Delta: HealthTech Innovators

When Sahil and his brother started Otoset in their mid-20s, they had no idea their FDA-cleared ear cleaning device would generate over 1 billion social media views and force them to completely pivot their business model.In this episode, Sahil shares the unexpected journey from building a B2B medical device company to creating "the front door to ear care", a direct-to-consumer healthcare network serving 40 million Americans with chronic ear wax issues.🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS:→ How they became some of the youngest founders to get FDA 510(k) clearance→ The unexpected social media virality that changed everything→ Why they pivoted from partner clinics to owning their own locations→ Marketing strategies: organic content, influencers, and patient education→ The critical role of FDA clearance as a competitive differentiator→ Building credibility before scaling consumer marketing→ Finding the right mentors in healthcare entrepreneurship💡 WHO THIS IS FOR:✓ HealthTech & MedTech founders navigating FDA pathways✓ Startups exploring direct-to-consumer healthcare models✓ Entrepreneurs learning to leverage social media for medical products✓ Anyone interested in the consumerization of healthcare📊 BY THE NUMBERS:- 40 million Americans affected by ear wax buildup- 1 billion+ views across social media- $99 cash-pay model (first treatment)- 20-30 patients/day in company-owned clinics- Expanding to 50+ major metrosTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction: The Brother's Ear Wax Problem01:21 - What is Otoset? The First FDA-Cleared Ear Cleaning Device03:22 - Why FDA Clearance Matters & How They Got It06:56 - The Unexpected Social Media Explosion08:55 - The Strategic Pivot: B2B Device to D2C Healthcare Network11:36 - Business Model: $99 Cash-Pay & Building Owned Clinics15:18 - Beyond Ear Care: Hearing Health & Expansion Plans17:15 - Marketing Strategy: Organic, Influencers & Patient Education20:33 - Building Credibility Before Scaling Consumer Marketing22:35 - Biggest Lesson: Find Healthcare Entrepreneur Mentors Early24:33 - Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways📌 Key Resources & Links🔗 Otoset Website: https://otoset.com/🔗 Otoset Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visitallears/🏥 Find a Certified Clinic: https://otoset.com/pages/find-clinic💼 Connect with Sahil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahildiwan/

A Stanford PhD researcher reveals alarming truths about AI in medicine, highlighting the stark contrast between claimed accuracy and real-world performance. She discusses how models can dramatically fail when faced with questions that have no definitive answer. The conversation emphasizes the need for more realistic evaluations of AI tools and advises clinicians to approach AI as a supportive co-pilot rather than a replacement. With cautionary insights on model performance and patient safety, this discussion reshapes our understanding of AI deployment in healthcare.

Charlene, CEO of Ember, dives into how AI is transforming healthcare by tackling revenue integrity. She reveals that hospitals lose millions from inefficient billing, but her platform recovers over 51% of denied claims. Discover the impact of ambient listening on accurate clinical documentation and how startup focus strategies help navigate regulated industries. Charlene shares insights on the $10B healthcare fraud problem and the vital role of smart AI tools in detecting fraud. Perfect insights for healthcare executives and aspiring entrepreneurs!

Can AI forecast ICU risk from the first 36 hours of EHR data?University of Washington researcher Sihan explains TrajSurv, a survival-prediction model that converts noisy, irregular ICU time series into interpretable latent trajectories using Neural Controlled Differential Equations (NCDEs) and time-aware contrastive learning aligned to SOFA. We cover how trajectories outperform snapshots, handle missingness without heavy imputation, and remain clinically legible via vector-field feature importance and trajectory clustering.Validated on MIMIC-III and eICU with reported C-index ≈0.80 and cross-cohort ≈0.76, TrajSurv points to safer escalation, de-escalation, and bed allocation in the ICU.In this episode: survival prediction basics; limits of Cox/RSF vs deep time-series models; NCDE explained in plain language; first-36h feature set (53 labs/vitals/demographics); metrics (C-index, Brier, dynamic AUC); interpretable clustering linked to outcomes; and what’s next—adding interventions for counterfactual simulation and extending to oncology.Link to the paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.00657Timestamps00:00 Why trajectories beat snapshots in EHR01:00 Guest intro: Sihan, UW Biomedical Informatics01:40 Survival prediction 101 and clinical use03:40 From Cox/RSF to deep learning on time-varying data05:03 What is TrajSurv (pronounced “traj-surf”)?06:16 NCDE explained with the “ship + weather” analogy08:14 Handling irregular sampling and missing data09:14 Time-aware contrastive learning aligned to SOFA10:47 Datasets: MIMIC-III and eICU; first 36h features (labs, vitals, demo)12:40 Results: C-index ≈0.80; cross-cohort ≈0.76; interpretability14:30 Workflow: CDS, monitoring, escalation, de-escalation16:15 Why humans miss multi-variable long-horizon trends18:21 Latent trajectory clustering and survival differences23:18 Next: interventions, counterfactuals, oncology applications25:40 ClosingRoupen Odabashian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roupen-odabashian-md-frcpc-abim-183aaa142/Sihang Zeng: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zengsh/#HealthcareAI #ClinicalDecisionSupport #EHR #ICU #SurvivalAnalysis #DeepLearning #NCDE #MIMICIII #eICU #SOFA

Medical documentation errors cost U.S. hospitals over $70 billion in denied claims and $55 billion in lawsuits every year. In this episode, we sit down with Dimitri, Founder & CEO of WorkDone Health, a Y Combinator-backed startup that’s building the "Grammarly for medical records."WorkDone Health automates chart review, compliance checks, and billing validation in real-time, preventing errors before they cost hospitals money—or compromise patient safety. We explore:Why CFOs are the first to feel the pain of documentation errorsHow AI-powered compliance and quality checks reduce denialsLessons from Y Combinator and scaling a healthcare startupWhy WorkDone could be the antidote to insurance AI denialsIf you’re a healthcare leader, investor, or builder in healthtech, this episode shows the future of clinical documentation.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro: The cost of documentation errors ($70B in denials, $55B lawsuits)1:00 – Dimitri’s journey: From physics to healthcare AI3:00 – The problem: Reactive vs. proactive documentation review5:15 – Real-world example: Left vs. right shoulder conflict7:00 – Sepsis bundle case study9:00 – How WorkDone Health prevents denials in real time12:00 – Impact on CFO metrics: denials, lawsuits, billing cycle14:30 – The “antidote” to insurance AI claim denials18:00 – How the tool works: real-time vs. batch checks22:00 – Prioritization of alerts: reducing physician burden27:00 – Vision: “Grammarly for medical documentation”29:00 – Lessons from Y Combinator for healthtech startups32:00 – HIPAA compliance and why it matters from Day 137:00 – Future of WorkDone: API integrations with EMRsDimtry Karpov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmitrykarpov/WorkDone: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workdonehealth/WorkDone: https://www.wrkdn.com/Roupen Odabashian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roupen-odabashian-md-frcpc-abim-183aaa142/

In this episode, we sit down with Chuck Feerick, founder and CEO of Latitude Health, a MedTech startup tackling one of the most overlooked — yet critically expensive — problems in healthcare: prior authorization and utilization management.Chuck shares how a personal experience in his early 20s inspired him to transform the way health plans make care decisions, using AI to reduce administrative burdens and accelerate patient access to treatment. With a background spanning health plan operations, venture capital, and startups, Chuck brings a 360° perspective on what it really takes to build a successful health tech company.We dive into:The $1 trillion administrative crisis in U.S. healthcareWhy prior authorization delays hurt patients and providersHow Latitude Health uses AI to empower—not replace—cliniciansThe real challenges of selling to health plansWhat every health tech founder must understand about procurement, ROI, and building painkiller productsThe future of AI in care decision-makingWhether you're a health tech entrepreneur, investor, or healthcare executive, this conversation is full of practical insights on solving big, unsexy problems with massive impact.00:00 – Intro: Can AI Fix Healthcare?01:03 – Meet Chuck Feerick, Founder of Latitude Health02:15 – A Personal Story That Sparked a HealthTech Mission04:10 – The Broken Prior Authorization Process Explained06:32 – Automating Utilization Management with AI08:44 – What Latitude Health Actually Does10:05 – How Patients, Providers & Payers Benefit12:20 – Chuck’s Journey: Operator, Investor, Founder14:15 – Lessons from VC for Startup Fundraising in MedTech16:01 – How to Sell to Payers: Complex Sales in Healthcare18:30 – The Role of AI vs. Human in Clinical Decision Making21:04 – How Latitude Uses LLMs to Structure Medical Data23:19 – Training AI with Clinicians: Nurses, Doctors, CMO Input25:12 – Building a HealthTech Startup the Right Way27:00 – Tackling Long Sales Cycles in Healthcare28:42 – AI is Moving Fast — Building for Flexibility30:18 – The Unsexy Problem That Needed Solving33:07 – Why Utilization Management Is the Key to Controlling Costs35:45 – Administrative Waste: The $1 Trillion Opportunity37:02 – Why Latitude Focuses on High-Impact Painkiller Tools38:49 – Consumers, Behavior, and the ROI of Innovation41:00 – Closing Thoughts: What Founders Must Understand About HealthcareRoupen Odabashian:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roupen-odabashian-183aaa142/X: https://twitter.com/RoupenMDEmail: roupen@deltahealth.techTigran (Tiko) Bdoyan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckfeerickWatch Our Podcast at:https://youtu.be/Xj89GFyPpxw#MedicalStartup #Telehealth #SimulatedPatients #Fundraising #MedicalSchoolTools #CME #AIinMedicalEducation #CasperExam

Tikran Bdoyan, co-founder of SimAI, discusses how his AI-driven platform is revolutionizing medical education with realistic virtual patients. He highlights the urgent need to address training bottlenecks, the limitations of traditional medical exams, and the global demand for AI in clinical training. Tikran shares insights from their journey with Y Combinator and the unique challenges of fundraising in healthcare. Discover how SimAI supports medical schools, enhances student feedback, and customizes training for international students and telehealth teams.

Unlock proven strategies for HealthTech & MedTech startups to raise capital efficiently—from designing a lean deck and model to implementing AI powered outreach. In this episode, Jeff Fidelman, Harvard trained banker turned venture advisor, reveals why "Fundraising as a Service" is the next game changer in investor relations.Dive into:• Common funding mistakes founders make (like skipping the ask 😳)• Structuring your pitch (deck + model + valuation = 🟢)• Navigating SAFE vs. convertible notes• How AI reduces your MVP time & fundraising cost👉 Ideal for startup founders, HealthTech entrepreneurs, and media tech innovators ready to scale with smart capital strategies.Timestamps:00:00 Why fundraising execution matters01:06 Meet Jeff Fidelman – HealthTech fundraising guru02:03 Jeff’s path: from Morgan Stanley to venture banking05:03 Why founders fail at decks & modeling07:00 What "Fundraising as a Service" really means10:42 Don’t forget to ASK for money13:00 How investors evaluate your ROI14:28 Customer vs. investor psychology19:06 Equity dilution: how much you should give22:18 SAFE vs. Convertible Notes—founder friendly?23:50 The 3 critical slides: Problem, Market, Solution27:43 Use anecdotes to sell your story30:42 Funding sources in 2025: VC, angels, family offices35:27 How AI is accelerating MVPs & fundraising processRoupen Odabashian:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roupen-odabashian-183aaa142/X: https://twitter.com/RoupenMDEmail: roupen@deltahealth.techJeffrey Fidelman:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyfidelman/Watch Our Podcast at YouTube#HealthTech, #MedTech, #StartupFundraising, #VentureCapital, #PitchDeck, #StartupTips, #Founders, #SAFEvsConvertible, #StartupEquity, #StartupDilution, #RaisingCapital, #HealthcareStartups, #FundraisingStrategy, #InvestorRelations, #StartupMVP, #AIForStartups, #SeedFunding, #SeriesA, #StartupMistakes, #JeffFidelman

Ian Shakil, founder of Augmedix and chief strategy officer at Commure, joins oncologist Dr. Bill Mitchell to explore how ambient AI is reshaping healthcare documentation. They discuss the profound impact of AI scribes in real clinical settings, revealing time savings and reduced burnout for physicians. Shakil shares insights on building a startup in a challenging market, while Mitchell provides a firsthand account of the tool's benefits. Together, they emphasize the importance of improving patient care through innovative technology.

Marco Benitez, the innovative founder and CEO of Rook, dives into the amazing intersection of health tech and wearables. He shares his journey from athlete to biomedical engineer, detailing how Rook integrates over 300 devices to enhance patient knowledge and outcomes. The challenges of data standardization and navigating compliance laws like HIPAA are revealing. Marco also explores how AI is transforming MedTech, offering invaluable insights for budding entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in healthcare innovation.