Trends in Med Tech

In this episode I spoke with Rob Iaboni of CoHealth App, a digital health startup that was founded in Toronto in 2016. Since joining CoHealth App in 2017 Rob Iaboni has been instrumental in growing its partnerships and customer base (primarily hospitals and primary care clinics) and along with this its real world impact on patients. Today he leads all commercial aspects of CoHealth and has helped grow the company grow from just 3 centers to over 50 across Canada, and they're now expanding into the US.  

We spoke about the need for patient-focused digital ecosystems in healthcare and some of the challenging of bringing innovative technologies into the healthcare setting. One of the main areas that CoHealth is focusing on is how to keep patients informed about their health once they leave hospitals by providing them a tool to personalized care plans. We also touched on the topic of formal education and how it does or doesn’t prepare people for life on the entrepreneurial road.   

Throughout the conversation I could tell Rob is passionate about improving the healthcare system and the ways in which patients interact with it. As healthcare is just recently entering the digital revolution, and as more information becomes available to help patients make better decisions about their own health, companies like CoHealth will be there to bridge gaps and bring personalized care into the hands of patients.

Visit their site for a demo:

In this episode of Trends in MedTech we speak with Saud Juman, founder and former CEO of Policy Medical, a governance, risk and compliance management software for healthcare enterprises. Saud takes us through his journey of first coming up with the idea to solve a particular problem that healthcare facilities were facing, to launch and growing a full-fledged medium sized company, and then leading the successful acquisition of Policy Medical and subsequently exiting the company for a new beginning. As a young guy in his 20’s, Saud found himself driven by a passion to do meaningful work and the pursuit of helping others. While working for a healthcare company, he serendipitously found an opportunity to make a real difference by creating a software solution that he knew already knew was in demand. This led to the beginnings of what later became Policy Medical, which now holds thousands of clients, and has reach hundreds of thousands of healthcare providers across North America. What struck me the most is that Saud sets a great example of the importance of learning by doing. One of the key messages in this episode is the power of listening attentively and learning from customers. If there is one ingredient that has made all the difference in the evolution and success of Policy Medical – this was it. Throughout the episode we also spoke about adapting to clients’ changing needs, paying attention to industry trends, such as the movement toward greater commoditization in a once niche software solutions space, and the importance of listening to your body’s needs for balance. It was also a pleasant surprise to hear Saud give so much weight to the impact that his family life had on his professional success. Although Saud is no longer officially affiliated with Policy Medical, he remains a big fan of the company and what it represents. Saud is optimistic about what the future has in store, especially as he grows his coaching practice and is able to spend more time with his family, perhaps before starting his next venture.

In his spare time, Saud still practices in martial arts and medical Qigong. He also looks forward to working with mentees and fellow entrepreneurs through this coaching practice. You can find out more about this by visiting www.SaudJuman.io .

If you have an interest e-health platforms and would like to learn more about Policy Medical, as we did in preparing this episode, you can visit www.PolicyMedical.com.

In this episode we spoke with Dr. Ilan Shahin, a practicing physician-entrepreneur who has co-founded ConsultLoop, a health service navigation software that helps providers better track and manage patient referrals. One of the care problems that ConsultLoop is addressing is the lack of standardization in the traditional, paper or fax-based referral process that often results in patients falling through the cracks (still very much an issue day). A significant chunk of referrals are lost, and those missed appointments, in some cases, lead to inadvertent harm. The booking process is also very tedious for patients and providers alike. ConsultLoop address inefficiencies in the referral process, but also aims to provider better access and better service to patients and providers. Since its inception in 2016 the company has built a directory of over 5000 specialists and services primarily across the greater Toronto area, and has facilitated well over 25,000 referrals. The software works alongside existing electronic medical record platforms, and was designed with easy functionality in mind so that it doesn’t disrupt clinical workflows. The company is also expanding the platform to offer more integrated features for patients to navigate healthcare services they need, and to engage with the service when they have questions. We also spoke about the broader implications of wait times on the healthcare system, current models of healthcare delivery, and the importance of integrating high-quality services into new healthcare technologies so they can be adopted more readily. Ilan was a pleasure to speak with as he offered his personal insights as a practicing family and emergency doctor. I look forward to seeing the company grow to provide greater access to more patients across Canada.

If you would like to learn more about ConsultLoop and its healthcare solutions please visit www.consultloop.com or follow them on Twitter at @ConsultLoop . You can also reach Ilan on Twitter @IlanShahin or by email at [email protected] . They’ve recently published an interesting report on wait times using data from their platform, “The ConsultLoop Wait Time Report: Data Shines its Light” (November 2018). 

In this episode I spoke with Michelle Laflamme, CEO of Emovi, a medical device company dedicated to developing and commercializing advanced technologies for the assessment of knee pain. Emovi began in 2008 when Michelle, a practicing lawyer at the time, was reviewing the clinical evidence behind its signature device, KneeKG, that helps clinicians to better diagnose the root causes of knee pain and make data driven treatment decisions. Michelle recognized that the technology could fill gaps in the treatment pathway and bring huge value to patients. Over the next few years, Michelle selected a team of passionate and talented experts to take the company through numerous validation studies (they have more than 100 peer reviewed papers), to demonstrate effectiveness as a clinical decision tool and to build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including several university research centres and a full clinical advisory board. Over 10,000 patients have used KneeKG in their care pathways to help treat knee pain and get back to their normal activity. With plans to expand access in Canada and the US, many more patients will soon be using and benefiting from the device. Her passion for entrepreneurship and helping patients really stood out to me. She also spoke about her work in mentoring other entrepreneurs through an accelerator she founded, and through her roles on several boards. 

To learn even more about Emovi you can visit the company website at emovi.ca. You can also follow the company and get updates on its activity on Twitter @knee_KG , and follow Emovi on LinkedIn.

In this episode we spoke with Dr. Damon Ramsey, CEO, and Dr. Puneet Seth, Chief Medical Officer, of InputHealth, a healthcare software company that has developed a collaborative health record system to provide higher value service to physicians and patients. Healthcare, unlike many other industries, is not traditionally one in which technology disruption are often met with praise. The nuances of healthcare service delivery, the potential impact clinical care and on patients lives, and the ubiquitous need to document in medical practice present challenges for healthcare entrepreneurs. But InputHealth is setting an example. Through its collaborations and partnerships, InputHealth has shown how its system can be used in real world practice to improve clinical workflows, increase efficiencies and have higher quality service that results in greater satisfaction to patients. The system can also help to avoid unnecessary visits, since patients can give their information ahead of time to clinics, and then have a consultation over video from the comfort of their homes. In addition, their system allows important information to be collected longitudinally so that physicians can study their patients. We also spoke about the implications of using their technology on healthcare infrastructure more broadly, and the numerous benefits to both physicians and patients.  

If you’d like to learn more about their company you can visit https://inputhealth.com/ .  You can also follow them on Twitter @psethmd and @DamonRamseyMD . 

In this episode Sean Costella takes us through the events leading up to his diagnosis of a rare disease, a cavernoma, and how he took a leap of faith on one doctor’s opinion that ended up saving his life. When his symptoms got so bad that they couldn’t be ignored, Sean underwent an emergency surgery. Luckily, that surgery went well, but when he woke up he couldn’t see. After a long, and very difficult, recovery, Sean has returned to a pretty normal life. Through this experience he’s grown to appreciate the simple things in life that we often take for granted. Sean is especially grateful for his wife, who not only helped him through months of rehabilitative therapy, she also did this while taking care of their newly born first daughter. He now brings this newfound perspective into his work as a territory manager at Horizon Pharma, a company that focuses on rare disease medicines, where he connects with physicians and patients on a personal level. 

Sean’s positivity is admirable. 

If you’d like to learn more about the disease you can visit the Angioma Alliance at www.angioma.org or on Facebook. You can also connect with Sean at [email protected] if you want to learn more from his experience. 

In this episode we hear from Dr. Patrick Anquetil, CEO of Portal Instruments, a medical device company based in Boston, MA that aims to make needles and syringes a thing of the past. I asked Patrick about his journey from graduate research to becoming an equity analyst, and then returning to Harvard Business School to pursue his entrepreneurial interests. In his most recent venture, Portal Instruments, his team has developed a novel drug delivery technology originally licensed from MIT (lab of Dr. Ian Hunter), and is commercializing this technology through partnership with Takeda. We talked about the advantages of this technology over traditional needles and syringes, and what this means for patients with various chronic conditions that need to self-medicate. It was also inspiring to hear him speak about the importance of creating the right workplace culture to support integrated teamwork and innovation. He has a unique approach to leadership, and as I found out, also has a talent for being an educator. Most importantly, he is a visionary, an innovator, and he is just starting to tap into the potential of this new technology. 

If you want to learn more about Portal Instruments you can visits their website at portalinstruments.com, or contact Patrick at [email protected]. 

In this episode we have an insightful and delightful conversation with Dr. Taylor Bean, a practicing Naturopath Doctor based in British Columbia, about the naturopathic approach to healing, and how this can be used to optimize care for patients. It was fascinating to hear her about experiences working in an Asian healthcare system, and how vaccination practices differ across regions. We dive into her perspective on caring for complex patients with Lyme disease, and on maternal care. We also spoke about the new world of abundant medical information, and the use of use of various technologies within her practice to help optimize care. You just might re-think your primary healthcare provider - stay tuned!

If you would like to learn more about Dr. Bean's approach to wellness, her vaccines educational program or for other inquires, you can visit her website at www.drtaylorbean.com or  taylormadewellness.com.  

In this episode I speak with Sahar Kafi about her passion of informing people about food and nutrition supplements as a vehicle to improve their  health. She advocates for the importance of enabling people to make educated decisions about what they consume, because these choices play a key role in maintaining energy and overall health. We also dive into trends we've observed in the nutraceuticals industry, and how technology can be used to connect with, educate and build connections with customers who can learn how to live healthier lives. 

In this episode I have a candid conversation with Carie Dolha about her personal experience with a difficult diagnosis, and how she had to change her mindset to take ownership of her health and recovery. Through this journey she discovered the medicinal properties of plants, and gained a new  perspective on health and a newfound sense of self healing. Carrie has a strong message for anyone going through a similar life experience who needs some advice. Stay tuned to find out more - and enjoy!