia Care
(25:48) How Isaac Health Scales Specialist Care with Technology
(29:17) Measuring Success: Clinical and Financial Outcomes
(31:02) Powerful Patient & Caregiver Stories from the Front Lines

Clinical trials are notoriously slow, expensive, and inefficient, creating a major bottleneck that delays getting life-saving treatments to cancer patients. What if we could build a new research engine from the ground up, leveraging data and technology to run trials 6x faster and at a significantly lower cost? In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of the Flatiron Health clinical research unit, a team that is redefining what's possible in oncology research.

Joined by Alex Deyle, VP & General Manager of Clinical Research at Flatiron Health, we uncover the strategies and technologies they are deploying to fix the broken trial system. From their origins as a pioneer in real-world evidence to their acquisition by Roche, Flatiron has built a unique ecosystem founded on deep integrations with community oncology EHRs. Now, they're leveraging that foundation to tackle the biggest challenges in clinical research, from protocol design to final data submission. This conversation is a must-watch for anyone interested in the future of drug development, health tech, and the mission to get new treatments to patients faster.

This episode breaks down the new model for improving clinical trial efficiency. We explore Flatiron's three-pronged approach: designing smarter protocols by using real-world evidence in clinical trials to optimize eligibility criteria, accelerating clinical trial patient recruitment with AI-powered patient matching that reduces site screening effort by 95%, and lowering the massive data collection burden with innovative EHR to EDC solutions. Alex shares incredible real-world examples, including a partnership with Exact Sciences on a molecular residual disease (MRD) study that went from concept to first patient in just six months—a process that typically takes years. We also dive into their collaboration with NRG Oncology, one of the NCI's cooperative groups, to deploy their Flatiron ClinicalPipe™ technology and prove the value of a direct data pipeline from the EHR to the trial database (EDC). This integrated approach is generating compelling results, showing that their end-to-end model can enroll studies up to six times faster and at a 20-30% lower cost than traditional methods, paving the way for a new era of decentralized clinical trials.

About Our Guest:

Alex Deyle is VP & General Manager of the Clinical Research business unit at Flatiron Health. With a background as a biomedical engineer and a health-tech consultant, Alex was inspired by the multidisciplinary, problem-solving approach of MIT's Hacking Medicine. He joined Flatiron to be part of a team that brings together clinicians, engineers, and data scientists to solve healthcare's biggest challenges. He was instrumental in building Flatiron’s renowned real-world evidence business before leading the charge to transform clinical trials.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction: Fixing Broken Clinical Trials

(01:02) What is Flatiron Health? From RWE Pioneer to Research Innovator

(04:33) The Core Challenge: Why Oncology Research is So Slow

(07:26) A New Approach to Clinical Trial Patient Recruitment

(09:52) Using Real-World Data for Protocol Optimization

(15:22) Guest Intro: Meet Alex Deyle from Flatiron Health

(19:38) The Mission: Making Trials More Efficient & Representative

(24:32) Flatiron's 3-Pronged Strategy for Transforming Clinical Research

(29:30) Case Study 1: The Exact Sciences MRD Partnership (6 Months to First Patient)

(36:25) Case Study 2: Partnering with NRG Oncology on EHR to EDC Solutions

(39:11) The Results: 6x Faster Enrollment, 30% Lower Cost

(41:08) The Biggest Challenge: Overcoming the Status Quo

(42:05) Career Advice for Health Tech Innovators

Is the current clinical trial system fundamentally broken? With an estimated 95% of cancer patients unable to participate in clinical research, a new model is urgently needed. This episode dives deep into the world of Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs), a revolutionary approach that brings research directly to patients, breaking down long-standing barriers of geography, cost, and convenience. We explore how this model could fix a system that often fails the very people it's meant to serve.

Joined by our special guest, Dr. Jonathan Cotliar, Chief Medical Officer of Science 37, we uncover how technology is making research more accessible and equitable. We dissect the immense challenges of traditional trials, discussing the incredible burden placed on patients and how this leads to a staggering lack of clinical trial diversity. You'll learn about the innovative solutions that are changing the game, from remote data collection using wearable sensors to virtual study visits. We trace the fascinating journey of Science 37, a pioneer in the DCT space, from its founding in 2014, through its meteoric rise during the pandemic and a $1.3 billion SPAC merger, to its current operations. The discussion also tackles the significant hurdles to adoption, including industry inertia and the critical role of evolving FDA guidance on clinical trials. Dr. Cotliar shares his firsthand experience navigating regulatory skepticism and convincing multi-billion dollar pharma companies to embrace this new frontier. A key focus of our conversation is the transformation of clinical trial patient recruitment, moving from a site-centric model to direct-to-patient outreach through digital channels and patient advocacy groups, especially for rare diseases. Discover the key benefits of decentralized trials and what the future holds for drug development and patient care.

About Our Guest:
Dr. Jonathan Cotliar is the Chief Medical Officer at Science 37. A former academic clinician trained at UCLA as an internist and dermatologist, Dr. Cotliar made the leap from full-time clinical care to the startup world. He joined Science 37 in its early stages, helping to build the company from the ground up and wearing multiple hats, from medical executive to making cold calls to patients. He shares his unique journey and provides invaluable insights into what it takes for a physician to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial health tech environment, shaping the future of clinical research.

Timestamps / Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction: What are Decentralized Clinical Trials?
(02:41) The Problem: Understanding the Barriers to Clinical Trial Participation
(04:50) Why We Must Increase Clinical Trial Diversity for Better Healthcare
(07:05) The Story of Science 37: From Founding to a $1.3B SPAC Merger
(14:15) The Metasite™ Platform: The Technology Powering DCTs
(17:20) Navigating Risks and Industry Inertia in Adopting DCTs
(22:16) Meet Dr. Jonathan Cotliar: A Physician's Journey from Academia to a Tech Startup
(33:39) Overcoming Industry Skepticism & The Evolution of FDA Guidance
(37:40) How a Decentralized Clinical Trial Works in Practice
(44:20) Innovative Patient Recruitment Strategies for Rare & Complex Diseases
(48:37) Final Advice for Clinicians Eyeing a Career in Health Tech

Could a cure for your disease already be sitting on a pharmacy shelf? In this episode, we explore the revolutionary work of Every Cure, a nonprofit on a mission to unlock the hidden potential of existing drugs through a groundbreaking approach to drug repurposing. We sit down with co-founder Dr. David Fajgenbaum, a physician-scientist who saved his own life by discovering a new use for an old drug after being diagnosed with the rare Castleman disease. His journey sparked a global movement to find treatments for the millions of patients suffering from diseases with no approved therapies.

This episode dives deep into the systemic gaps in the pharmaceutical industry and how Every Cure is using cutting-edge technology to fill them. Dr. David Fajgenbaum shares his incredible personal story, from near-fatal illness to pioneering a new field of medical research. We discuss how his team is leveraging AI for drug discovery and rediscovery, building an AI platform that systematically matches thousands of approved drugs against thousands of diseases to find promising new treatments. This data-driven approach, which Dr. Fajgenbaum calls 

"computational pharmacophenomics," is already yielding incredible results for both common and rare disease treatments.

We explore the nonprofit's unique model, fueled by major funding from partners like ARPA-H and the TED Audacious Project, which allows them to pursue promising treatments that lack financial incentives for traditional development. You'll hear the stunning success stories of this drug repurposing strategy in action—from Leucovorin, a vitamin that is helping nonverbal children with autism speak their first words, to lidocaine, a common numbing agent showing a 29% reduction in mortality for breast cancer patients in a large clinical trial. This conversation reveals how technologies like biomedical knowledge graphs and large language models are accelerating the search for cures, turning a 100-day analysis into a 17-hour process and bringing hope to patients worldwide. 

ABOUT OUR GUEST: 

Dr. David Fajgenbaum is a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, a co-founder of the nonprofit Every Cure, and the national bestselling author of "Chasing My Cure." His journey into medicine was inspired by his mother's battle with cancer. During medical school, his life was derailed by a diagnosis of idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease, a rare and deadly condition. After five near-death relapses, he turned to research, discovering that a drug approved for organ transplants, Sirolimus, could save his life. He has been in remission for over 11 years on this repurposed drug. This experience led him to create Every Cure to scale his approach and find new uses for existing medicines for all diseases they can treat. 

TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS: 

(00:00) Introduction to HealthTech Remedy 

(01:17) Introducing Every Cure: A Nonprofit Tackling Rare Diseases 

(02:01) The Origin Story: Dr. David Fajgenbaum and "Chasing My Cure" 

(08:00) Every Cure's Nonprofit Model and Strategic Partnerships 

(12:06) An Interview with Dr. David Fajgenbaum: A Personal Journey to a Cure 

(14:27) What is Drug Repurposing? 

(18:01) Building Every Cure: Structuring a Nonprofit to Fill a Systemic Gap 

(22:30) Success Stories: From Leucovorin for Autism to Lidocaine for Breast Cancer 

(28:17) The AI Engine: How Technology Powers Drug Rediscovery 

(35:17) How to Get Involved and Support Every Cure's Mission 

LEARN MORE & GET INVOLVED: 

Learn more about Every Cure: https://EveryCure.org/ 

Share an idea for a repurposed drug: https://EveryCure.org/ideas 

Become an expert reviewer: https://EveryCure.org/experts 

Support the mission and donate: https://EveryCure.org/donate 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? 

What did you find most inspiring about Every Cure's mission? Do you know of any other examples of drug repurposing? 

Leave a comment below - we'd love to hear your thoughts! Don't forget to like this video and subscribe for more deep dives into the future of healthcare. 

Uncover how AccessHope is revolutionizing cancer care by tackling the persistent inequity and overwhelming complexity patients and local oncologists face nationwide. Tune in as we discuss AccessHope's innovative remote expert opinions, bridging top subspecialists with community teams to deliver cutting-edge, patient-centric insights. Don't miss this insightful conversation with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Yousuf Zafar on how health technology can democratize specialized cancer expertise for everyone.

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Discover how Atropos Health is revolutionizing healthcare by using AI and real-world evidence to close the critical evidence gap faced by physicians and patients. This game-changing approach delivers unprecedented insights, transforming clinical decision-making from months to minutes. Tune in to hear Dr. Brigham Hyde, CEO and co-founder, discuss their innovative solutions and impact on medicine.

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Explore how RespondHealth is revolutionizing clinical research and healthcare using cutting-edge AI, real-world data, and knowledge graphs. Join us as we delve into the company's innovative platform and interview founder Dr. Vicki Seyfert-Margolis about bridging data gaps and accelerating evidence generation. Watch or listen now to learn how this tech is transforming trials and patient care.

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Dive into the transformative world of Color Health, a company revolutionizing how millions access preventative care and cancer management. In this episode, the three physician hosts explore how Color evolved from genomic testing to running COVID programs across multiple states, to now powering virtual cancer clinics through partnerships with leading institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering and UCSF. The highlight is a revealing conversation with co-founder Othman Laraki, who shares his journey from Silicon Valley tech executive to healthcare innovator, driven by his own family's cancer experience. This episode perfectly illustrates how technology and healthcare can intersect to create more equitable and accessible solutions at population scale.

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