In this episode, Joy sits down with Larissa DeAndrea, Head of Global Impact Programs at ResMed, a leading sleep apnea medical technology company. Larissa shares insights into ResMed's initiatives in the healthcare space, emphasizing their focus on amplifying underrepresented voices and empowering patients through innovative digital tools. Through engaging storytelling and impactful art installations, ResMed strives to bridge the gap between technology and patient experience, ensuring inclusivity and meaningful impact in healthcare. The conversation delves into the importance of incorporating real user experiences in product development, exemplified by ResMed's collaboration with patient associations to capture diverse perspectives. Larissa also discusses the potential of augmented reality and virtual reality to further enhance storytelling and immersive experiences in healthcare. With a keen eye on inclusive design and technological innovation, Larissa and ResMed are paving the way for transformative change in the healthcare ecosystem.
March 26, 2024
While there is undeniable hope for the future of cancer care, systemic barriers still impact access for many patients – particularly those in underserved communities. This session, originally recorded in front of a live audience at SXSW 2024, examines how increasing collaboration and partnerships among organizations that touch all aspects of the cancer journey and reach patients, providers and treatment centers, is critical to expanding access to optimal cancer care and making the goals of the “Cancer Moonshot” a reality. Hear from City of Hope, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American Cancer Society (ACS) about how they are approaching partnerships to create a future where every cancer patient has access to the care they need.
March 25, 2024
This week on StartUp Health NOW, we have again handed over the microphones to two members of our Health Moonshot Impact Board and having them interview each other.
At one end of the table we’ve got Margaret Laws, CEO & President of HopeLab, former Director of Innovations for the Underserved at CHCF, and Founder of the CHCF Health Innovation Fund, and at the other end of the interview table is Shirley Bergin, Senior Advisor at ARPA-H, Former CMO/COO of TEDMED, and Advisor to Ellipsis Health and Cure.
The goal of the conversation was simply to hear about the latest projects and passions of two of the most influential and interesting people in health innovation. In the interview, which took place in person at the Lake Nona Impact Forum in Florida, we cover a range of topics, from youth mental health, to the role of AI in diagnostics, to education to address global gaps in the healthcare workforce.
Margaret Laws and Shirley Bergin are thought leaders in health innovation, but they’re also deeply involved in directing funds towards promising programs, so it will be interesting to see how their curiosities and passions as played out here will lead to concrete moves in the future.
Enjoy the conversation.
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can get one of the last spots in our T1D Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
March 22, 2024
In this episode, Joy sits down with Stacy Fox, VP of Sales at Health Gorilla and a seasoned healthcare industry professional, who shares her unique insights and personal journey within the complex world of healthcare. With a background that includes a heartfelt connection to Children's Hospital Colorado driven by her brother's experience with Down Syndrome, Fox delves into the challenges and triumphs of improving healthcare connectivity and data sharing. Her transition from hands-on roles in healthcare practices to leading digital health sales teams underscores the critical importance of access to medical records and the seamless integration of health information systems. Fox's narrative is not just about her professional achievements but also intertwines her athletic background, emphasizing the value of teamwork, discipline, and leadership—qualities that she brings to her role at Health Gorilla. This episode provides a compelling look at how personal motivations and professional experiences can converge to drive innovation and improvement in healthcare delivery.
March 19, 2024
In this episode, Joy Rios welcomes Dr. Jhaimy Fernandez, a family medicine resident and digital health equity leader, and Betty Villantay, an aspiring physician and advocate in the digital health equity space. The episode delves into the complexities of healthcare, with a particular focus on digital health equity and the challenges of telemedicine, especially in underserved communities. Dr. Fernandez shares her journey from being the first in her family to attend medical school to recognizing the importance of giving back and supporting non-traditional, underrepresented students in medicine. Betty's story highlights the obstacles of navigating a career in biomedical engineering and medicine without a clear guide. Together, they discuss their collaboration in hosting a digital health conference aimed at bringing together people of color to share their experiences in the digital health space. The conversation also touches on the practical aspects of implementing telemedicine, addressing biases from healthcare providers, and the importance of communicating effectively with patients to overcome language barriers and technological challenges. This episode sheds light on the necessity of digital health equity and the power of innovative communication strategies like leveraging common platforms such as WhatsApp to improve patient engagement and access to care.
March 12, 2024
Welcome back to StartUp Health NOW!
We think it’s fair to say that when people think of StartUp Health, they think about entrepreneurs and founders. Over the last 12 or 13 years we’ve supported more than 500 health tech startups and nearly 1000 founders, many of whom have been featured on this show.
Perhaps less well known is what happens behind the scenes at StartUp Health. In this episode we pull back that curtain a little bit, particularly as it pertains to our Health Moonshot Impact Board. We’ve got this advisory team of about 17 amazing individuals across multiple disciplines. These are people like Dr. Toby Cosgrove, former head of the Cleveland Clinic; Chuck Henderson, the CEO of the American Diabetes Association; and Sue Siegel, former head of GE Ventures – just to name three. You can see the whole Health Moonshot Impact Board here on our website.
Recently, we brought together our Health Moonshot Impact Board in real life at the Lake Nona Impact Forum in Florida. Not only did the team get to learn from luminaries like Jeff Bezos, David Feinberg, and Peter Lee, but they got to go deeper on ideas with one another.
In the spirit of encouraging a more radically collaborative impact board, we decided to flip the script a bit and have members of our board interview one another for this podcast. The hope was that this would lead to some unexpected lines of questioning and some uniquely candid moments.
The first conversation in this series is between Esther Dyson, legendary angel investor and founder of Wellville, and Roger Jansen, PhD, the Chief Innovation & Digital Health Officer at Michigan State University Health Care. The conversation was just as wide-ranging and unstructured as we hoped it would be, and it touched on some incredibly powerful topics.
We hope you enjoy.
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can get one of the last spots in our T1D Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
March 8, 2024
In this episode, Joy welcomes multifaceted health IT expert Juliette Nwagbara, who shares her journey and contributions to the field of health IT. Juliette wears numerous hats as a project manager at a health IT AI company, an instructor in health IT at UT Austin, and the founder of RHIA Essential, where she prepares future professionals for the RHIA certification. She discusses the significance of the RHIA certification, administered by AHIMA, which validates expertise in patient data governance, law, data standards, and project management. Juliette's mission is driven by her own challenges in finding support while studying for the RHIA exam, leading her to create resources that make learning engaging and accessible. She emphasizes the transformative power of health IT education in providing confidence, knowledge, and opening up diverse career paths for her students. Juliette's personal journey from discovering health IT amidst career uncertainty to becoming a passionate educator and advocate for the field underscores the impact of dedication and the desire to give back to the community.
March 5, 2024
Healthcare Marketing Myth Busted: It's More Than Just Ads. Tired of thinking digital marketing is just another ad platform? Join host Alan Tam as he dismantles that myth with Stephen Strong, Digital Marketing Director at Northwestern Medicine. What you'll learn in this conversation:The evolving role of digital marketing in healthcare.How digital marketing goes beyond ads to encompass patient experience and user engagement.Hear insights from a marketing pro who transitioned from consumer to healthcare.Ready to unlock the power of digital marketing for your healthcare business? Tune in and get ready to be inspired! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 28, 2024
In this episode, Joy Rios welcomes Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, a dedicated physician, mother, and health equity advocate. Dr. Curry-Winchell shares her impactful journey in the medical field, focusing on advocating for historically excluded and underserved communities of color. Through her multifaceted role, which includes being a medical contributor, TEDx speaker, and creator of the "Beyond Clinical Walls" series, she addresses critical issues like race-based medicine practices and the maternal mortality crisis among black women. Dr. Curry-Winchell's personal experience with unconscious bias during her childbirth highlights the deep-rooted challenges in healthcare. The conversation delves into the importance of acknowledging and addressing unconscious biases, the role of patient-centered teams, and the necessity of community engagement to build trust and provide culturally competent care. This episode is a compelling call to action for systemic change in healthcare to ensure equitable treatment for all.
February 27, 2024
Because of the nature of the work we do at StartUp Health, we’re often dealing with bleeding-edge ideas and technologies. Just last week on the show we talked to a founder creating what could be the smallest implantable devices on the market. Others are working on molecules that could cure diseases.
But there’s another kind of innovation that we’re equally passionate about at StartUp Health. That’s the kind of business model innovation that brings the best care and technology already available to new places and new people. There are many vulnerable communities that don’t get to benefit from the latest technical advances and it takes creative founders to bridge the gap.
Today on the podcast we’re highlighting two such founders. The first is Shruti Gurudanti, the CEO & Co-founder of Televëda – a member of the StartUp Health community since 2021. Gurudanti and her team are working with Native American veterans with the goal of lowering rates of suicide and suicidal ideation. They’ve got a tech platform that enables community building and telemedicine-style services, but what Gurudanti has found is that sometimes the most meaningful change is something basic: building trust with communities, particularly those long ignored.
After the conversation with Gurudanti we’ll hear from Kehlin Swain, CEO & Co-founder of Greens by Xplosion Technology, a member of the StartUp Health T1D Moonshot Community. Greens is an app designed to help vulnerable communities – particularly Black and Brown communities in the American South – manage diabetes in a culturally competent way. The app is called “Greens” in honor of one of the biggest cultural disconnects a family member faced as he navigated changing his diet after a diabetes diagnosis.
The common thread between Gurudanti and Swain is using the best tech of today to meet people where they are and to really understand what’s holding them back. Sometimes it’s something basic, like improving internet access or tech literacy, or bringing basic accountability to disease management.
Let’s get into the interviews, recorded live at a recent health tech conference.
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can get one of the last spots in our T1D Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
February 23, 2024
In this episode, OB/GYN physician Heather Irobunda shares her remarkable career journey, from serving in the army to working in private practice and now in public community health in New York City. She discusses the stark differences between these healthcare sectors, shedding light on the challenges faced by marginalized individuals in accessing proper healthcare. Heather emphasizes the critical need for health literacy and education, especially in a society where access to information is constantly evolving. She also highlights the role of technology in democratizing information and the importance of medical advocacy in addressing the gaps in healthcare access and understanding.
February 20, 2024
When it comes to health technology, often the next big thing is really, really small.
Our guest on the show this week, Dr. Will Hendron, has seen personally that when it comes to implanting a medical device in the body, size matters.
Dr. Hendron spent decades as a surgeon working with rescue devices like pacemakers, which themselves have evolved from being the size of a pack of cigarettes to being smaller than a triple A battery. It doesn’t take a degree in biomechanical engineering to appreciate that you want a lower profile machine sitting next to your heart.
Now, with his company Qura – a member of the StartUp Health community since 2016 – Dr. Hendron is taking that concept to the next level. He and his team are the leading edge of miniaturizing medical devices to such an extreme degree that it opens up a whole new market for remote patient monitoring.
In our interview we’ll talk about how Dr. Hendron and his team have built an implantable the size of a vitamin that can take blood pressure readings passively and transmit that information to the patient and their caregiver wirelessly. We’ll talk about some of the tiny tech that it was necessary to invent in order to make this breakthrough possible, and we’ll talk about how remote monitoring at scale could be a gamechanger for hypertension and heart disease, which are two of the top causes of death globally.
Let’s get into it!
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
February 16, 2024
Welcome to HITea With Grace’s “Fund Like a Girl” series where we're thrilled to feature Cheryl Cheng, founder of Vive Collective, a dynamic VC in health IT.
Join us as Cheryl shares her career journey that led to Vive Collective and delves into the Vive Collective survey conducted via LinkedIn, revealing the top 4 "Digital Health Mafia Companies" and sharing surprising findings. Listen in as Cheryl emphasizes the importance of founders being former high-growth startup operators and the key traits she looks for in companies and founders she invests in.
In this episode, Cheryl also sheds light on the evolving landscape of digital health funding, discussing inclusivity and the challenges that still need to be addressed.
February 16, 2024
Imagine understanding your patients’ needs better than ever, crafting personalized experiences that resonate, and optimizing campaigns with laser precision. This isn’t science fiction; it’s the power of AI in healthcare marketing. Join host Alan Tam and Sujal kumar Raju, Founder & President of Enqbator, as they delve into the game-changing impact of AI. Discover how AI can revolutionize your healthcare marketing. Gain a competitive edge, increase patient satisfaction, and watch your organization thrive in the AI-powered future.This conversation is brought to you by Actium Health in partnership with the Forum for Healthcare Strategists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 15, 2024
In this episode, Joy Rios explores the complexities of the healthcare industry with guest Katy Allen, EVP, Managing Director at Bounteous, a digital experience company. They discuss how the industry is filled with various point solutions that need integration into a cohesive platform. Katy highlights the roles of caregivers, both always-on caregivers and crisis caregivers, and the challenges they face in managing multiple solutions for their loved ones' healthcare. The conversation also touches on the importance of involving the caregiver's voice in healthcare solutions and the need to value and support caregivers more within the system. It's a thought-provoking discussion on the intricacies of healthcare and the evolving role of caregivers in it.
February 13, 2024
At StartUp Health, we get the pleasure of talking with many, many founders of healthcare startups. It’s a perk of the job, because each founder, each new idea, inspires us and gives us hope that we’re on the cusp of some major breakthroughs.
Then reality sets in, and we’re reminded just how hard it is to go from an idea – even a brilliant one with validation – to commercialization and broad use. It’s one thing for a founder to find a single clinic to use their platform or device, but a common question is: How do you get your startup adopted at a large hospital, or better yet, a hospital system? Do you just call up the Chief Digital Officer, or Chief Innovation Officer, and they’ll get it sorted?
Not exactly, according to our guest today. For one thing, the role of hospital’s Chief Digital Officer has changed dramatically.
Sara Vaezy is Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Digital Officer for Providence, where she is responsible for system strategy and digital innovation for the integrated delivery network (IDN), which includes 52 hospitals and 1,085 clinics and serves over 5 million unique patients.
So, how can a startup work with a hospital system effectively? What do hospitals look for in a startup and what are some of the red flags for a project that’s going nowhere? And what are the greatest pain points for which hospitals are actively seeking solutions?
To answer these questions, we invited Vaezy onto a Masterclass, which are virtual sessions we hold in front of a live audience of founders from the StartUp Health community. We’ve cut the session down to share the highlights with you, and we’ve included some of the founder questions from the Q&A as well, since they are very practical and relevant.
Let’s dive in!
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
February 9, 2024
You have every right to access and afford good-quality healthcare.
In this episode, Larissa D’Andrea, the Global Vice President of Impact at ResMed, emphasizes the importance of engaging diverse communities in the development and deployment of health technology. She highlights the significance of including patients, clinicians, and caregivers in the healthcare journey, advocating for a more inclusive approach to healthcare. Larissa also shares the inspiring story of a patient who, thanks to data-driven technology, became a champion in respiratory care. She calls on individuals and healthcare organizations to seek education, become empowered advocates, and collaborate to enhance healthcare access and outcomes for all.
Listen to this episode and discover how to effectively engage with diverse communities and drive positive changes in healthcare.
Resources:
Connect with and follow Larissa D'Andrea on LinkedIn.
Follow ResMed on LinkedIn.
Visit the ResMed website here.
February 9, 2024
In this episode of HITea With Grace’s “Fund Like a Girl”, we have a very special guest - Halle Tecco - a pioneering VC in the health IT space.
In this episode, Halle shares her career journey, insights into the evolving healthcare landscape, and invaluable advice for women venturing into healthcare entrepreneurship and venturing into venture. She discusses key challenges and effective strategies, highlights success stories of women-led startups, and navigates the complexities of healthcare regulations. Halle emphasizes the importance of building diverse teams, leveraging technology, and seeking mentorship for women founders in healthcare.
Join us for a deep dive into Halle Tecco's perspective on driving innovation and making a difference in healthcare IT through funding technologies that seamlessly improve care and outcomes and so generously sharing her learnings with us along the way.
February 9, 2024
In this episode, Suzanne Jacobs, Group President of Medical at Real Chemistry, and Trina Stonner, President of Avant Healthcare, discuss Real Chemistry’s newly announced acquisition of Avant Healthcare, how the two companies came together and have similar ethos of supporting physicians in advancing patient care, and how the future of medical communications will involve a combination of data, creativity, AI, and human expertise.
February 6, 2024
In this episode, Joy Rios engages in a thought-provoking conversation with guest Dr. Jessi Gold, a psychiatrist and anthropologist. Together, they delve into the complex issue of burnout in healthcare. Jessi sheds light on the multifaceted nature of burnout, emphasizing its emotional, depersonalization, and reduced accomplishment components. They discuss how burnout not only affects individual healthcare workers but also has significant systemic implications, impacting patient care and hospital costs. Jessi highlights the importance of both individual and systemic changes in addressing burnout and advocates for a more open and vulnerable workplace culture to normalize discussions around mental health and well-being. They also explore the significance of finding meaning, purpose, and gratitude in combating burnout and enhancing the overall quality of life for healthcare professionals. This episode provides valuable insights into the challenges and potential solutions in the realm of healthcare burnout.
February 6, 2024
In January, StartUp Health launched the Alzheimer’s Moonshot with support from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Gates Ventures. The Alzheimer’s Moonshot is an invitation to Health Transformers, Alzheimer’s funders, foundations, advocates, and innovators, as well as leading startups and research teams, to unite in pioneering comprehensive, collaborative approaches to Alzheimer’s disease.
The Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community is powered by StartUp Health and our Health Transformer University, an entrepreneurial mastery program and lifelong learning community for ambitious founders and funders who are solving the biggest health challenges of our time.
That brings us to our podcast guest this week. Dr. Phyllis Ferrell will serve as the Chief Impact Officer of the Alzheimer’s Moonshot and lead its Impact Board. Dr. Ferrell has three decades of related experience, most recently serving as the Global Head of Alzheimer’s and Neurodegeneration at Eli Lilly and Strategic Advisor to the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative. The Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board will also include representatives from the ADDF, Gates Ventures, and a diverse group of stakeholders from industry, clinical medicine, academia, investment and patient and caregiver communities.
As we will discuss in the episode, shortly after Dr. Ferrell transferred from a marketing and sales role at Lilly to leading their Alzheimer’s division, her father was diagnosed with the devastating disease. She threw herself into the work and eventually became a leading voice in Alzheimer’s research and drug development. She’s served as a strategic advisor to multiple high-profile Alzheimer’s organizations, and now she’s marshaling her experience to lead StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot. We caught up with her to get a better understanding of where she sees this initiative going and why this is such a unique moment in time for Alzheimer’s innovation.
Enjoy the episode and then learn more about StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot at startuphealth.com/alzheimers.
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
February 2, 2024
Are you getting everything you need out of your data as a healthcare leader? Join host Alan Tam as he explores the changing landscape of patient experience with Christine Albert, Chief Experience Officer at LCMC Health. Christine takes us behind the scenes to dissect the secret weapon of healthcare – putting your data to work. Discover: Why healthcare marketing is evolving – are you working for your insights, or are your insights working for you? Breaking down data and organizational silos: how LCMC Health is creating a seamless patient experience, from appointment to recovery. Building a brand that puts patients first – discover LCMC Health's secret sauce. The future of healthcare: data-driven personalization and experiences.This conversation is more than just healthcare – it's about putting your data to work. Dive in and learn how to make your data work for you and your patients. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 31, 2024
In this episode, Joy Rios explores the complexities of healthcare with her guests, Lindsey Williams and Megan Henken, co-founders of MyUTI. MyUTI is a platform that offers advanced testing for urinary tract infections (UTIs) from the comfort of one's home. Lindsey and Megan emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis for UTIs, especially in the face of rising antibiotic-resistant infections. They dispel common myths about UTI remedies, such as cranberry juice and yogurt, and highlight the need for a more convenient and effective approach to UTI testing and treatment. The episode also delves into the challenges of starting a business in the healthcare industry, emphasizing the need for innovation and convenience in modern healthcare solutions.
January 30, 2024
Welcome back to StartUp Health NOW, the podcast where we hear directly from the entrepreneurs and innovators who are transforming health.
Typically on this show we talk to founders of startups. We’re all about understanding what’s new and next in health, and that often means talking to the people who are in the early days of creating a product or business. Most early-stage startups – healthcare or otherwise – have one thing in common. They need money. It takes a long time to get a healthcare business profitable, and so founders need outside funds to get an idea off the ground, complete their research, or scale up.
That brings us to this week's guest, David Panzirer, Trustee at the Helmsley Charitable Trust. To put it in simple startup terms, David is a funder. The Helmsley Charitable Trust is an $8 billion dollar philanthropy renowned for its work funding healthcare research and innovative programs.
Of course David’s a lot more than a funder. He’s a father, for one thing, a fact that’s driven his work more than anything else. David’s also a firebrand and an instigator in an industry that often needs a little push in the right direction.
The reason for our interview, which took place at a recent health tech event, is that the Helmsley Charitable Trust has been the anchor partner for StartUp Health’s Type 1 Diabetes Moonshot, and David has been instrumental in getting that effort off the ground. He’s been part of our T1D Impact Board and has met with founders on multiple occasions to give them invaluable feedback and advice.
In this episode, we talk about the wild west of conversational AI, promising new T1D therapeutics, rural medicine, and why Helmsley has positioned itself as a high risk/high reward funder.
Let’s get into it.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Contact us to learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.
Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Contact us to learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot
Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
January 26, 2024