Definitively Speaking
Data-driven conversations on the biggest trends in healthcare.
All Episodes
Episode 37: It’s time to take your medicine – and Charles Gellman of HiDO Health has AI robots to help you remember
More than 131 million people in the U.S. take a prescription drug every day, but nearly half don’t take their medications as directed. Charles Gellman, CEO and co-founder of HiDO Health, joins Justin to discuss how technologies like AI, RFID, and robotics can help patients and caregivers adhere to complex drug regimens without direct support from a doctor or pharmacist. Charles explains how his company leverages this tech to eliminate barriers to health equity and reduce the 125,000 preventable deaths and $300 billion in preventable care costs associated with medication non-adherence each year.
September 21, 2023
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Episode 36: Will we ever get payors and providers to speak the same love language? Russ Thomas of Availity thinks we can – and has a roadmap to do so
In the U.S., payors and providers need each other to deliver the highest-quality care at the lowest cost—but they don’t always get along. Russ Thomas, CEO of Availity, joins Justin to discuss the systemic factors driving the misalignment between payors and providers. Russ and Justin discuss how technology and a new perspective might be able to simplify two of biggest points of friction: utilization management and authorization workflow.
September 7, 2023
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Episode 35: Could a pig save your life? Discussing xenotransplantation with Dr. Mohiuddin of University of Maryland School of Medicine
On a snowy January day in 2022, Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin, director of cardiac xenotransplantation at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, oversaw the first transplantation of a pig heart into a human body. Dr. Mohiuddin joins Justin to discuss this landmark procedure—from the selection of patient David Bennett to the complications that ultimately led to the transplanted heart’s failure 60 days after the successful surgery—and what comes next for this rapidly advancing field.
August 24, 2023
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Episode 34: Measuring the immeasurable: Can you quantify the impact of medical affairs? With Steve Casey of Omni Healthcare Communications
More than 4.8 billion prescriptions were filled in the U.S. in 2022, and a medical affairs team had a hand in each one—even if the average patient doesn’t know they exist. Steve Casey, managing partner of Omni Healthcare Communications, joins Justin to explain the evolving role of medical affairs and why life science organizations are struggling to find KPIs that accurately measure the impact of their work from drug development through provider and payor education and beyond.
August 10, 2023
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Episode 33: David Bennett of pCare answers the $1 million question: How can health systems keep patients for life?
For hospitals and health systems, the lifetime value of a patient is around $1 million. So why are more than half of U.S. hospitals operating with outdated tech that adds friction to the patient experience and increases the likelihood of losing that patient to a different system? David Bennett, CEO of pCare, joins Justin to discuss how technology, amenities, and basic bedside manner all intersect in a patient’s care experience—and what consumers can do to stay informed and navigate the healthcare system more effectively.
July 27, 2023
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Episode 32: U.S. women spend more to get less from healthcare — Jo Lim of Babylon is using AI to change that
Women make up more than half of the U.S. population and over two-thirds of the global healthcare workforce, but within the American healthcare system, they face significantly poorer outcomes than those in other similarly wealthy countries. Jo Lim, SVP of growth and engagement at Babylon, joins Justin and guest contributor Kate Shamsuddin, chief product officer at Definitive Healthcare, to explore how virtual care, artificial intelligence, and value-based reimbursement could help address the care disparities faced by women and improve population health management to make U.S. healthcare more affordable and accessible for everybody.
July 13, 2023
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Episode 31: Always bet on the surgeon—Discussing the value of outsiders and risk-takers in biotech with Dr. Sasha Krupnick
Drug development is a highly expensive, risky venture for investors and researchers alike. Dr. Sasha Krupnick, chief of thoracic surgery and director of the lung transplant program for the University of Maryland Medical System, joins Justin to discuss why biotech needs more outsider perspectives, government support, and risk-takers to get the next industry-shaking innovation off the ground. Dr. Krupnick explains what led him from surgery to oncological drug discovery, why Big Pharma isn’t healthcare’s big bad, and why you should always bet on the surgeon.
June 22, 2023
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Episode 30: Things we don’t talk about (but should): The transgender experience in healthcare with Dr. Ben Haseen
What does it mean to be transgender? Dr. Ben Haseen, an openly transgender author, health advocate, and physician resident at Duke University Health System, joins Justin—and returning colleague Catherine Wright—to dig deep into the science, politics, and cultural factors underlying this deceptively simple question. Dr. Haseen dispels common misconceptions around gender identity and sexuality, outlines the challenges that trans people face when seeking healthcare, and explains how activism through academia means focusing on “the things that we don’t talk about, but we should.”
June 8, 2023
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Episode 29: America needs more nurses—Sean Burke of Ascend Learning says the answer is in the pipeline
The American Colleges of Nursing projects a shortage of 230,000 nurses by 2031, a figure that raises concerns for the country’s aging, increasingly sick population. Sean Burke, president of healthcare for Ascend Learning, joins Justin to examine the challenges facing the nursing pipeline—including workforce attrition, lack of professional preparedness, and constraints to educational capacity and access—and explore how providers, academia, and the government can contribute to a much-needed solution.
May 25, 2023
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Episode 28: Would you get your eyes checked where you buy your shampoo? Jeremy Kirsch and Steven Wisch of Network Eye bet you will — and they’re bringing eye care to the masses at your local retailer
In the last five years, retail care has grown 200%, giving patients a more accessible and affordable pathway to preventive primary care outside of the traditional practice model. Is specialty care the next frontier for retail medicine? Network Eye CEO Jeremy Kirsch and Executive Chairman Steven Wisch join Justin to discuss how their company is using AI to bring ophthalmology into the retail setting, make diagnosis faster and less expensive, and blaze trails for other specialties in the retail care space.
May 11, 2023
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Episode 27: Does your doctor give you heartburn? Reimagining GI care delivery with Dr. Sameer Berry, CMO of Oshi Health
Why is it easier for a gastrointestinal (GI) specialist to order an endoscopy than schedule a simple consultation with a patient? Dr. Sameer Berry, CMO and co-founder of Oshi Health, joins Justin and new podcast contributor Catherine Wright to examine the current approach to GI care that Dr. Berry calls “flawed to its core.” Dr. Berry shines a light on gastroenterology’s perverse incentives, misinformation, and stigma while sharing the benefits of a virtual-first, multidisciplinary care model that could – and should – deliver more cost savings, better patient outcomes, and even potentially reform the healthcare system itself.
April 27, 2023
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Episode 26: Love ‘em or hate ‘em, EHR and RCM are here to stay. So what’s next? Looking at the past, present, and future with A. Hadi Chaudhry, CEO of CareCloud
Healthcare software solutions have come a long way in the last few decades: Once consider nice-to-have workflow enhancements, electronic health records (EHRs) and revenue cycle management (RCM) tools are now ubiquitous in the world of care delivery—leaving vendors to seek competitive advantages through expanded feature sets, agnostic data integration, and other specialized solutions. A. Hadi Chaudhry, CEO and president of CareCloud, joins Justin to discuss the ways EHR and RCM software has evolved, how care delivery organizations should be using them, and what’s coming next.
April 13, 2023
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Episode 25: Mid-sized practice, full-sized problems—Discussing data-driven efficiency with Blake Wylie of Montecito Medical
Mid-sized physician groups face a lot of the same problems as major health networks—they just have fewer resources to work with. Blake Wylie, chief technology officer at Montecito Medical, joins Justin to discuss how AI and data-driven strategies can help smaller practices operate more efficiently and overcome common challenges related to recruiting, no-show patients, lack of market insight, and more.
March 30, 2023
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Episode 24: This might hurt a bit—Diagnosing the nursing shortage with Rachel Schiff of IntelyCare
Nurses consistently rank among America’s most trusted professions, and for a good reason—they're the folks delivering the compassionate care that everyone needs. And yet, nurses are burnt out, striking, and leaving in droves. So, what’s the treatment plan? Rachel Schiff, Chief Product Officer at IntelyCare joins Justin and Todd to shed some light on recent trends in the nursing profession. Rachel discusses how the healthcare industry may address the nursing shortage by empowering nurses with greater agency and flexibility and innovative use of software.
March 16, 2023
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Episode 23: Try a Prescription-Strength App—Talking digital therapeutics with Dr. Nayan Kalnad of Avegen
Doctors’ patient loads keep growing, and reinforcements are nowhere in sight. Could the solution be somewhere in cyberspace? Dr. Nayan Kalnad, CEO and co-founder of Avegen, talks with Justin about how digital therapeutics—healthcare software prescribed independently or alongside a drug—are helping overworked physicians focus on the patients who require face-to-face time while still supporting those with less critical needs through remote education, monitoring, and improved care coordination.
March 2, 2023
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Episode 22: Can we pandemic-proof the healthcare supply chain? Examining medical equipment management with Kelly Starman from PartsSource
International shipping has improved since the start of the pandemic, but hospitals are still shouldering the burden of a disrupted supply chain. Kelly Starman, chief marketing officer at PartsSource, talks with Justin about what supply chain recovery really means, how equipment management strategies can save money and improve performance at hospitals and other care facilities, and why macroeconomic trends and geopolitics should be on every facility administrator’s mind.
February 16, 2023
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Episode 21: Is the patient the quarterback or the football? Tackling care integration with Mark Clermont from Cecelia Health
There just aren’t enough specialists to go around, and every position across the care continuum is feeling the strain. Mark Clermont, CEO of Cecelia Health, joins Justin to explain how virtual specialty care could ease the burden on overloaded primary care providers, reduce overall health spending, and help providers and health systems assume the role of healthcare quarterback—without setting patients up to be the football.
February 2, 2023
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Episode 20: Who has their hands on your healthcare data? Decoding PHI security with David Ting from Tausight
An average of two major healthcare data breaches happen every day—double the rate the industry faced just three years ago. David Ting, CEO and founder of Tausight, talks with Justin about what makes your protected health information (PHI) more valuable to thieves than your social security number, why the industry is better at securing technical infrastructure than data itself, and how neural networking and natural language processing can help us track and handle patient records more securely.
January 19, 2023
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What a Year! — Looking back on 2022 (and at the year ahead) with Justin, Brittany, and Todd
Can you believe it’s 2023 already? With 2022 in the rearview, Definitively Speaking contributors Todd Bellemare and Brittany Morin-Mezzadri join Justin to discuss their favorite guests, most memorable moments, and recurring themes from the show’s exciting first year. They also look forward to 2023 and offer some insight on the factors that will shape the healthcare industry in the coming year.
January 5, 2023
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Episode 19: Can we fix the friction in U.S. healthcare? A discussion with Othman Laraki from Color Health
The U.S. healthcare market isn’t exactly known for its efficiency. A quarter of every dollar spent on healthcare in the U.S. covers the transaction itself, and the market frequently limits consumers to a handful of choices. Othman Laraki, CEO of Color Health, joins Justin to share his vision of a more free and open healthcare market with less friction, lower costs, and greater access. Othman and Justin discuss how underutilization of preventive care amplifies expenses downstream, whether decoupling health insurance and clinical networks can improve access, and why efforts on the margins can go a long way toward eliminating friction across the care continuum.
December 1, 2022
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Episode 18: Identifying the signal in the noise—How to make sense of 19 terabytes of data each year, with Chase Zaputil of Veda
The U.S. healthcare sector generates 19 terabytes of clinical data each year—and that’s doesn’t even include any financial, operational, patient, or systems data. Chase Zaputil, chief growth officer at Veda, joins Justin to talk about all that data: how to measure its quality and value, how to reduce inaccuracy, and why old data isn’t necessarily bad data. Justin and Chase explore the role of data in healthcare interoperability, the current state of pharmacy benefits and drug costs, and how data can help reduce inequity in healthcare.
November 17, 2022
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Episode 17: Treating Oncology’s “Perverse Incentive”— How to bend the cost curve in cancer treatment with Dr. Andrew Norden of OncoHealth
Oncology is full of staggering statisitics—1.9 million cancer diagnoses and 680,000 deaths each year in the U.S. alone—but some of the most alarming involve the financial impact of care: Cancer patients are over 2.5x more likely to declare bankruptcy than their demographic peers. Dr. Andrew Norden, chief medical officer at OncoHealth, joins Justin to discuss how we can to reduce the physical, mental, and financial toll of cancer. Justin and Andrew discuss oncology’s “built-in perverse incentive” that drives some doctors to prescribe top-dollar drugs and lays out some options for bending the cost curve, including value-based payment models, stringent utilization management, and greater compensation for oncologists’ routine services.
November 3, 2022
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Episode 16: Meet the Medical Consumer with Alan Foreman of B-Secur
Medical hardware companies are adopting consumer approaches to data sharing and visualization. Consumer product companies are implementing medical-grade technology. Are these two industries headed for a collision or a convergence? And who exactly is the “medical consumer” that will benefit from this convergence? Alan Foreman, CEO of B-Secur, joins Justin to talk about the value of wearables in preventive care, who medical-grade wearables are really for, and what it will take to deliver truly accessible, actionable medical diagnostics at home.
October 20, 2022
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Episode 15: Clinical recruiting is a buyer’s market (so act like it!)—Best practices for healthcare staffing with Anthony Gentile of Katon Direct
COVID-19 didn’t kick off the healthcare staffing crisis, but it sure didn’t help. Justin is joined by Anthony Gentile, managing partner at Katon Direct, to diagnose the current state of clinical recruiting and prescribe some potential solutions for healthcare organizations looking to attract top talent. Anthony shares his ideas on how to address the dual-shortage of candidates and educators, why providers need to rethink employer branding, and what three items every healthcare organization should have on their staffing to-do list.
To learn more about Definitive Healthcare, please visit us at definitivehc.com
October 6, 2022
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Episode 14: Going old school with your doctor – Exploring Direct Primary Care with Beth Holmes of Hint Health
Seeing your primary care doctor shouldn’t feel like speed dating—right? Justin and Todd are joined by Beth Holmes, head of network development at Hint Health, to discuss how direct primary care (DPC) aims to revitalize old-school doctor-patient relationships and fill the gaps left by the fee-for-service model. Beth discusses DPC’s success with smaller employers and underinsured regions, how DPC reduces reliance on emergency care, and why family doctors may be less likely to leave the field in a DPC model.
September 22, 2022
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Episode 13 afterward: The biopharma glass is definitively more than half-full
Justin, Todd, and special guest Robert Groebel, VP of global life science strategy at Definitive Healthcare, expand on last week’s chat with Pam Randhawa from Empiriko and unpack the challenges, benefits, and opportunities of collaboration in the biopharma market.
How can big pharma, small pharma, academia, and the government all work together? Robert and Todd have some big ideas. They look back at their careers to share professional insights and personal perspectives on the biopharma industry’s evolving playbook—and why they’re looking forward with a healthy dose of optimism.
September 8, 2022
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Episode 13: How academia and start-ups can accelerate the drug development pipeline with Pam Randhawa, CEO of Empiriko
The life sciences industry is seeing the convergence of some revolutionary technology, but is it bringing the right people together? Pam Randhawa, CEO and founder of Empiriko, stops by to chat about the need for closer collaboration across the biopharma space—between big and small organizations, academic institutions and startups, and the public and private sectors. Pam and Justin discuss the mutual benefits of partnerships between new and established biopharma organizations, academia’s untapped potential in life sciences R&D, and why Massachusetts is the model for cross-sector collaboration and innovation.
August 25, 2022
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Episode 12: Cheaper, better, faster, smarter. How automation is revolutionizing your pharmacy with Scott Seidelmann of Omnicell
Scott Seidelmann, Chief Commercial Officer at Omnicell, joins Justin and Todd to talk about the industrial components of pharmacy that no one ever thinks about but everyone really needs — logistics and administration. Do you take it for granted that the drugs you need will be available where and when you need them? Justin did, and Scott explains why that happens. Learn how Omnicell is reinventing and automating the medication management process — for everyone from the small town drugstore to the big city hospital. The result? Pharmacists practice at the top of their license, drug costs decline, and more people can access to treatment.
August 11, 2022
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Episode 11: The Nacho Dilemma—Breaking down barriers to behavioral change and care integration with Dr. Carolyn Jasik of Omada Health
When a doctor recommends a lifestyle change, who’s holding you to it? Dr. Carolyn Jasik, chief medical officer at Omada Health, joins Justin for a discussion on addressing the barriers to behavioral change, and how her company is leveraging data to provide patients with personalized support as they work toward their health goals. Dr. Jasik explains how a virtual-first, hybrid care model provides value to patients, providers and payors, why misaligned incentives are derailing healthcare interoperability and what systemic changes are necessary to bend the care cost curve.
July 28, 2022
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Episode 10: I’m shocked! The amazing potential and possibility of bioelectronic medicine with Doug Biehn of Cala Health
An estimated 10 million Americans live with debilitating tremors, but only about 40,000 are eligible or interested in the costly and invasive deep brain stimulation to treat it. Doug Biehn, chief commercial officer of Cala Health, talks with Justin about how his company is closing the treatment gap in this $20 billion market with accessible, patient-calibrated wearables. Doug explains what physicians are really looking for in new tech, how patient advocates are key to winning over providers and payors, and why healthcare startups need to be educators as well as innovators.
July 14, 2022
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Episode 9: Oh my aching back! Why your iPhone may be your new physical therapist: The Digital MSK Clinic with Jim Pursley of Hinge Health
Fifty percent of American adults live with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Jim Pursley, president of Hinge Health, joins Justin to talk about how digital technology and new medical devices are rapidly changing MSK treatment and improving pain management. Jim shares some big ideas on how digital MSK therapy can improve quality of life, reduce unnecessary and costly surgeries, and how digital MSK may even help kick America’s opioid addiction.
June 23, 2022
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Episode 8: How do you make 300 IT vendors work together? Healthcare operations and GRC with Brian Fugere of Symplr
Brian Fugere, chief product officer at Symplr, joins Justin to discuss how a good governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) strategy can help hospitals and health systems be more efficient by integrating hundreds of disparate systems, processes and data sources. The average hospital system has more than 300 different IT vendors. How do you make them all work together to improve patient care, lower the cost of care, and keep hospital employees happy? Brian has the answer.
June 9, 2022
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Episode 7 Afterward: Stop apologizing for being human (and other ways to end the stigma around mental healthcare)
Justin, Todd and Brittany unpack last week’s conversation with Cara McNulty from CVS Health and bring a personal perspective to the challenges facing mental healthcare: How can we reduce stigma and other barriers to care? Are shifting employer-employee relations helping to normalize mental health and wellbeing? And how can the industry support our youth who are at an increased risk for “cognitive implosion?”
May 26, 2022
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Episode 7: Brush your brain: Rethinking mental health with Cara McNulty of CVS Health
Cara McNulty, President of Behavioral Health and Resources for Living at CVS Health, joins Justin and Brittany to talk about the critical importance of mental health and why it’s important for everyone to treat mental health in the same way that we manage our physical health. Cara also shares how CVS is working to democratize access to mental healthcare, and why it’s important to “brush your brain” everyday – because giving your brain the right amount of nutrients, attention and rest can make all the difference in the world.
May 19, 2022
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Episode 6 Afterward: The healthcare staffing crisis is more than a little troubling — so what can we do about it?
Justin, Todd and Brittany break down last week’s conversation with Tim Bosse from System One and expand on some key questions: Are outdated medical licensing models contributing to staffing gaps? How can provider organizations create new pathways into clinical care? And what role does consumer behavior have on the burdens facing health systems?
May 12, 2022
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Episode 6: Reach out and hug someone: Staffing during the Great Resignation with Tim Bosse from System One
Tim Bosse, senior vice president of talent solutions at System One, joins Justin and Todd to discuss how the Great Resignation is impacting healthcare. From hiring to retention, from burn-out to innovative benefits, employment in healthcare is never going to look the same. The Great Resignation threatens to leave the healthcare industry understaffed and underpowered for years. Tim, Todd and Justin examine the shift in resignations from frontline workers to leadership, how providers and governments could open up the talent pipeline, and why healthcare companies should prioritize staff retention over recruitment.
April 29, 2022
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Episode 5: Genetic testing is having a moment, with Kamal Gogineni and Dr. Rakesh Patel from Invitae
Kamal Gogineni, President of Digital Health at Invitae, and Dr. Rakesh Patel, Chief Medical Officer for Digital Health at Invitae, join Justin to talk the massive growth in genetic testing and what to do with all the data that it generates. Kamal, Rakesh and Justin discuss who is a good candidate for genetic testing, how genetic testing helps oncologists more easily identify and efficiently treat “decision-dense” cancers, and why moving risk assessment upstream in the care continuum could save lives and reduce healthcare system costs.
April 21, 2022
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Episode 4 Afterward: Can preventive care address post-pandemic staffing issues?
Justin, Todd and Brittany have a follow-up conversation on last week’s chat with Dr. Mark Pimentel. Together, they assess the perfect storm of pandemic-related delays in care, staffing shortages and healthcare inequity, and discuss how pushing patients toward preventive care could help to mitigate the system’s constricted supply.
April 14, 2022
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Episode 4: Can we correct our course? — Navigating the post-pandemic healthcare landscape with Dr. Mark Pimentel
Dr. Mark Pimentel, executive director of the MAST Program at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, joins Justin and Brittany to discuss the long-term implications of pandemic-related delays in care on providers, facilities and patients, as well as solutions for bringing hesitant patients back into the care continuum.
April 7, 2022
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Episode 3: Deal or no deal? A look into Healthcare IT M&A with Ben Rooks
Ben Rooks, Managing Principal at ST Advisors, Inc., joins Justin to discuss the macro trends reshaping the healthcare landscape, why tech companies struggle to find their footing in healthcare, and how private equity firms use their edge over public companies to acquire healthcare IT assets.
March 24, 2022
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Episode 2: Virtual care is where you want to be with Dan Trencher
Dan Trencher, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy for Teladoc Health, joins Justin and Todd to talk about the explosive growth of virtual care over the past two years, why your next primary care visit may take place on your living room couch, and why mental health is one of the fastest growing segments for telemedicine.
March 10, 2022
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Episode 1 Afterward: Digging deeper into the future of healthcare innovation
Definitively Speaking Host Justin Steinman is joined by his colleagues Todd Bellemare and Brittany Morin-Mezzadri to dig deeper into last week’s conversation with Michael Greeley. Todd, Brittany and Justin discuss the opportunities for innovation across the healthcare industry and debate the roles that retail clinics, virtual care and traditional health systems all need to play to better serve patients.
March 3, 2022
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Episode 1: Disrupting healthcare – Funding the next generation of innovation with Michael Greeley
Michael Greeley, cofounder and general partner at Flare Capital Partners, stops by to discuss how data drives his investment strategy, how healthcare today compares to the tech industry 20 years ago, and how the democratization of healthcare impacts everyone.
February 24, 2022
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Definitively Speaking Trailer
Welcome to Definitively Speaking, a new podcast that explores the current state of healthcare, where it’s heading and what that means for you—all through data-driven conversations with the industry’s top thought leaders.
February 10, 2022
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About Definitively Speaking
The healthcare industry is complicated—so let’s talk about it. Justin Steinman, chief marketing officer at Definitive Healthcare, is your host for data-driven conversations with thought leaders from every corner of this $4 trillion industry. Justin and his guests discuss healthcare’s biggest trends, consider where the industry might be heading, and break down what it means for you.
Host
Justin Steinman
Justin Steinman is passionate about data and its ability to transform how we think about healthcare. With years of industry expertise, he’s developed a knack for helping others see the opportunities in healthcare’s complexities. When he’s not leading Definitive Healthcare’s marketing strategy, development and execution, you can find him coaching Little League baseball or reading a good book on the beach.