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Vinay Shankar | Blog
Vinay Shankar | Blog episodes
- 81: Can a headset help in depression treatment? With Dr Kultar Garcha from Flow NeuroscienceIn this episode Vinay chats with the CMO at Flow Neuroscience, Dr Kultar Garcha. He explains how many modern healthcare systems are reactive, they discuss the challenges with preventative care, and how medical-grade technology could change our approach. Learn how Flow’s at-home brain stimulation headset works, where it fits alongside therapy and antidepressants, and why evidence, regulation, safety, and patient adherence are all essential ingredients in mental health digital innovation.Discover:From frontline GP to healthtech leader:
How Dr Kultar Garcha balances medical work with leadership at Flow Neuroscience, and how roles at Babylon Health, NICE, and in quality and safety have shaped his perspectives.
The problem with reactive healthcare:Why modern healthcare systems wait, and why earlier intervention and patient empowerment are fundamental in long term outcomes.
Reimagining mental health pathways:Why does mental health care remain fragmented? What Dr Garcha learned from dementia and diagnosis challenges, and why patients need joined up care systems.
How their treatment model flows:How does the Flow headset works? And where it fits with existing depression treatments? What patients can expect from the programme in terms of mood, focus, sleep, and usability.
Trust & adoption:The role of safety, patient empowerment, regulation, low side effects and user feedback.
Guest: Dr Kultar Garcha
Website: www.flowneuroscience.comHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Podcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor25 min - 80: How is SiSU health making preventative health easier? With CEO Sam FeyOn this episode, we have Sam Fey joining us, she has spent two decades leading large-scale digital & organisational change. Now, as CEO of SiSU Health, she’s building a hardware-plus-software platform that delivers rapid, self-service health checks in supermarkets, workplaces and community hubs that empower preventative health.In this chat, Sam shares how SiSU has completed over a million health checks, engages hard-to-reach communities, and turns a short kiosk visit into meaningful behaviour change. Hear her insights on app fatigue, working with diverse health organisations, and why prevention needs data, partnerships and design.Discover:The Founder Journey:
How Sam’s engineering, MBA and corporate transformation background laid the foundations for her CEO role.
Why apps alone might not be good enough?Why post-app fatigue, weak self-reported data and limited reach pushed SiSU away from app-only solutions.
The SiSU health check:What does a SiSU kiosk health check actually feel like for users, and how each journey is configured to local guidelines, services and population needs.
How health check leads to change:Hear how SiSU uses the “activation moment”, follow-up comms and local partners to drive real behaviour change.
How to build a prevention ecosystem:SiSU partners with councils, the NHS and employers like Jaguar Land Rover to deliver digital NHS Health Checks and population-level prevention utilising population insights from 1.2 million to support prediction and modelling.
Guest: Sam Fey
Website: www.sisuhealth.co.ukHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Podcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor24 min - 79: How Kanjo is Using AI & Data to Transform Children’s Mental Health? with Deepthi UppalaOn this episode, Vinay chats with Kanjo Health CTO and serial product builder Deepthi Uppala, whose journey goes from coding on C puzzles in India to shipping patented AI features at Microsoft and now transforming children’s mental health care.Deepthi shares how growing up with a mainframe engineer dad shaped her love of logic, why leaving Big Tech to build startups was both terrifying and necessary, and how Kanjo’s platform is redefining ADHD and autism support for families.Origin story & career pivots
How a childhood of “logic puzzles on the back of a scooter” led Deepthi into computer science and research.
Why leaving a decade-long career and patents at Microsoft to build startups felt both risky and necessary.Research to real-world impact:How Intel and Microsoft Research taught her to turn ideas into products used at scale.
The difference between building products and building companies, and what she only learned by founding her own.Inside Kanjo:What the Kanjo journey looks like for a parent who just knows “something is different” but has no idea where to start.
How Kanjo matches families with the right clinicians and builds an interdisciplinary care plan instead of stopping at diagnosis.AI, diagnostics & whole-child care:How Kanjo combines 45+ validated questionnaires with risk factors and comorbidities to go beyond symptom-only assessments.
Why Deepthi believes diagnosis is “step zero.”Scaling impact & measuring what matters:The tension between clinical nuance, limited clinician supply, and the need to support by using AI.
Why, at this stage, revenue and parent satisfaction scores are the two metrics Deepthi obsesses over to know Kanjo is on the right path.Guest: Deepthi Uppala
Website: www.mykanjo.comHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Podcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor22 min - 78: Cleaning dirty data using AI to improve healthcare with Sanjay from HiLabsOn this episode, Vinay is joined by Sanjay Acharya, Chief Product Officer at HiLabs. An AI-first company that turns messy claims and provider records into trustworthy data. So far, they have analysed over 40 billion records, removed over 3 million ghost healthcare locations, cut reconciliation times from weeks to under 48 hours, and deliver an estimated $80M in annual savings. We unpack healthcare-specific LLMs, real-time error detection, and system-agnostic integrations. Learn why explainable AI and clinical-note reading matter for decisions, compliance, and patient access.Discover:
- Sanjay’s background in electrical engineering and his transition to the US healthcare space.
- How HiLabs have applied machine learning to health insurance operations.
- How the application of technology in high-stakes environments like healthcare is key.
- The challenges of applying machine learning and AI in healthcare.
- How HiLabs are tackling human error and system misinterpretation in healthcare.
- How standardising and verifying provider data has improved the accuracy of health insurance directories.
- How HiLabs is introducing a new product focused on reading physicians’ notes.
- How accurate clinical data is essential for medical decisions and patient care.
- How explainable and auditable AI is essential to ensuring user trust in technology and decision-making processes.
- HiLabs plans for growth and the potential in pharmaceuticals, as well as international markets.
Guest: Sanjay Acharya
Website: www.hilabs.comHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor24 min - 77: What makes an effective virtual ward & community triage platform? with Elina from FeebrisOn this episode, Vinay is joined by Elina Naydenova, a biomedical engineer and CEO of Feebris. A company developing AI-driven tools to support clinical decision-making in community settings through the use of virtual wards and remote monitoring.It helps carers and clinicians such as GP’s deliver more accurate health assessments at home, potentially reducing avoidable escalations. Learn how machine learning can support proactive care, what people said when Elina first shared her idea many years ago, and how her diverse background including working in India shaped the platform.Discover:
- How Elina’s background supported her focus on improving healthcare through AI
- How her initial work in childhood pneumonia started her career in global health
- Her thoughts on the future of detecting and resolving conditions like pneumonia through AI and digital solutions
- How Elina shifted from a single disease to the broader issue of healthcare delivery
- How change management is so central to technology adoption
- How the pandemic accelerated the need for proactive and preventative healthcare
- How the platform works and supports early identification and self-management
- How their proprietary AI and quality assurance is essential to their platform’s effectiveness
- How Feebris gathers comprehensive data to understand baseline levels for different conditions
- How Elina has responded to the initial challenges of adopting technology like Feebris
- What Elina sees as the future of Feebris and patient healthcare in the digital space
Guest: Elina Naydenova
Website: www.feebris.comHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor23 min - 76: Is Digital Innovation the Key to Safer Motherhood? with Anish from BabyscriptsIn this episode, we’re joined by Anish Sebastian, the founder and CEO of Babyscripts, a company changing access to maternal health. He shares his personal journey that fuelled his passion for digitally transforming prenatal care in the United States, where some maternal health statistics are worse than other high-income countries. We explore key insights such as the power of technology to bridge care gaps, the importance of a holistic approach to prenatal care, and the potential for digital tools to empower patients and improve outcomes.Discover:
Purpose-Driven Innovation: The mission behind Babyscripts and tackling the maternal health crisis.
The Spark: The story of how one conversation with an OB-GYN launched a nationwide healthtech movement.
Impact Through Innovation: Reducing detection time for life-threatening conditions like preeclampsia through virtual care.
Driving Health Equity: Addressing racial and systemic disparities in maternal health outcomes with digital tools.
Patient-Centric Design: Building a platform that informs, empowers, and supports women through every stage of pregnancy.
Scalable Solutions: Expanding across 27 states and managing care for 200 000 plus pregnancies.
The Vision for Virtual Maternity Care: Anish’s blueprint for a seamless, tech-enabled maternal care journey.
Breaking Down Geographic Barriers: How Babyscripts bridges care gaps in underserved and rural areas.
The Future of Maternal Health: Using AI and automation to reimagine how care is delivered.
Guest: Anish Sebastian
Website: BabyscriptsHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor22 min - 75: Can your voice help diagnose diseases? Taking ambient voice tech to the next level with Henry O’Connell from Canary SpeechWhat if your voice could predict your future health? Today, we’re joined by Henry O’Connell, CEO of Canary Speech, whose ground-breaking AI is changing the way we can diagnose health conditions. With a simple 20-second voice clip, ambient voice technology analysis can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and mental health conditions. But how does it work? What challenges did Henry face bringing this to life? And could your voice really be the key to a longer, healthier future?Discover:
AI Meets Healthcare: Discover how Canary Speech uses voice biomarkers to detect neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The Science Behind Voice Analysis: Learn how a 20-second speech sample can reveal cognitive and mental health conditions.
From Bagel Shop to Breakthrough: Hear the unexpected story of how this revolutionary idea was born.
Cracking the Code on Early Diagnosis: How Canary Speech is improving detection rates for neurodegenerative diseases.
Industry Power Moves: The role of partnerships with Microsoft, Harvard, and top healthcare institutions.
Tackling AI Challenges: Overcoming biases, regional accents, and privacy concerns in voice-based diagnostics.
The Future of AI in Medicine: What’s next for speech-based biomarkers and healthcare innovation?
Must-Listen Moments: Henry O’Connell shares real-world examples of how this tech is changing lives
Guest: Henry O’Connell
Website: Canary SpeechHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor24 min - 74: Transforming care rostering & planning with Ian from Access HealthOn this episode, Ian McMullon a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience, shares his fascinating journey from Rentokil to former founder of People Planner. It was a UK-based disruptor in the care rostering industry which has evolved into Access Care Rostering.The platform has grown further following it’s acquisition by the Access group, where Ian now serves as Divisional Director. Learn how the platform is transforming care with its touch-first design, streamlined user experiences, and the integration of automated pathways. Ian also explores the future of the care sector, his experiences of company acquisitions and their strategic importance.Discover:
Trailblazer: At just 16, Ian launched his career in software, quickly carving out a niche in the health sector.
Revolutionising Care Rostering: Ian developed People Planner, a lean rostering solution that simplifies complex scheduling across multiple sites and sectors.
Bootstrapping to Breakthrough: Building a business from scratch in the early 2000s with his partner taught Ian the resilience needed for success.
From Startup to Acquisition: Learn how People Planner caught the eye of Access Health and became part of their larger vision.
Digital Transformation in Care: Ian is leading the charge in replacing outdated paper-based systems with modern, intuitive digital solutions.
User-Centric Innovation: Access Care Rostering prioritises user-friendly interfaces that empower caregivers acrossrailblazer: At just 16, Ian launched his career in software, quickly carving out a niche in the health sector.
Revolutionising Care Rostering: Ian developed People Planner, a lean rostering solution that simplifies com devices and streamline workflows.
Smarter Workflows Through Automation: Discover how Ian’s team is tackling industry challenges by innovating and automating rostering practices.
A Vision for Growth: As Divisional Director, Ian oversees Access Health’s 22 businesses, driving seamless operations and digital excellence.
Guest: Ian McMullon
Website: Access Care RosteringHost: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor27 min - 73: How effective is digital therapy for insomnia? With Alison from SleepstationOn this episode, Vinay welcomes Alison Gardiner who turned her passion for behaviour change into a life-changing solution for insomnia sufferers. As CEO and founder of Sleepstation, Alison has revolutionised sleep health through a program based on digital CBTi techniques. It leads to an improvement in sleep cycles for 94% of participants and is available worldwide. Listen to her inspiring journey of resilience while navigating challenges in healthtech entrepreneurship, strategies for scaling digital health solutions globally, and the importance of behaviour change in healthcare innovation.
Discover:
- From Idea to Innovation: Alison transformed Sleepstation from a side project into a global medtech solution over 14 years.
- Psychology-Driven Solutions: Her passion for behavioural psychology inspired a platform that blends science and technology for real impact.
- Accessible Insomnia Care: Sleepstation democratises therapy with digital CBTi, offering non-clinic-based, personalised sleep solutions.
- Hybrid Healing: By combining human interaction with digital tools, Sleepstation maximises engagement and outcomes.
- Beyond Sleep Tracking: Discover why tracking metrics isn’t enough—and how understanding patterns leads to better results.
- Life-First Focus: Tackling the daily impacts of insomnia, from fatigue to productivity.
- Seamless User Journey: Advanced referral pathways and chat systems ensure users stay on track toward better sleep.
- Pioneering Digital Health: Alison shares her vision for medtech’s evolution and how Sleepstation leads the way.
Guest: Alison Gardiner
Website: www.sleepstation.org.uk/Host: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor24 min - 72: How a smartwatch & iOS app is personalising care for Parkinson’s disease? With Amanda from Strive PDOn this episode, Vinay chats with Amanda Hare, a nurse practitioner specialising in neurology, and experienced in Parkinson’s disease management. Amanda explains the complexity of treating Parkinson’s patients. To help, she introduces Strive PD, an iOS app that integrates objective data and patient inputs.The solution was created by a patient. It tracks mobility, tremors, medication adherence, and enables symptom logging. The app enhances access to clinical trials, assists tailored treatment plans, and empowers patients through actionable data.
Discover:
- How Amanda started her career in the neurological field
- How individuals with Parkinson’s often have unique symptoms
- How Strive PD was created by software engineer with Parkinson’s who entrusted the platform to Rune Labs in 2018
- How Strive PD tracks symptoms between hospital visits to improve treatment plans
- How Strive PD has been able to track dyskinesia through an Apple watch
- How mobility metrics collect enough data to provide baseline comparisons
- How Strive PD can help to educate patients and optimise their treatment regimens
- How Strive PD has helped people self-record and track their symptoms to avoid reliance on memory
- How they’ve partnered with clinicians and medical professionals across the US to expand their patient knowledge
- How they partner with pharmaceutical companies to shorten the cycles necessary for patients to enter medical trials
- How their hope is to reduce the cost and improve quality of life for Parkinson’s patients
Guest: Amanda Hare
Website: https://www.strive.group/Host: Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.oncedaily.coPodcast: 15 Minutes With The Doctor22 min
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