In this episode, Zach Reitano, CEO and co-founder of the direct-to-patient healthcare company Ro, talks to host Halle Tecco about the flaws in our traditional healthcare model and how Ro is innovating to make care more convenient and focused on patient goals.

We cover:

• Why the current healthcare system does not incentivize building for patients
• How he ranks the priorities of cost, quality, and access
• How the healthcare system is obsessed with quality, but not equally obsessed with scaling that quality
• Why we can't equate healthcare quality and time spent, and the role of technology to increase access to the highest quality products

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In this episode, Halle Tecco and Steve Kraus cover the latest digital health stories for June 2024, including:

• Cancer drug dosing and pricing challenges
• The new South Park movie on obesity
• The shortage of K-12 school counselors and telehealth startups’ role
• The failure of SPAC deals in digital health, and the path forward
• Pharma's DTC marketing efforts, including Pfizer's new platform and updated FTC advertising rules
• Flaws in the media coverage of declining total fertility rates

NOTE: July will be the 3 (not 2) year anniversary of the show! If you're enjoying listening, please leave us a review!

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Clinical notes are one of the more tedious parts of doctors’ day-to-day lives—so much so that they’re often called “pajama time,” since physicians spend 2-3 hours writing them at night. In this episode, Steve Kraus sits down with Dr. Shiv Rao, co-founder and CEO of Abridge, an AI-first healthcare company that’s been in the spotlight for solving this problem. Abridge uses advanced machine learning to structure and summarize medical conversations, creating clinical documentation and structured data while reducing clinician burnout.

Shiv traces his journey from a skateboarding rebel to a cardiologist, professor, healthcare investor, and now founder of a pioneering digital health startup. He shares how his passion for scalable impact and exposure to cutting-edge research at Carnegie Mellon led him to start Abridge in 2018.

Steve and Shiv discuss:

• How Abridge differentiated itself early on through AI technology and go-to-market (GTM) strategy
• The company’s ROI and anti-burnout metrics, like note quality, pajama time, and cognitive load
• Clinician-AI collaboration vs. direct-to-consumer applications
• The surprising parallels between managing an ICU and running a startup
• The habits and mindsets that keep Shiv grounded while leading a fast-growing, mission-driven company

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

In this episode (a replay from Closing Time), David Ko, CEO of Calm, discusses the mental health challenges founders and their teams face. We discuss practical strategies for building resilience, managing the relentless pressure, and why destigmatizing mental health is crucial for startup success. David shares how leaders can champion well-being, creating a workplace where mental health support is the norm, not the exception. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes building a thriving business starts with a healthy mindset.

We cover:

• How resilience is built through learning from mistakes and taking risks
• Where stress comes from and if you can really eliminate it
• How to lead by example and create a supportive work environment
• Generational shifts in the conversation around mental health
• Why mental health should be normalized throughout the year and not just during Mental Health Awareness Month

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May is Women's Health Awareness Month!

In this episode, Kate Ryder, CEO and founder of Maven, the largest virtual clinic for women and families, shares her passion for transforming a traditionally underserved healthcare sector. We explore how Maven Clinic has evolved since her seed pitch in 2016, and what she’s learned along the way.

We cover:

• How Maven has evolved from an online marketplace for women to connect with healthcare specialists to a comprehensive platform for women's and family health
• How language and terminology (even the term “women's health”) can be challenging
• Emerging trends in women's health including the need for better support for Medicaid members and the growing mental health crisis among teenagers
• How egg freezing can contribute to gender equality in the workplace
• Kate’s wishes for improving the US healthcare system, like Medicaid coverage for new moms and universal pre-K to support working families

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80% of Americans suffering from eating disorders don’t get the treatment they need. That’s where Equip comes in. In this episode, Steve Kraus sits down with Kristina Saffran, the co-founder and CEO of Equip, a virtual provider transforming eating disorder treatment by making evidence-based care more accessible to patients and families. Kristina shares her personal journey recovering from anorexia and how her experience with the challenges in traditional treatment led her to found a non-profit and ultimately start Equip. She and Steve dive into:

• Misconceptions about eating disorders and the barriers that prevent the vast majority of sufferers from getting treatment
• Equip's virtual, multidisciplinary five-person care team model
• The company's focus on delivering evidence-based treatment while pioneering new research to improve outcomes
• The importance of collaborating with insurance payers to improve access and reduce costs
• Kristina's advice for mission-driven healthcare entrepreneurs

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Digital Health Download: May 2024

In this episode, Halle and Steve dive into the latest headlines in digital health for May 2024, covering topics like surprise billing, AI in healthcare, and the future of primary care. They cover:

- A ProPublica investigation into Cigna's claims and prior authorization processes

- The FTC's new non-compete agreement ban, and what it means for healthcare

- Walmart's decision to shutter its health clinics, and the viability of retail primary care

- A new study on using generative AI to draft physician replies to patient messages

- Nurses' protests against the rapid adoption of AI technology at Kaiser Permanente

- An Atlantic article on the coming revolution in male contraceptives

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Too often, those with complex health needs fall through the cracks. Dr. Toyin Ajayi, co-founder and CEO of Cityblock Health, is a passionate champion for health equity determined to change this reality. Her company specifically serves populations with Medicare, Medicaid, or both, often those who have been let down by the traditional healthcare system.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why "one size fits all" healthcare fails our most vulnerable, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and underserved
• How Cityblock's community health partners build trust and address health and social needs
• The privatization of Medicare
• Why she believes in the private sector to help fix healthcare

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As a medical school-bound undergrad, Sean Duffy, co-founder and CEO of Omada Health, didn’t initially consider entrepreneurship as a career path. Today, Sean leads a virtual-first care provider for chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and musculoskeletal disorders. Sean traces his journey from a "techie" upbringing to stints at Google and medical school, and how his early fascination with the potential of digital health ultimately led him to build Omada.

Sean and Steve dive into:

-The genesis of Omada's "digital DPP" (diabetes prevention program) model

-How digital health has matured over the last decade

-Omada’s approach to driving successful GLP-1 prescription outcomes

-The Peterson report questioning the efficacy of diabetes tech

-Sean's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

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Ever feel like you're lost in the healthcare maze, fighting for answers alone? Turns out, you're not. Patient communities are fueling a revolution that's changing healthcare. In this episode, Susannah Fox, author of Rebel Health, reveals how patients and caregivers are driving innovation that the traditional system can't, or won't, deliver.

We cover:

• The Four Patient Archetypes: Seeker, Networker, Solver, and Champion--which one are you?
• Why certain populations get ignored, and how to change that
• How founders can leverage patient power to build better, more impactful solutions
• The debate over whether (and how) patients should be compensated for collaborating with companies

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