Outcomes Rocket

Taking the risk no one else will: how Medical 21 is working to replace harvested blood vessels with an artificial coronary artery that becomes part of the patient’s own body.

In this episode, Manny Villafana, Founder and CEO of Medical 21, returns to discuss his team's progress in developing an artificial coronary artery for bypass surgery. Drawing on more than five decades of medical device innovation, he reflects on how his earlier companies helped create longer-lasting pacemakers and lifelong heart valves that transformed cardiovascular care. Manny explains how Medical 21's graft is designed to grow into a living blood vessel made from the patient's own cells, potentially eliminating the need to harvest vessels during bypass surgery and reducing pain, recovery time, infection risk, and costs. He also shares updates on the company's preclinical progress, partnership with the Mayo Clinic, fundraising efforts, and why pursuing seemingly impossible ideas is essential to advancing medicine.

Tune in to learn how bold thinking, regenerative technology, and a willingness to take risks could reshape coronary bypass surgery!

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AI is transforming healthcare, but in behavioral health, how do we make sure technology doesn't come at the expense of human connection?

In this episode, Rebecca Ragland, Clinical Global Account Executive at Multi-Health Systems, explores how scientifically validated assessments and emerging technologies can improve behavioral healthcare while preserving the human element. She discusses the growing role of AI in clinical workflows and why clinicians must remain central to decision-making, particularly as technology advances faster than organizations can adapt. Rebecca also explains how trusted, structured data can serve as a guardrail for responsible innovation, helping organizations improve consistency and expand access without sacrificing human judgment and connection.

Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on how AI and technology can expand access to behavioral healthcare while keeping human connection, clinical judgment, and trust at the center.

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Finding heart failure earlier gives patients a better chance to begin treatment before the disease progresses.

In this episode, Roger Owens, Chief Commercial Officer at Ultromics, discusses how AI-powered echocardiography can improve the early detection of HFpEF and cardiac amyloidosis. He explains how EchoGo integrates seamlessly into existing hospital workflows, enabling physicians to identify signs of heart failure from standard echocardiograms. Roger also explores the operational, reimbursement, and implementation challenges healthcare organizations face when adopting AI in clinical practice. He emphasizes that advances in treatment options make earlier diagnosis increasingly important for improving patient outcomes.

Tune in to discover how AI-powered cardiac diagnostics can support earlier intervention and better patient outcomes!

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Patient-matched technology is changing surgery by making the implant conform to the patient, not the patient to the implant.

In this episode, I speak with Nancy Hairston, President and CEO of MedCAD, about her unique journey from sculpture and 3D animation to the development of customized surgical solutions. Nancy explains how MedCAD uses patient imaging to design precise surgical plans, guides, anatomical models, and implants for each individual. We also discuss how these systems can simplify procedures, reduce operating room time, and potentially combine two surgeries into one. Nancy shares how advances in 3D-printed metals have accelerated production and why she believes patient-matched technology has a bright future across healthcare.

Tune in to discover how art, engineering, and 3D printing are making surgery more precise and personalized!

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What if every cancer patient could have the information and technology needed to find the right clinical trial or treatment option, regardless of where they live or what they can afford?

In this episode, Dr. Selin Kurnaz, co-founder and CEO of Massive Bio, shares how a personal family experience with cancer prompted her to leave a successful career in transactions and build a company dedicated to improving cancer care. She describes Massive Bio’s mission to empower patients to take an active role in their care by making clinical trials and treatment options more accessible. Kurnaz explains how AI agents, conversational technology, and partnerships with specialized technology companies allow Massive Bio to create a scalable, end-to-end cancer patient journey. Looking ahead, she envisions Massive Bio becoming both a global access point for cancer patients and a real-world data infrastructure that helps pharmaceutical companies develop better, more personalized medicines.

Tune in to hear Dr. Selin Kurnaz discuss the future of AI-powered cancer care, patient empowerment, and the role of real-world data in developing better treatments!

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What if surgeons could actually see through organs during an operation?

In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Nicolas Bourdel, Founder and CEO of SurgAR, about how augmented reality is bringing patient-specific digital twins into the operating room. Using AI and computer vision, Surgar overlays CT and MRI-based anatomical models onto the live surgical view, helping surgeons see tumors hidden inside soft tissue during minimally invasive procedures. Nicolas shared why he believes surgery has progressed from digital eyes to robotic arms, and is now entering the era of the digital brain powered by intelligent software. We also discussed Surgar's expansion into kidney cancer surgery and its vision for making every surgeon an augmented surgeon.

Tune in to hear how augmented reality, AI, and digital twins are transforming minimally invasive surgery, and why the next revolution in robotics may be software, not hardware.

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What if the most common surgery in medicine could become one of the most consistent through robotics?

In my latest conversation, I sat down with Dr. Joseph Nathan, Founder and CEO of ForSight Robotics, to explore why ophthalmology is becoming one of the next frontiers for surgical robotics. We discussed how cataract surgery, the most common procedure in medicine, is uniquely suited for robotic assistance because of its repetitive nature and the need for extraordinary precision. Dr. Nathan shared how advances in AI, computing power, and robotics are helping create systems designed to improve consistency and predictability for both surgeons and patients. He also emphasized the importance of bringing these technologies to market responsibly while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and cybersecurity.

If you're curious about where AI, robotics, and ophthalmology are converging to reshape one of the world's most common surgeries, this is a conversation you won't want to miss!

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Clean, accessible, and well-governed healthcare data is the foundation for better care and effective AI.

In this episode, Erik Johnson, Vice President of Marketing at Harmony Healthcare IT, discusses how healthcare organizations can preserve, manage, and activate decades of clinical, financial, and operational data. He explains how a comprehensive data lifecycle strategy helps reduce legacy system costs, improve interoperability, and build a stronger foundation for AI adoption. Erik also shares marketing insights from both established brands and startups, emphasizing the value of brand equity and achieving product-market fit. He explores the potential of agentic AI to support clinical decision-making, reduce administrative burden for clinicians, and improve patient outcomes.

Tune in to learn how a strong healthcare data strategy can prepare organizations for the future of AI-enabled care!

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What happens when a hospital trusts a robot as much as one of its own team members?

In this episode of Outcomes Rocket, Saul Marquez speaks with Sultan Mehrabi, CEO of Relay Robotics, and Craig Anderson, Vice President of Innovation at BayCare, about how autonomous delivery robots are transforming hospital operations through a collaborative innovation partnership. They explain how Relay robots safely transport lab samples, medications, and other critical items, allowing nurses and pharmacy staff to spend more time on direct patient care while maintaining a secure chain of custody and reliable delivery. The conversation highlights that successful healthcare innovation depends less on adopting AI for its own sake and more on solving real workflow problems through close collaboration, user adoption, and continuous improvement. They also discuss why reliability, trust, and seamless integration into hospital infrastructure are essential for autonomous robotics to become accepted by clinicians, patients, and health systems alike.

Learn how one health system is using autonomous robotics to improve patient care, reduce staff workload, and redefine what successful healthcare innovation really looks like!

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What if the next breakthrough in surgical robotics isn't happening in the operating room, but inside the blood vessels?

In this episode, David Fischel, Chairman and CEO of Stereotaxis, shares how the company is pioneering robotic endovascular surgery through an integrated platform of robotics, proprietary catheters, and digital technologies. He explains why successful surgical robotics requires an entire ecosystem that seamlessly connects devices, software, imaging, and physician workflows. David also reflects on Stereotaxis' transformation through nearly a decade of investment in research and development, regulatory milestones, and commercialization. Together, we discuss how intelligent robotics could make complex cardiovascular and neurovascular procedures safer, more precise, and more accessible in the years ahead.

Tune in to hear how Stereotaxis is redefining robotic intervention, why ecosystem thinking is critical for healthcare innovation, and what the future of intelligent surgery could look like for physicians and patients!

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