The Beat

About Shawn Nason:Shawn Nason is an Experience Evangelist and Experience Ecosystem™ designer, passionate about dismantling outdated systems and building human-first, aligned approaches. With a background as Chief Experience Officer at Healthways and Chief Innovation Officer at Xavier University, Shawn also spent six years as an Imagineer for The Walt Disney Company. He founded MOFI in 2016 and recently served as Interim CEO of OFFOR Health, revolutionizing healthcare access. Now the Chief Experience & Innovation Officer at PatientPoint, Shawn is dedicated to creating heart-centered designs that honor all voices. A top CX influencer, he’s also a speaker, author, and podcast host.Things You’ll Learn:Understanding individual patient needs and personalizing their experience can make a significant difference, from surprise moments to making the healthcare journey easier.Content can be a powerful tool for educating and influencing patient behavior, making healthcare experiences more accessible and impactful.Healthcare can benefit from creating unexpected, positive experiences that go beyond standard care and help patients feel valued and supported.Patient literacy and education, particularly around complex health issues, are essential for improving patient outcomes and empowering individuals to take control of their health.While digital solutions are essential, maintaining personal, human connections with care providers is crucial for patient satisfaction and overall health.Resources:Connect with and follow Shawn Nason on LinkedIn.Follow PatientPoint on LinkedIn and visit their website.

In this interview, Sandy Vance discusses AI imaging and multimodal data with Ryan Tarzy, CEO of Avandra Imaging. Ryan explains the problems that medical researchers face related to accessing imaging data, and how Avandra is dealing with these challenges. The conversation explores the benefits and challenges working with imaging data and the use cases for Avandra’s datasets. Tarzy argues that healthcare is not innovating at the pace of other industries, and that access to imaging data can drive new innovations.In this episode, they discuss:Avandra Imaging, which offers access to a rich library of data backed by expert support and robust security. Tarzy explains imaging data’s advantages in medical research.The barriers to accessing and distributing data are related to file sizes, a patchwork of organizations collecting the data, and categorization difficulties.Healthcare has not kept pace with other industries in terms of its innovation.Multimodal data are datasets with different verticals of data such as EMR, imaging, and claims. Avandra Imaging is focused on highly curated and difficult to find datasets by collecting data across sources.There are many use cases for imaging data, with one particularly exciting case being the early detection of diseases like pancreatic cancer.A little about Tarzy:Ryan Tarzy is the Founder and CEO of Avandra Imaging, a company focused on advancing health research and innovation by unlocking imaging and multi-modal data. With over 20 years of experience as an executive and founding roles at six startups, Ryan has a passion for problem-solving and data.As an investor, coach, and advisor, Ryan has made eight investments in early-stage companies led by first-time founders, focusing on Digital Health, AI/ML, and eSports. His entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding and leading three startups, contributing to a cumulative $1.4 billion exit.Under Tarzy's leadership, Avandra Imaging has become the world's largest federated network for medical imaging and clinical data, aiming to unlock and organize global medical images and create a data ecosystem for research and innovation. Tarzy is driving forward a future of impactful medical innovation by making access to critical healthcare data simple and dependable with Avandra. 

About Geoff Cook:Geoff Cook is a seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of Noom, with a proven track record of driving innovation and growth. As the former CEO of The Meet Group, he led the NASDAQ-listed company to a $500 million acquisition in 2020, building a live-streaming and creator economy revenue stream exceeding $200 million annually. Geoff spearheaded industry consolidation by acquiring and integrating four companies into a cohesive, efficient culture. A Harvard Economics graduate, he has deep expertise in scaling platforms, leveraging technology to enhance user experiences, and creating enterprise solutions like Livebox, which powers top-grossing social apps globally.About Cody Fair:As Head of Employer Sales at Noom, Cody Fair leads a team focused on helping brokers, consultants, and enterprise employers transform lives through Noom’s blend of psychology, technology, and coaching. Passionate about continuous improvement, Cody emphasizes the importance of refining sales and leadership skills through ongoing learning and development. By fostering a growth mindset within the team, he ensures a focus on controllable factors to drive success. There’s nothing more fulfilling to Cody than inspiring others to embrace this mentality and achieve their personal and professional goals.Things You’ll Learn:New programs provide employers with cost-effective ways to offer GLP-1 medications, reducing financial barriers for both employers and employees.GLP-1 medications work best when paired with lifestyle adjustments, such as protein tracking and exercise, to prevent muscle loss and long-term health risks.Employers can now provide affordable weight management programs through supplemental benefits or employee-paid paths.AI-powered tools simplify food tracking, letting users log meals by taking a picture of their plates.By focusing on cost-effectiveness and impactful results, these initiatives aim to disrupt high-priced healthcare models.Resources:Connect with and follow Geoff Cook on LinkedIn.Connect with and follow Cody Fair on LinkedIn.Follow Noom on LinkedIn and visit their website.

About James Kirby:James Kirby is a dedicated and innovative leader in the healthcare industry, currently serving as the Chief Commercial Officer at Kroger Health. With a PharmD and a board certification in pharmacotherapy, James is committed to integrating health services into retail environments to enhance consumer health outcomes. At Kroger Health, he spearheads the Food as Medicine strategy, promoting a holistic approach that aligns food, pharmacy, and healthcare. His personal journey and professional expertise drive his passion for creating a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem that addresses the overall health needs of individuals. James is also an adjunct professor, and a Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association, and actively contributes to advancing healthcare through strategic partnerships and industry collaboration.Things You’ll Learn:Discover how Kroger Health is leveraging its extensive network of stores, including pharmacies and convenient care clinics, to integrate health services into retail environments.Learn about the importance of aligning food, pharmacy, and healthcare services to enhance consumer health outcomes through a holistic approach.Gain insights from Jim Kirby's personal story, which underscores the need to understand a patient's overall health needs, including dietary habits, for better health management.Find out how Kroger Health is implementing strategies like a food health score to guide customers toward healthier food choices and potentially reduce healthcare costs.Explore the potential for a national nutrition security measure, involving both health and retail sectors, to improve health outcomes on a national level.Resources:Connect with and follow Jim Kirby on LinkedIn and contact him at jim.kirby@kroger.com.Follow Kroger Health on LinkedIn and Instagram and visit their website. Visit the Nourishing Change Conference on their website.

About Amar Kendale:Amar Kendale is the co-founder and president of Homeward Health. With a strong background in technology and healthcare innovation, Amar is committed to transforming access to healthcare in rural America. His vision is to leverage technology to improve patient outcomes and health equity across underserved communities.Things You’ll Learn:Rural Americans face unique healthcare challenges that impact access, quality, and affordability of care.A value-based care model brings significant benefits to underserved areas, improving outcomes and making healthcare more accessible.Technology, including AI and telemedicine, plays a critical role in supporting healthcare delivery in rural settings.Local healthcare workers and pharmacists are essential to enhancing healthcare quality and accessibility in rural communities.Collaboration among payers, providers, and innovators is essential to creating a sustainable, impactful healthcare system in rural areas.Resources:Connect with and follow Amar Kendale on LinkedIn.Follow Homeward Health on LinkedIn and visit their website. 

About Gabe Castaneda:Gabe Castaneda is the Chief Revenue Officer at FlyteHealth, bringing over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and customer success in both business-to-business and direct-to-consumer markets. He has held significant roles at Omada Health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and UnitedHealth Group. Gabe holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Minnesota, a law degree from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. His expertise lies in developing strategic sales and marketing organizations, reducing costs, improving health outcomes, and increasing member engagement.Things You’ll Learn:Innovative obesity management combines lifestyle strategies with clinical medication management using a patented algorithm for personalized care.Significant weight loss results, averaging 15.8% with non-GLP-1s, reduce costs and minimize side effects.Avoiding compound prescriptions is a critical focus in effective obesity management.Efforts center on building state-level partnerships with healthcare systems and expanding collaborations with payers, consultants, and employer groups.Resources:Connect with and follow Gabe Castaneda on LinkedIn.Follow FlyteHealth on LinkedIn and visit their website. 

About Preeti Kaur:Preeti Kaur is the Executive Vice President and Head of Engineering and Data at Honor Technology. With a background in engineering leadership roles at Adobe and Carta, Preeti combines technical expertise with a mission-driven focus on improving patient care through innovation.Things You’ll Learn:Honor Technology is reshaping in-home care for older adults by blending technology and human compassion.Insights into the challenges and solutions for providing specialized care, such as dementia support, in-home settings.The role of AI and machine learning in enhancing care matching and creating predictive health models.Advice for women and minorities in tech to confidently bring their perspectives to the table.Bold moves Honor is making in healthcare, including the concept of “care bots” for real-time patient monitoring.Resources:Connect with and follow Preeti Kaur on LinkedIn.Follow Honor Technology on LinkedIn and discover their website.

About Chris Benecchi:Chris Benecchi is the Chief Operating Officer at Sage Therapeutics, where he leads global commercial strategy, medical affairs, and business operations. With a passion for public health and personal experience with postpartum depression, Chris is dedicated to driving impactful change in maternal mental health.Things You’ll Learn:Reframing conversations around maternal mental health is essential for addressing this critical issue.Postpartum depression remains prevalent, highlighting the need for innovation in addressing maternal mental health needs.Collaboration and grassroots efforts can play a pivotal role in helping to drive change within the healthcare ecosystem.Resources:Connect with and follow Chris Benecchi on LinkedIn.Follow Sage Therapeutics on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and visit their website. 

About Dr. Rick Newell:Dr. Rick Newell is a practicing physician and a visionary leader in healthcare innovation. As CEO of Inflect and Chief Transformation Officer of Vituity, he brings a unique perspective from the front lines of patient care to the boardroom. Dr. Newell focuses on creating inflection points in healthcare by fostering collaboration and investing in groundbreaking technologies that solve real-world problems.Things You’ll Learn:Inflect invests in early-stage healthcare startups, incubates ideas, and provides expert advisory services.Aligning healthcare innovations with clinician workflows and real-world needs is crucial for their success.AI has a significant impact in reducing administrative burdens, enhancing imaging diagnostics, and enabling precision medicine.There are critical barriers to innovation adoption in healthcare, and strategies exist to overcome them.Entrepreneurs can navigate the complexities of healthcare innovation by following practical advice and strategies.Resources:Connect with and follow Dr. Rick Newell on LinkedIn.Follow Vituity on LinkedIn and visit their website.Follow Inflect on LinkedIn and explore their website.Reach out to inflect at hello@inflect.health

About Malekeh Amini:Malekeh Amini is the CEO and founder of Trayt Health, with extensive experience in healthcare innovation. She is dedicated to enhancing mental and behavioral health through data-driven solutions and comprehensive social determinants. Her leadership in the industry is marked by her strategic vision and commitment to transformative healthcare practices.About Rebecca Messing Haigler:Rebecca ‘Becky’ Messing Haigler, MPH, MBA, is a seasoned healthcare executive, entrepreneur, and strategist. As CEO of Noe Strategic Advisors, she guides health tech portfolio companies, startups, and VC firms in developing health economics fundamentals and commercialization models. With experience as Health Economics Lead at Verily Life Sciences and roles in organizations like Blue Shield of CA and the Chartis Group, Rebecca has a proven track record in healthcare innovation. She holds degrees from UC Berkeley and the University of Michigan and enjoys family time in the Bay Area.Things You’ll Learn:Trayt Health uses comprehensive social determinants data to redefine high-quality symptom definitions in mental healthA systemic approach to behavioral health involves integrating physical and social health considerationsUpdated payment models are necessary to shift from crisis intervention to prevention and evidence-based care in mental health.Partnerships and collaborations are crucial for achieving ambitious goals in transforming mental healthcare.Resources:Connect with and follow Malekeh Amini on LinkedIn.Follow Trayt on LinkedIn and visit their website. Connect with and follow Rebecca Messing Haigler on LinkedIn.Follow The Kennedy Forum on LinkedIn and visit their website.