The Heart of Healthcare | A Digital Health Podcast

Veteran digital health journalist Chrissy Farr and Moderna's Chief Brand Officer Kate Cronin discuss the art of storytelling in healthcare, emphasizing authenticity and transparency. They delve into the undervaluation of marketing roles, successful brands like Livongo and PillPack, and lessons from scaling Moderna's brand during the pandemic. Insights on engaging storytelling, internal communications, and brand building in healthcare startups are shared.

The podcast covers a new report on digital treatment outcomes for musculoskeletal conditions, FDA's guidance on improving diversity in clinical trials, legal battles over GLP-1 drugs, Walgreens' pullback from healthcare, a study on utilizing pharmacists for treatment, and the U.S. Surgeon General's advisory on social media's effects on youth mental health.

In this episode, Halle Tecco talks to Emily Oster— health communicator, health economist, and bestselling author. Emily shares her journey from academia to becoming an influential health communicator, advocating for data-driven decision making and empowering individuals to make informed choices about their health.We cover:Her non-didactic approach to helping people make their own best decisionsHer least favorite types of panic headlines, and how no one would thrive on Doritos® dustPros and cons of the Open Access movementCombating publication biasSpeaking up on controversial topicsAdvice for building trust, combating misinformation, and improving health communicationEmily is on a mission to empower parents by providing the data and tools they need to make confident decisions. After getting a PhD in economics from Harvard, she went on to pursue research in health economics and is now a professor of economics at Brown University. As a mom of two, Emily was inspired by her own pregnancy and the lack of clear information to guide her decisions. She decided to use her expertise in reviewing and analyzing data to help other parents navigate these topics. She is a New York Times best-selling author, whose books include Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm and The Unexpected.Follow Emily Oster on Instagram and X.Subscribe to the Heart of Healthcare and leave us a review! Got an idea for a show? Visit heartofhealthcarepodcast.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Facebook product manager and whistleblower Frances Haugen discusses the harmful effects of social media on mental health, especially for children. She emphasizes the need for regulations to protect young users and shares practical tips for parents and educators to mitigate these impacts. The episode also explores a nonprofit project aiming to set ethical standards for social media platforms and highlights Instagram's new safety features for teenagers.

Glen Tullman, Founder and CEO of Transcarent and former Livongo CEO, discusses revolutionizing e-prescribing, building Livongo as a digital health success, lessons as a serial entrepreneur, and his vision for Transcarent as a consumer-directed healthcare navigation platform.

Zach Reitano, CEO and co-founder of Ro, a direct-to-patient healthcare company, discusses the challenges in today's healthcare model. He highlights how the system often overlooks patient needs and the importance of focusing on cost, quality, and access. Reitano shares insights into using technology to enhance care and argues that quality should not be equated with time spent. He champions a patient-centric approach, advocating for empowered health choices and innovative financial solutions like healthcare savings accounts to foster autonomy.

Digital health experts Halle Tecco & Steve Kraus discuss biotech drug pricing challenges, school counselor shortages, failures of SPAC deals in digital health, Pharma's DTC marketing efforts, declining fertility rates, and concerns about future job shortages and human population growth.

Dr. Shiv Rao, CEO of Abridge, discusses how AI technology helps streamline medical notes, reduce clinician burnout, and improve patient care. He shares his journey from rebel skater to healthcare innovator, highlighting the importance of AI in transforming the healthcare industry.

CEO of Calm, David Ko, discusses mental health challenges for founders, building resilience, leading by example, and destigmatizing mental health. Topics include stress management, sleep quality, workplace mental health, evolution of stigma, and promoting global awareness.

Kate Ryder, Founder & CEO of Maven, discusses the evolution of Maven Clinic, challenges with language in women's health, trends in women's health, egg freezing for gender equality, and proposals for improving the healthcare system like Medicaid coverage for new moms and universal pre-K.