AWS Health Innovation Podcast

Alex Merwin is joined by Baha Zeidan from Azalea Health on our second episode of a 'mini-season' on Health Equity. In this episode we shine a light on challenges delivering healthcare in rural communities. Azalea Health empowers care providers with simplified and seamless technology that boosts their ability to provide care - all while supporting their work-life balance. Baha Zeidan, Azalea Health Co-Founder & CEO, is a real-life health IT superhero. Guided by his passion for cloud computing, mobile development, device computing and big data analytics, Baha founded Azalea to transform how rural healthcare providers run their practices. We discuss the unique operational challenges rural providers face delivering care & managing their practices, health inequities facing 1 in 5 Americans who live in rural communities, and how cloud technology enables Azalea to rapidly iterate and improve its products in a secure & compliant fashion. Learn more about Azalea Health (https://www.azaleahealth.com/) and how AWS enables healthcare & life sciences startups to grow and thrive (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ and https://aws.amazon.com/health/).

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Kevin Dedner, CEO and co-founder of Hurdle Health, a tech-enabled provider of culturally intentional mental healthcare. Kevin joins the podcast as part of our mini-season featuring startups addressing health equity. He shares his thoughts on why he is optimistic about the future of health equity, how COVID-19 impacted how we think about mental health, and why Hurdle Health focuses on cultural humility, cultural responsiveness, and cultural intentionality, instead of cultural competency. Learn more about Hurdle Health (https://www.hurdle.health/). You can also learn about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Warren Ratliff, CEO and co-founder of AdaptX, a company that enables providers to transform treatments and workflows by adaptively managing performance. Warren discusses why he doesn’t want to create super users among his provider customers, how he thinks about building momentum with customers during long sales cycles, and when focusing on positive deviants can be a powerful adoption driver. Learn more about AdaptX (https://www.adaptx.com/). You can also learn about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Caitlin Donovan and Jacob Laufer. Caitlin is the Global Head of Uber Health, Uber’s healthcare arm that is dedicated to improving health outcomes by helping enable better access to care and services. Jacob is the COO of ShiftMed, an on-demand workforce marketplace that connects nursing professionals looking for flexible work with healthcare providers in need of additional nursing staff. Caitlin and Jacob discuss the implications of more care moving outside the hospital, the role of transportation in driving retention among providers, and the way complementary, tech-enabled solutions can combine forces to solve healthcare’s most pressing challenges. Learn more about Uber Health (https://www.uberhealth.com/) and ShiftMed (https://www.shiftmed.com/). You can also learn about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Dr. Sam Asgarian, CMO of Scipher Medicine, a company using a patient’s individual molecular data to ensure optimal therapy is prescribed from day one. Dr. Asgarian shares his insights on how Scipher grew out of the Human Genome Project, when it makes sense for a company to hire a chief medical officer (and what he or she should do once they join!), and why innovation in healthcare is different from other industries. Learn more about Scipher Medicine (https://www.sciphermedicine.com/) and learn more about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Kyle Kiser, CEO of Arrive Health, a company working to make care decisions better for patients and providers, improving affordability, access, and outcomes - all while reducing administrative burden. Kyle and Joe discuss why fostering trust in the provider-patient relationship is essential, how he and his team think about connecting the right decision with the right information for providers, and why founders should obsess over the healthcare value chain. Learn more about Arrive Health (https://arrivehealth.com/) and learn more about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)

Alex Merwin is joined by George Netscher from SafelyYou which empowers safer, more person-centered dementia care with real-time AI video technology and its remote clinical team. George, SafelyYou's CEO, is an artificial intelligence engineer with computer vision expertise. He dedicated his career to improving Alzheimer's care after several family members coped with the disease. We discuss the benefits of using technology to detect and see critical care moments for those living with dementia, clinical teams driving continuous improvement with tight feedback loops, and how founders can de-risk their business by focusing on key hires throughout their growth journeys. Learn more about SafelyYou (https://www.safely-you.com/) and how AWS enables healthcare & life sciences startups to grow and thrive (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ and https://aws.amazon.com/health/).

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Adam Odessky, CEO and co-founder of Sensely, an empathy-driven virtual assistant platform designed to enhance member experience, elevate brand preference, and influence behavior. Adam and Joe discuss why engagement matters for individual patients and systems as a whole, how text to speech technology has advanced in recent years, opening up additional opportunities for virtual patient engagement, and what it meant to him and his team for Sensely to be patients’ primary point of contact following a diagnosis with COVID-19. Learn more about Sensely (https://sensely.com/) and learn more about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)

Alex Merwin is joined by Marina & Eugene Borukhovich from YourCoach Health, a solution which empowers health coaches to deliver their services while providing enterprises access a broad ecosystem of verified and vetted health coaches. Marina, an entrepreneur and a health coach, founded YourCoach Health after her battle with cancer and is now CEO. Eugene, co-founder, and COO, is a serial intra and entrepreneur, executive, venture builder & board advisor with a focus on digital health. We discuss their recent partnership with Twill (formerly Happify Health), the strengths of founding a business with your life partner, and how health coaches bridge the gap between digital health solutions and patients who want to live healthier, happier lives. Learn more about YourCoach Health (https://yourcoach.health/) and learn more about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/).

Joe Shonkwiler is joined by Dr. Ruben Amarasingham, CEO and founder of Pieces, a company connecting care providers to actionable data, people to services, and case workers to information. Dr. Amarasingham discusses the evolution of AI in care delivery, the importance of thinking holistically about each patient, and what he and his team took away from being part of AWS’ inaugural healthcare accelerator. Learn more about Pieces (https://piecestech.com/) and learn more about healthcare and life science startups on AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/startups/ or https://aws.amazon.com/health/)