

The Beat
HLTH
The Beat, powered by HLTH, is a weekly interview series dedicated to paving a better path forward for the future of health. Each week a variety of hosts bring you authentic conversations with prominent thought leaders. Through these interviews with people at the forefront of change in healthcare, we hope to spark new ideas and encourage new collaborations among listeners.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 6, 2024 • 23min
HLTH: Bridging Borders in Healthcare: Innovation, Risk, and AI with Bart Geerts
About Bart Geerts:Bart Geerts is the founder of Health.Plus.AI, leveraging AI to predict and manage post-surgical infections. A former physician, he now focuses on creating impactful healthcare solutions through innovation.Things You’ll Learn:Healthcare delivery varies significantly between Europe and the United States, influenced by differences in funding models, regulatory environments, and cultural approaches to care.Liability and risk management play a critical role in shaping clinical decisions, often impacting the balance between innovation and patient safety.Artificial intelligence has the potential to predict and prevent infections.Building trust in AI solutions is essential for their adoption in clinical practice.Companies entering new healthcare markets must adopt a strategic approach to succeed.Resources:Connect with and follow Bart Geerts on LinkedIn.Follow HealthPlus.ai on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Dec 6, 2024 • 21min
HLTH: Empowering Families: Technology's Role in Personalized Chronic Condition Management with Ricardo Berrios & Luis Fernandez
About Ricardo Berrios:Ricardo C. Berrios is a seasoned entrepreneur and senior executive with over 25 years of experience building and leading businesses in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, e-commerce, and retail. As the founding CEO of Adhera Health, he is pioneering digital solutions for families managing pediatric chronic conditions. Ricardo's expertise lies in leveraging technology to improve the patient experience, demonstrated by his leadership in developing Adhera's AI-powered digital companion platform. He has a proven track record in operational management, including team building, business development, and strategic marketing. Ricardo's global perspective, honed through cross-border initiatives in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, informs his innovative approach to healthcare.About Luis Fernandez:Dr. Luis Fernandez is a digital health innovator with over 20 years of experience, driven by a personal commitment to improving healthcare access and equity. As Chief Scientific Officer at Adhera Health, he leads the development of their AI-powered digital companion platform, focusing on supporting families of children with chronic conditions. Luis combines expertise in AI and behavioral science to create inclusive and responsible solutions. His extensive research background, including work in mobile health, wearables, and gamification, informs his approach to personalized healthcare. Luis's global experience spans various countries, including Spain, Norway, Qatar, and the US, providing him with a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in digital health.Things You’ll Learn:Healthcare innovation often faces implementation challenges due to slow processes and monolithic systems in countries with strong public healthcare.While European healthcare systems provide broad access, disparities exist and often receive less attention than in the US.A key difference between the US and Europe regarding healthcare innovation lies in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.Data privacy regulations, particularly in Europe, can create challenges for AI development.Transparency and user experience are vital in healthcare technology. Explainable AI and streamlined consent processes are crucial for building trust and empowering families.Resources:Connect with and learn more about Ricardo Berrios on LinkedIn.Follow and connect with Luis Fernandez on LinkedIn.Discover more about Adhera Health on their LinkedIn and visit their website.

Dec 6, 2024 • 24min
HLTH: From Digital Health to 'Self-Driving' Care: Insights with Dr. Daniel Kraft
About Daniel Kraft:Dr. Daniel Kraft is a Stanford and Harvard-trained physician-scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, biomedical research, and healthcare innovation. He holds a BA in Biochemistry from Brown University and an MD from Stanford University School of Medicine, followed by a Harvard residency and fellowships at Stanford in hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplantation. As faculty chair for Medicine at Singularity University, Dr. Kraft founded NextMed Health, a leading program exploring emerging technologies in biomedicine. He is also a managing partner at Continuum Health Ventures and serves on the boards of Digital.Health and Healthy.io. An expert in stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and digital health, he holds multiple patents and has published in top journals like Nature and Science. A passionate innovator, Dr. Kraft is also an avid pilot, former flight surgeon, and NASA research contributor. He is a member of the Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellowship.Things You’ll Learn:AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by upskilling individuals and enabling personalized care.Clinicians need to be involved in the design and implementation of new technologies to ensure usability and avoid burnout. The "self-driving health" concept envisions a future where healthcare is personalized, proactive, and integrated.Moving from quantified self to quantified health requires integrating data from various sources into actionable insights.The future of healthcare will likely involve a combination of human clinicians and advanced technologies like robotics. This integration can improve efficiency and address the growing shortage of healthcare professionals.Resources:Connect with and learn more about Daniel Kraft on LinkedIn and his website.Follow NextMed Health on LinkedIn and visit their website. Discover more about Digital. Health on their LinkedIn and website.

Dec 4, 2024 • 10min
HLTH Executive Series: Championing Children's Health with Mark Del Monte
About Mark Del Monte:Mark Del Monte, serves as the CEO and Executive Vice President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). With an extensive background in law and advocacy, Mark has been instrumental in advancing pediatric health and well-being since joining the AAP in 2005. Under his leadership, the AAP supports 67,000 pediatricians and pediatric specialists, ensuring they have the necessary resources and guidance to provide top-notch care for children. His work is driven by a deep commitment to addressing various issues impacting children's health, such as mental health, equity, environmental health, and public policy. Mark is also a vocal advocate for policies supporting comprehensive healthcare coverage for children, particularly through programs like Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program).Beyond his policy advocacy, Mark is dedicated to combating misinformation, especially around vaccine trust. He focuses on providing pediatricians with accurate information and reliable resources to build trust between healthcare providers and families. Mark believes in the power of the clinician-patient relationship in promoting healthy behaviors and informed decision-making. His combination of legal expertise and passion for child health advocacy makes him a leading voice in shaping the future of pediatric healthcare, striving to ensure that all children have the opportunity to thrive.Things You’ll Learn:The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)'s comprehensive approach to addressing diverse issues affecting children's health, including mental health, equity, and environmental health.The critical roles that Medicaid and CHIP play in providing essential healthcare coverage for children.The AAP's strategies to counteract vaccine mistrust and other misinformation, empowering pediatricians with accurate information.Insights into the advocacy for merging Medicaid and CHIP into a national program to ensure consistent healthcare for all children.The importance of the clinician-patient relationship in promoting healthy behaviors and delivering reliable information.Resources:Connect with and follow Mark Del Monte on LinkedIn.Follow AAP on LinkedIn and visit their websiteVisit healthychildren.org to get valuable info for your family.

Dec 2, 2024 • 17min
HLTH: Transforming Patient Care with Handheld Ultrasound Technology with Dr. John Martin & Dr. Mike Rotondo
About Dr. John Martin:Dr. John Martin is a highly accomplished leader-physician with a diverse background spanning various roles, including surgeon, software company founder, medical device inventor, and Chief Medical Officer of a digital health company. He has successfully built organizations, teams, and products, transforming healthcare practices and driving innovation. Known for his ability to inspire and command audiences, Dr. Martin has extensive experience in strategic planning and fiscal management, making significant impacts both personally and through the programs and companies he develops.About Dr. Michael Rotondo:Dr. Michael F. Rotondo is a distinguished leader in healthcare, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (URMFG). With a rich background in trauma surgery and healthcare administration, he has significantly contributed to transforming URMFG into a unified, high-functioning care delivery system. Under his leadership, the group has seen substantial growth in clinical volumes and revenues, while emphasizing physician wellness and health equity. Dr. Rotondo's commitment to innovative solutions and patient-centric practices continues to drive excellence in healthcare delivery.Things You’ll Learn:Handheld ultrasound technology is transforming point-of-care testing, making diagnoses more immediate and accurate.Integrating handheld ultrasound technology within a health system demonstrates practical benefits, enhancing workflow and patient care.Seamless integration with electronic health records is crucial in order to improve overall efficiency and reduce treatment times.It is very important to overcome challenges in adopting new healthcare technologies like resource allocation and organizational change.Collaborations between academic institutions and tech innovators are essential for driving meaningful advancements in healthcare, promoting trust and confidence in new solutions.Resources:Connect with and follow Dr. Michael Rotondo on LinkedIn.Follow the University of Rochester Medical Center on LinkedIn and visit their website.Connect with and follow Dr. John Martin on LinkedIn.Follow Butterfly Network, Inc. on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Nov 27, 2024 • 15min
HLTH: Transforming Healthcare - AI, Cloud, and GE’s Vision with Dr. Taha Kass-Hout
About Dr. Taha Kass-Hout:Dr. Taha Kass-Hout is the Global Chief Science and Technology Officer at GE Healthcare, where he drives advancements in AI-based medical imaging and diagnostics. With a background in interventional cardiology and machine learning, he previously served as Vice President of Machine Learning and Chief Medical Officer at Amazon, leading pivotal health tech projects like Amazon HealthLake and Amazon Comprehend Medical1. Dr. Kass-Hout also held key roles in the Obama Administration, including the FDA’s first Chief Health Informatics Officer and Director of Information Science and Informatics at the CDC. His work focuses on leveraging AI and cloud computing to improve global healthcare access and reduce disparities.Things You’ll Learn:AI and cloud computing are being used to reduce global healthcare disparities and improve patient care.CareIntellect is an AI-driven platform for oncology that simplifies access to complex data and expedites patient care processes.The Health Companion project employs agentic AI to optimize patient treatment plans and alleviate clinician burnout.Technological advancements are streamlining workflows and enhancing operational efficiencies.Resources:Connect with and follow Dr. Taha Kass-Hout on LinkedIn.Follow GE Healthcare on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Nov 25, 2024 • 10min
HLTH: Revolutionizing Claims Accuracy and Efficiency with CERIS’s AI Solutions with Steve Sutherland
About Steve Sutherland:Steve has been with CERIS since 1996 and has always been driven by his passion for making a difference for our clients and positively impacting healthcare and patients. Steve enjoys being challenged with the opportunity to build and create. As CERIS has grown over Steve’s 28-year tenure, he has consistently risen to the challenge of the organization’s growing needs. He is proactive in building efficiencies and leveraging technology to keep CERIS ahead of the curve, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the organization.Things You’ll Learn:CERIS is leveraging AI and machine learning to improve payment integrity, reduce administrative costs, and enhance accuracy in claims adjudication.Automating payment processes can significantly reduce administrative burdens and improve overall efficiency in healthcare.Implementing AI tools requires a strong emphasis on security, compliance, and quality data to build trust and ensure privacy.Building trust and gaining buy-in from healthcare professionals is essential, as AI is often met with skepticism due to data governance and privacy concerns.CERIS encourages bold adoption of cutting-edge technologies and collaboration with partners to drive innovative solutions, emphasizing pilot projects and proof of concept for building confidence.Resources:Connect with and follow Steve Sutherland on LinkedIn.Follow CERIS on LinkedIn and visit their website.
Nov 22, 2024 • 25min
AI @ HLTH: GE GenAI Strategy Leveraging Multimodels to Streamline Technologies and Products to Reduce Cognitive Burden on Providers
In this episode, Sandy Vance interviews Parminder “Parry” Bhatia, Chief AI Officer at GE Healthcare, about the integration of generative AI and machine learning in healthcare. They discuss the transformative potential of these technologies in improving clinical efficiency, reducing burnout, and enhancing patient care. Parminder shares insights on recent innovations, the concept of agentic AI, and the importance of responsible AI practices in ensuring safe and effective healthcare solutions. The discussion highlights GE Healthcare's commitment to advancing AI technologies while maintaining a focus on ethical considerations and collaboration with clinical partners.In this Episode they discuss:GE Healthcare is leading in AI and machine learning integration.Generative AI is set to revolutionize healthcare data management.AI technologies can significantly reduce clinical burnout.The Care Intellect application enhances oncology care efficiency.Agentic AI offers proactive solutions in complex healthcare scenarios.Responsible AI practices are crucial for building trust in technology.AI can streamline workflows and improve patient experiences.Collaboration with clinical partners is essential for innovation.The AI Innovation Lab fosters early-stage research and development.GE Healthcare aims to enhance healthcare delivery for over a billion patients.About Parminder "Parry" Bhatia: At GE HealthCare, Parminder is focused on integrating AI across areas including smart devices, across the patient journey, and at the hospital operation level.GE HealthCare has a long track record innovating in AI, and has topped the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of AI-enabled medica devices for three years in a row, with 80+ AI-enabled medical device authorizations. Parminder leads a team that is helping to advance AI integration within medical devices at GE HealthCare, with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient outcomes and creating a world where healthcare has no limits. Parry is part of the company’s internal committee on responsible AI to help ensure that new AI applications are reliable, scalable, and ethically sound. He has been recognized by the AIM “AI 100” 2024 Awards and Constellation Research's Artificial Intelligence 150 “AI 150” list.Previously, Parminder was Head of Science for Generative AI at Amazon, where he led the development of machine learning and generative AI products including Amazon Comprehend Medical for analyzing medical record data at scale, Amazon Q for developer productivity, and Amazon Bedrock for democratizing access to Large Language Model technologies globally.He has held previous roles in AI and machine learning at Microsoft and Georgia Tech.

Nov 20, 2024 • 16min
HLTH: mRNA Innovation for Equity – How Moderna is Transforming Vaccine Access with Hamilton Bennett
About Hamilton Bennett:Hamilton Bennett is a seasoned public health professional with over 15 years of experience, currently serving as the Senior Director of Vaccine Access and Partnerships at Moderna. She played a pivotal role in leading the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine development program, contributing significantly to one of the earliest vaccines against the pandemic. With a strong dedication to equitable vaccine development and distribution, Hamilton collaborates closely with governments and stakeholders to build resilient health systems capable of responding swiftly to pandemics and vaccine-preventable diseases.Hamilton is passionate about fostering innovation through Moderna's "mRNA Access Program," which enables academic researchers to use Moderna's platform to improve emergency disease responsiveness. Her educational background includes graduate degrees in Environmental Health and Microbiology from the University of Washington, along with a certificate in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Hamilton's commitment to cutting-edge research and global health equity continues to drive her efforts in transforming the vaccine landscape.Things You’ll Learn:Moderna's innovative mRNA technology has the potential to revolutionize the vaccine landscape.The importance of equitable vaccine development and distribution to ensure all communities have access to life-saving vaccines.Collaboration with governments and stakeholders is crucial for building resilient health systems capable of responding to pandemics and vaccine-preventable diseases.Moderna's mRNA Access Program enables academic researchers to use their platform, fostering innovation and improving emergency disease responsiveness.The necessity of strategizing for both current healthcare needs and future challenges, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, cutting-edge research, and global health equity.Resources:Connect with and follow Hamilton Bennett on LinkedIn.Follow Moderna on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Nov 18, 2024 • 13min
HLTH: Easing Nurse Burnout with AI – Insights from Microsoft’s Allison Stalla
About Allison Stalla:Allison Stalla is a distinguished leader in the realm of healthcare technology, currently holding the position of Director of Clinical Applications at Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare. With a robust focus on reducing the documentation burdens faced by nursing clinicians, Allison utilizes cutting-edge AI technologies to enhance patient care and mitigate nurse burnout. Her comprehensive background includes significant contributions at Nuance Communications as the Principal of Client Insights, where she influenced healthcare strategy and client engagement. Allison is dedicated to advancing clinical applications that prioritize user-centric design, integrating AI into healthcare workflows, and driving digital transformation in healthcare settings.In her role at Microsoft, Allison emphasizes the importance of change management and data literacy for successful AI adoption in healthcare. She is deeply committed to fostering a collaborative environment where healthcare professionals can thrive. Her efforts are particularly concentrated on creating nurse-centered technologies, ensuring that the tools developed are not only innovative but also practical and beneficial for everyday clinical use. Through strategic partnerships and pilot programs, Allison's work at Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare technology, ultimately aiming to improve patient outcomes and streamline clinical processes.Things You’ll Learn:AI is significantly reducing documentation burdens for nurses, allowing them to focus more on patient care and reducing burnout.Despite concerns about AI replacing jobs, there's broad willingness across various age groups to adopt AI in nursing.Successful AI adoption in healthcare requires strong leadership support, effective change management, and enhanced data literacy among healthcare professionals.Involving nurses in the development and design process of AI tools is crucial for building trust and ensuring these tools meet their needs.Microsoft's collaboration with Nuance and nine development partners focuses on creating nurse-centered technologies, including piloting ambient voice technology to aid bedside documentation.Resources:Connect with and follow Allison Stalla on LinkedIn.Follow Microsoft on LinkedIn.Visit the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare website and check out their blogs.


