The Healthtech Podcast #426 Outpatient care, reimagined from the ground up: Sam Winward from Pastel Health
Dec 10, 2025
Sam Winward, co-founder and CEO of Pastel Health, is revolutionizing chronic pain care in the NHS. With a rich background in medicine and healthtech, he explains how Pastel merges brick-and-mortar and remote services for better patient experiences. Delving into the challenges of unit economics with previous roles at Babylon, he shares insights on value-based care and the importance of clinician fulfillment. Sam highlights the urgent need for efficient care packages, driven by AI, to enhance service quality while ensuring quick access and empowerment for patients.
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Why Clinicians Move Toward Healthtech
- Sam left clinical work because he wanted broader population impact and more commercial involvement in healthcare.
- He valued analytics, financial thinking and the ability to influence systems beyond one patient encounter.
Rainbows, Gratitude And Staying In Healthcare
- Sam recounts leaving medicine after F2 and seeing a former patient outside his home with family expressing deep gratitude.
- That moment reminded him of clinical impact and motivates his ongoing commitment to healthcare.
Use Consulting To Pivot Effectively
- Use consulting as a bridge from clinical practice into business to learn commercial diligence and financial discipline.
- Consulting exposes you to diverse healthcare models and trains you to assess company value and unit economics.