
"Second Opinion" with Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz MD & Luba Greenwood JD
If you’re obsessed with health-tech and life sciences, this is the podcast for you. Second Opinion doesn't hold back. Join Luba Greenwood, Christina Farr, and Ash Zenooz as they bring influential entrepreneurs, experts and investors into the ring for candid conversations at the frontlines of healthcare and digital health every week. Healthcare, health-tech and life sciences in particular, is hard to navigate even for the most seasoned professionals. Unpacking the latest technological, medical, and scientific advances, regulatory hurdles, global economic shifts, and industry and investment trends, requires a powerful combination of hosts like us.We aim to sift through the noise and help you navigate what’s really going on in healthcare and how to spot the next win. This season, we’re tackling meaty topics like biosecurity, the latest in telemedicine, why patient acquisition is so hard, and the pros and cons of VC versus private equity in funding startups in the healthtech space.Christina Farr is a former investigative journalist for CNBC — during her tenure as a reporter, she broke some big health-tech stories ranging from Amazon’s first moves into the sector to Apple’s secretive acquisitions. Now Christina is the author at Second Opinion, a newsletter with +20K subscribers. Joining Christina are co-hosts Luba Greenwood, JD — former CEO of Kojin Therapeutics and managing partner at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — and Ash Zenooz, MD — former CEO of Commure and partner at Luxeda Holdings. Second Opinion is is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co
Latest episodes

Nov 16, 2024 • 1h 26min
Future of American healthcare: post-election with Zeke Emanuel
Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood are joined by Zeke Emanuel, a prominent oncologist, bioethicist, and influential voice in healthcare to discuss the impact of GLP-1 drugs, healthcare affordability, Trump's appointments, and AI in medicine. The second half of the episode was recorded a week after Trump's election victory. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/dd71470c-2a01-4cfa-a011-5597a86efdf5—🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.—RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack PricingDive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg—SPONSORS: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit joinmidi.com to book your virtual visit today.📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeke-emanuel-6ab78a1b0/https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/

Nov 1, 2024 • 23min
Why healthcare is losing its women CEOs
Christina Farr and Ash Zenooz discuss the recent departures of prominent female CEOs from major healthcare companies and explore why progress in female leadership representation has been challenging in the healthcare industry. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/f0e550de-d7d5-49bd-96ea-700dde222ccc —📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess —RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg—SPONSORS: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit joinmidi.com to book your virtual visit today.__LINKS:HLTH: https://www.hlth.com/ —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/

Oct 23, 2024 • 48min
Curing more than disease: Rob Perez's mission to transform communities
In this episode of Second Opinion, hosts Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood interview Rob Perez, founder of Life Science Cares, about his work bridging the biotech industry with poverty alleviation efforts. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/f3eb77b0-b71c-40fe-817e-bd3c1b4dc5b4 —RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg__SPONSOR: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.__LINKS:Life Science Cares: https://lifesciencecares.org/Project OnRamp: https://lifesciencecares.org/project-onramp/Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-perez-93707916/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/

Oct 16, 2024 • 1h 3min
Stanford Medicine's Dean Dr. Lloyd Minor on the Future of Medical Education
Dr. Lloyd Minor, Dean of Stanford School of Medicine joins Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood to discuss the various transformative advancements and challenges in healthcare, focusing on the equitable use of AI and technology to enhance patient care, improve medical training, and address labor shortages. They dive into AI’s role in imaging, pathology, and electronic health records, as well as innovative approaches in medical education. —SPONSOR: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.—LINKS: Stanford Medicine: https://med.stanford.edu/RAISE Health: https://med.stanford.edu/raisehealth Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ —FOLLOWhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lloydminor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(03:50) Challenges in healthcare and potential solutions(06:49) AI in medical practice(11:01) The future of medical education(19:33) Encouraging careers in medicine(28:56) Preventative care and health policy(31:46) Advances in cancer treatment(32:48) Innovations in early diagnosis and preventative strategies(33:18) Challenges in the US healthcare system(34:17) Reflections on academic leadership during Covid-19(35:50) Stanford's response to the Covid-19 crisis(38:49) Balancing academic freedom and public health(40:37) Practical solutions during the pandemic(41:20) Innovations in healthcare(42:37) The future of ai and digital health(49:11) The debrief

Oct 9, 2024 • 52min
What digital health needs most: Evidence
In this episode of Second Opinion, Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood discuss the integration and evaluation of digital tools in healthcare with guest Caroline Pearson from the Peterson Health Technology Institute. They explore the challenges in demonstrating clinical effectiveness and affordability of digital health solutions, using diabetes management tools as a case example. They address the role of evidence in the healthcare system, potential biases in standard evaluation practices, and the need for improved data sharing between digital health companies and traditional healthcare providers.—SPONSOR: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.—LINKS: Peterson Health Technology Institute: https://phti.org/Peterson Center on Healthcare: https://petersonhealthcare.org/ Nonlinear dynamics of multi-omics profiles during human aging: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-024-00692-2 New Report Finds That Digital Diabetes Management Tools Fail to Deliver Meaningful Health Benefits to Patients While Increasing Spending: https://phti.org/announcement/new-report-finds-that-digital-diabetes-management-tools-fail-to-deliver-meaningful-health-benefits-to-patients-while-increasing-spending/ Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/pearsoncaroline/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:39) Discussion about super aging(02:54) Introducing Caroline Pearson(04:16) Challenges in digital health solutions(05:58) The role of evidence in digital health(16:41) Employer-sponsored health insurance concerns(20:05) Collaboration and data sharing in health tech(32:05) The future of health tech and patient outcomes(33:30) Conclusion and final thoughts(34:37) The debrief

Oct 2, 2024 • 50min
Where the jobs are and aren’t in digital health
In this engaging conversation, digital health expert Christina Farr, healthcare leader Ash Zenooz, and evolving trends professional Luba Greenwood join Oxeon CEO Sonia Millsom. They dive into what defines a successful CEO in healthcare, emphasizing relationship-building and candidate evaluation. The group analyzes current job market trends in health tech, shedding light on promising sectors like health AI. They also discuss the strategic role of executive chairs and share insights on mastering leadership interviews in an evolving industry.

Sep 25, 2024 • 56min
AI's role in diagnosing disease -- with Dr. Isaac Kohane of Harvard Medical School
In this episode of the Second Opinion Podcast, Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood engage in a candid conversation with Dr. Isaac (Zak) Kohane, a renowned AI expert and chair at Harvard Medical School's Department of Biomedical Informatics. Zak expresses his optimism about AI in healthcare, sharing personal anecdotes to illustrate how tools like ChatGPT can enhance patient care by providing detailed and understandable information, and highlights AI's potential to address healthcare system gaps by complementing human doctors. They explored regulatory issues, data privacy concerns, and the importance of patient control over their health data, while emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes patient care and ethical guidelines.—SPONSORS: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.🩺 AWELL: Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp.—LINKS: Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School: https://dbmi.hms.harvard.edu/ NEJM AI, a journal from the publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine: https://www.nejm.org/ The AI Revolution in Medicine: GPT-4 and Beyond: https://www.amazon.com/AI-Revolution-Medicine-GPT-4-Beyond-ebook/dp/B0BXNVM6FCAMIE: A research AI system for diagnostic medical reasoning and conversations: https://research.google/blog/amie-a-research-ai-system-for-diagnostic-medical-reasoning-and-conversations/ Medical Artificial Intelligence and Human Values: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2214183 Transformer: A Novel Neural Network Architecture for Language Understanding: https://research.google/blog/transformer-a-novel-neural-network-architecture-for-language-understanding/ Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-kohane-729b03 https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(02:24) Skepticism in advanced technology(04:56) AI in Medicine: Personal Anecdotes(07:29) Challenges in healthcare access(08:26) The role of ai in patient empowerment(11:26) Human clinicians vs. AI(19:45) Sponsor: Awell(20:57) Privacy concerns with AI(25:13) HIPAA compliance and medical data(26:19) Bias and alignment in AI models(29:00) The role of AI in medical decision making(33:13) Challenges in AI regulation(38:21) The future of AI in healthcare(43:56) Wrap(45:05) The Debrief

Sep 18, 2024 • 35min
Scaling a taboo-breaking business with Origin's CEO Carine Carmy
In this episode of Second Opinion, Christina Farr is joined by Carine Carmy, CEO of Origin to discuss the overlooked aspects of women's healthcare, a case for a physical clinic, and funding stigmatized fields within the complex healthcare landscape. Carine shares valuable insights on scaling the business, the importance of evidence-based care, and the future of pelvic health, including the potential impact of AI and digital health.—RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️This Won't LastEavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-wont-last-with-keith-rabois-kevin-ryan-logan/id1765665937Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSzYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast —SPONSORS: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp.—LINKS:Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Origin: https://www.theoriginway.com/ —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinecarmy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:43) The origin story of Origin(03:31) Challenges in women's health(04:02) Understanding pelvic floor therapy(05:10) Pain and gaslighting in healthcare(07:39) Building a business in women's health(10:16) Navigating health plan coverage(13:51) Sponsor: Awell(15:02) Scaling and fundraising challenges(17:42) Clinic setup and expansion(25:36) The importance of evidence-based care(29:05) Wrap

Sep 11, 2024 • 46min
The problem with bad therapy — with Alex Katz, Two Chairs CEO
In this episode of Second Opinion, hosts Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood dive into the intricacies of the behavioral health industry with Alex Katz, CEO of Two Chairs. They discuss the misconceptions and challenges within the mental health system, the importance of finding the right therapeutic fit, and the impact of venture capital in driving both quality and accessibility in mental health services. Alex highlights the need for personalized care, the evolving perception of therapy thanks to platforms like TikTok, and the potential and limitations of AI in therapy, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human therapists.—RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️This Won't LastEavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/id1765665937Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSzYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast 🎙️Turpentine VCInvestor Erik Torenberg interviews partners at the top VCs in the world to learn their approach to the art and science of building a successful venture firm.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1701006772Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Yb8ErLRnyoAqn4Y6NegTx—SPONSORS: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp.—LINKS:Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Two Chairs: http://www.twochairs.com/ —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexjkatz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/—TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro01:14 Behavioral health industry insights02:04 Alex Katz's journey with Two Chairs05:02 Navigating the mental health landscape08:22 Business models in mental health14:04 Barriers to mental health access16:08 Sponsor: Awell19:56 Behavioral health companies and cost reduction22:00 The crisis in therapy retention23:41 Youth mental health challenges25:40 Gen Z and therapy culture29:14 The importance of hybrid care models31:31 Skepticism around ai therapists36:00 The Debrief

Sep 4, 2024 • 54min
All the things we don’t tell women with author Leslie Schrock
In this episode of Second Opinion, Leslie Schrock, author of Bumpin' and Fertility Rules, joins Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood to discuss women's health, men's health, and fertility. They dive into why men need to be more involved in fertility and pregnancy conversations (it's not just a women's issue!). They address the gaps in women's health research, including the lack of understanding about how drugs and diets (like intermittent fasting) affect women differently than men. Leslie emphasizes the need for more honest, comprehensive information about pregnancy and women's health. They also discuss the potential future of women's health companies and the need for a more holistic approach to addressing health concerns beyond reproductive issues.—RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSzYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast—SPONSORS: 👩⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today.🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp.—LINKS:Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Bumpin: https://www.amazon.com/Bumpin-Pregnancy-Navigating-Wonderful-Conception/dp/198213044X Fertility Rules: https://www.amazon.com/Fertility-Rules-Definitive-Female-Reproductive-ebook/dp/B0BHTLCWZ7 —FOLLOW:Leslie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieschrock/ Christina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/Luba: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/Ash: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:37) Leslie Schrock's personal journey(02:57) The reality of pregnancy(06:55) Understanding fertility and ovulation(08:47) Challenges in women's health education(13:50) Sponsor: Awell(15:00) Investing in women's health(25:54) Understanding drug metabolism in women(26:09) Men's role in women's health(26:38) The importance of inclusive pregnancy literature(28:45) Heart health: gender differences and misconceptions(30:50) Birth control and stroke risks(31:46) Challenges in women's health research(37:11) The impact of nutrition and fasting on women's health(39:19) Future of women's health companies(41:09) Suggestions on future books and research in women's health(43:55) Wrap(46:07) The debrief