The Pulse by Wharton Digital Health

In this episode of The Pulse, I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. James Lu, co-founder and CEO of Helix - a precision medicine company using genomics to power preventive care. With over $270 million raised and partnerships spanning major U.S. health systems, Helix is at the forefront of turning DNA into an actionable health asset.

In this episode of The Pulse, I sat down with Dr. Adam Wolfberg, Chief Medical Officer of Virta Health, a company pioneering a new approach to tackling metabolic disease. Virta Health has a mission to reverse type 2 diabetes and obesity through nutrition-first treatment and tech-enabled care. We discussed Adam’s unconventional journey from news reporter to startup exec, Virta’s science-backed outcomes, and why GLP-1s aren’t the only answer to America’s weight crisis.

In this episode, I sat down with Autumn-Kyoko (AK) Cushman, co-founder and CEO of ShiftRx, a platform using generative AI to transform pharmacy staffing. Backed by investors like Work-Bench, Inflect Health, Tau Ventures, and Opal Ventures, ShiftRx is tackling one of healthcare’s biggest challenges - staffing shortages - by empowering providers with more control, flexibility, and financial stability.AK’s path to founding ShiftRx is anything but conventional - she served as a hospital corpsman in the US Navy, worked in management consulting with the National Cancer Institute, and later joined IBM’s Watson Health. Her firsthand exposure to healthcare’s inefficiencies, combined with her co-founder Leann’s experience as a pharmacy technician, led them to build ShiftRx as a provider-first solution.AK and I discussed the founding story of ShiftRx, the root causes of provider burnout, and how AI can reshape healthcare staffing.

In this episode, I sat down with Michael Meng, co-founder and CEO of Stellar Health. Founded in 2018, Stellar Health is redefining value-based care delivery for primary care teams. Through Stellar's industry-leading micro-incentive platform, providers and their care teams using Stellar receive in-workflow prompts to close care and quality gaps efficiently. Every value-based care activity is rewarded monthly, real-time feedback loops are realized, and overall patient care is enhanced. By shifting the existing financial model, Stellar Health is ushering in a new era of shared accountability for primary care networks everywhere.Michael and I spoke about the evolution of Stellar Health, the successes and failures of value-based care to date, why so many people think the healthcare system is broken, and how recent innovations might be able to fix that.

Our guest on this episode is ⁠Jim Pursley⁠, President of ⁠Hinge Health⁠. Founded in 2014, Hinge Health is revolutionizing musculoskeletal (MSK) care by combining virtual physical therapy, wearable technology, and multidisciplinary care teams. Through AI-powered motion tracking, real-time exercise guidance, and personalized health coaching, Hinge Health is improving outcomes for patients while reducing healthcare costs. In the episode, Jim and I discussed: 1) The founding story of Hinge Health and key moments shaping its mission, 2) How Hinge Health integrates AI, motion tracking, and Enso technology to deliver remote MSK care, 3) Overcoming skepticism around virtual physical therapy and the challenges of scaling in a complex healthcare ecosystem, and 4) The future of healthcare innovation, including unified care models and AI-driven advancements

Our guest on this episode is ⁠Mike Uchrin⁠, Co-founder and CEO of ⁠Monogram Health⁠. Founded in 2019, Monogram Health is revolutionizing kidney care through its value based, in-home care model, improving outcomes for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) as well as related polychronic conditions. By integrating evidence-based clinical protocols and personalized care delivery, Monogram ensures that CKD patients receive comprehensive support directly in their homes. In the episode, Mike and I discussed: 1) Monogram’s value based, in-home care model for CKD and ESKD patients, 2) The importance of multispecialty care and evidence based protocols in improving patient outcomes, 3) Challenges of scaling nationwide while maintaining care quality, and 4) Innovations in kidney care, including genetic and pharmacological breakthroughs.

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Neel Shah, Chief Medical Officer of Maven Clinic, the world’s largest digital clinic for women’s and family health. Dr. Shah is a practicing obstetrician and a visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School where he previously served as a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. Dr. Shah joined Maven in 2021 with a mission to expand and diversify women’s and family health practices. He is a big advocate for health equity and reproductive justice with numerous awards and media recognitions for his impact on maternal health in the United States. In this episode, Neel and I discussed: The fertility industry has evolved rapidly, with new technologies and a more inclusive approach to care outcomes and reducing overutilization. Health equity is a critical issue in women’s healthcare, and Maven is actively working to address disparities and provide culturally humble care. How Maven integrates cultural humility into its care delivery and medical practice design to ensure patients feel seen and heard. Maven’s expansion into Medicaid demonstrates its commitment to accessible and equitable healthcare for all.

In this episode, I sat down with Jared Dauman, co-founder and Head of Operations for Soda Health. Founded in 2021, Soda Health is a healthcare technology company focused on reducing health inequities. Soda Health uses technology to simplify healthcare transactions, similar to retail purchases, using debit cards. This approach aims to bridge the gap between medical claims and retail payments, ensuring consumers have easier access to benefits. In this episode, Jared and I discuss his journey from working in the directed spend space at Walmart to becoming a co-founder of Soda Health, the business model of Soda Health, the integration of fintech and healthcare, the challenges and opportunities in the world of digital health partnerships, and the evolving role of social determinants of health interventions.

Founded in 2017, Paige is a digital pathology software provider that uses AI to improve cancer diagnoses. Paige was the first ever company to earn FDA approval for an AI-based product, and they are currently collaborating with Microsoft to build the world’s largest image-based AI cancer model. In this episode, Dr. Moye and I discuss Paige’s origin as a spin-out from Memorial Sloan Kettering, the role of AI in supporting cancer diagnostics, the process of navigating corporate partnerships and FDA approval with AI tools, and the value of new AI applications in healthcare.

In this episode, I sat down with Buck Poropatich, Head of Lyft Healthcare. Lyft Healthcare launched in 2016 as part of Lyft's broader efforts to address transportation barriers in healthcare. Today, Lyft Healthcare partners with 9 of the 10 largest US health systems, non-emergency medical transportation brokers, and the top 10 payers to provide rides across the patient journey. By providing reliable transportation through its extensive network, Lyft Healthcare helps reduce patient no-shows, enhance the member experience, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Since he joined in 2019, Buck has helped secure key partnerships with industry leaders like ChenMed, CVS, and Kroger Health, alongside countless others.  Buck and I discussed:  Lyft Healthcare’s founding story after the company discovered a hidden product-market fit in the healthcare industry. Creative partnerships with companies like Best Buy Health and Instacart Health that have enhanced Lyft Healthcare's services and expanded their reach in the healthcare space. Lyft Healthcare’s alignment with the shift towards value-based care, as transportation plays a strategic role in improving care adherence, member satisfaction, and managing total cost of care. Future expansion plans for Lyft Healthcare include expanding their Medicaid footprint, extending their Lyft Assisted product, and leveraging mobile app technology and data modeling to improve the member experience.