
The Beat
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.
Latest episodes

Apr 9, 2024 • 15min
Live at ViVE: Unveiling the Future of Healthcare Delivery with Dr. Scott Schell
About Scott Schell:Dr. Schell is an accomplished senior executive, surgeon, and healthcare futurist with over 30 years of experience spanning the healthcare, biotech, and technology sectors both in the US and globally. His leadership roles have included CEO, CMO, Chair, Director, and Executive Consultant, and he brings an extensive background that includes healthcare delivery and operations, pharma, medical devices, clinical trials, and data science. In his leadership roles, Dr. Schell has a proven track record of driving growth, improving operational performance, and creating transforming innovation, through a variety of diverse healthcare contexts. He leads the development and implementation of large-scale population health and predictive analytics platforms at organizations like Alere, the Cleveland Clinic, and UPMC. A serial entrepreneur, he has founded and exited five healthcare startups and served as Managing Partner for a private equity firm with a portfolio of digital health assets. Things You’ll Learn:Healthcare is undergoing a digital revolution, prioritizing patient experience, efficient call center operations, streamlined financial services, and enhanced access.AI and machine learning are pivotal in healthcare, boosting patient experiences, expediting authorizations, and optimizing operations.The healthcare industry must start digital transformation projects by identifying key solutions, embracing change management, and establishing an accountable leadership team.Dr. Scott warns against AI pitfalls like hallucination, offering tips for a robust transformation start.Dr. Scott stresses tech solutions, change management, and proactive leadership for successful automation.Resources:Connect with and follow Scott Schell on LinkedIn.Follow Cognizant on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Apr 4, 2024 • 10min
Live at ViVE: The Future of Healthcare Staffing with Ann Louise Puopolo, BSN, RN
About Ann Louise Puopolo:Ann Louise is an accomplished and highly respected safety professional and has held many prestigious positions, including Vice President of Enterprise Patient Safety and the Enterprise PSO LLC at CVS Health (until her retirement in 2020) and Vice President of Patient Safety for CRICO (Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions). More recently, she has been serving as the Chair of the RLDatix Customer Advisory Board since 2022.She calls Boston, MA, home and is an active board member of many local healthcare organizations, including the Tufts Medicine Board of Directors’ Committee on the Quality of Care (since June 2021), Vice-chair at Tufts Medical Center Board of Directors’ Committee on the Quality of Care (since 2018), and the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety - the trade organization to PSOs (since 2013).Ann Louise has been a long-time collaborator with RLDatix. The relationship began while she was at CRICO, supporting the Harvard Medical School-affiliated institutions with their programs to mitigate risk and improve safety. When Ann Louise moved to CVS Health, she built out their patient safety program. She brought in RL6 to support their retail pharmacy, mail, specialty, infusion, long-term care pharmacies, and MinuteClinic needs.Ann Louise received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Vanderbilt University and practiced as a critical care nurse at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital.Things You’ll Learn:The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the healthcare staffing crisis, but its roots go much deeper. Nurses, the backbone of the healthcare system, often take on more than necessary and are underutilized, contributing to burnout. Ann Louise underscores the potential of technology and data analytics to optimize workforce utilization and enhance patient outcomes.Ann Louise stresses the importance of integrating systems to improve efficiency, highlighting the critical role of data insights in informed decision-making for providers and healthcare organizations.Recognizing the significance of involving frontline healthcare professionals like nurses in decision-making, we can foster a culture of innovation and problem-solving within healthcare organizations by giving them a voice and acknowledging their contributions.Resources:Connect with and follow Ann Louise on LinkedIn.Follow RLDatix on LinkedIn and visit their website.Reach out to Ann at Ann.Puopolo@RLDatix.com

Apr 3, 2024 • 21min
Live at ViVE: Strategies for Promoting Technological Equity (Techquity!)—with Gary Lynch
Innovation in healthcare exploded during the pandemic.But many hospitals don’t have the infrastructure to take advantage of this emergent technology. And many people don’t have the devices or connectivity they need to manage their care.So, how do we promote technological equity (also known as techquity)? How do we bridge the digital gap for underserved populations?Gary Lynch is Global Practice Lead & CTO for Healthcare and Life Sciences at Verizon Business, where he manages a team of innovation principals, healthcare strategists and solution architects across the healthcare ecosystem.Gary has over 20 years of experience leading transformation within the healthcare space, with a focus on accountable care, population health, revenue cycle, operations and business development.On this episode of The Beat, recorded live at ViVE 2024, Gary joins hosts Dr. Jessica Shepherd and Dr. Gautam Gulati to discuss how telecom companies like Verizon will play a crucial role in the future of healthcare delivery.Gary shares strategies for leveraging purpose-built technology to make healthcare more proactive and improve patient engagement in the process.Listen in for Gary’s insight on providing access to care in non-traditional settings and learn how Verizon is partnering with UC Davis Health to improve health outcomes via tech equity!Topics CoveredWhy telecom companies will play a big part in the future of healthcare deliveryGary’s quadruple aim of improving health outcomes, lowering costs and improving the patient and clinician experienceHow Gary thinks about keeping pace with expanding points of access to healthcareGary’s take on the third-party payment system in healthcareVerizon’s partnership with UC Davis to promote health equity via digital inclusionGary’s strategies for leveraging technology to make healthcare proactiveHow Verizon is improving access to care through purpose-built techImproving the patient experience and engagement by way of gamificationHow innovation in the healthcare space accelerated during COVIDVerizon’s aim to help hospitals build the infrastructure to take advantage of emergent techConnect with Gary LynchHealth Care IT & Digital Solutions at VerizonGary on LinkedInConnect with Dr. Gautam Gulati & Dr. Jessica ShepherdViVEHLTHDr. Shepherd on TwitterDr. Shepherd on LinkedInDr. Gulati on TwitterDr. Gulati on LinkedInResourcesHeartbreak in the HeartlandVerizon’s Partnership with UC Davis HealthAffordable Connectivity ProgramMedivis

Apr 2, 2024 • 17min
Live at ViVE: Overcoming Data Security and Privacy Challenges with Dave Sohigian
About Dave Sohigian:Dave Sohigian is the CTO at Large at Workday and is tasked with helping customers get the most out of Workday. He is part of the Global Office of the CTO, responsible for communicating Workday’s strategy to customers and prospects, and informing the development organization about market needs to influence future innovation. Dave joined Workday 14 years ago and most recently served as Global CTO. Prior to joining Workday, he held a number of development and technical consulting roles and joined the organization as Principal Enterprise Architect. Dave holds a BSc degree in Fermentation Science from the University of California, Davis.Things You’ll Learn:AI and ML are key in reshaping healthcare delivery in 2024, with the potential to improve patient care and outcomes significantly.Organizations must address critical issues of data security and privacy by emphasizing transparency, regular reviews of data usage, and a human-in-the-loop approach to AI and ML.Workday's dedication to incorporating a human element in AI and ML applications ensures that judgment remains a vital component in decision-making processes.Workday focuses on delivering solutions that benefit their customers in specific areas like human resources, financials, and payroll, all powered by AI rather than focusing solely on direct AI sales.Dave stresses the importance of establishing a clear goal and strategy for digital transformation in healthcare delivery rather than being solely driven by fear or competition.Resources:Connect with and follow David on LinkedIn.Follow Workday on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Mar 4, 2024 • 13min
Executive Series: Why Startups Shape Samsung's Future with Jonathan Machado
About Jonathan Machado:Jonathan Machado is the Managing Director of Samsung Next, which is Samsung Electronics' venture capital arm. He is in charge of making investments in health tech. He has helped Samsung Next participate in many businesses, such as BigHealth, Healthy.io, Huma Therapeutics, Lark, Elvie, and DayTwo.Jonathan worked as an investor and partner at Jerusalem Venture Partners for five years before joining Samsung Next in 2018. There, he focused on early-stage Israeli startups. Besides that, he has an MBA from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Jonathan was born and raised in Jerusalem. He and his family just moved to the New York metropolitan area.Things You’ll Learn:Samsung Next adopts a unique VC model with "no proof," fostering a collaborative environment with entrepreneurs.Success stories like LoopPay and SmartThings demonstrate Samsung NEXT's strategic investments that align with long-term corporate goals.Samsung's healthcare vision involves enabling users to own their health records, creating a paradigm shift in personal healthcare management.Soon, Samsung Health’s tens of millions of users will be able to own their records and begin a journey of owning their health care through these records.Samsung Next measures success through regular VC metrics, emphasizing ROI and influencing strategic decisions within the company.Resources:Connect with and follow Jonathan Machado on LinkedIn.Follow Samsung Next on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Feb 26, 2024 • 10min
Executive Series: A Holistic Solution to Sustained Mental Well-being with Mark Frank
About Mark Frank:Mark Frank is the CEO and Co-founder of SonderMind, leading a rapidly expanding and compassionate team dedicated to reshaping behavioral health. His mission is to enhance access, broaden utilization, and elevate clinical outcomes in this field. Mark believes in transparent, empathetic, and courageous leadership, aspiring to build an organization that leaves a positive and transformative impact on behavioral health and the broader healthcare ecosystem. Before founding SonderMind in 2015, Mark played a pivotal role in establishing three other successful ventures, including Next Oncology, TermScout, and SafeImageMD. His entrepreneurial journey follows a background in healthcare investment banking at Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, and CDI Global, coupled with military service as an officer in the US Army.With degrees in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Engineering Management, and an MBA in Finance and Operations, Mark's commitment stems from personal experiences, witnessing the challenges faced by friends and colleagues in accessing mental health care after military deployments.Things You’ll Learn:AI helps personalize care pathways for patients and assists providers in delivering the highest quality care efficiently.The world is in a mental health crisis. Competition and innovation are crucial to solving this massive problem.Mental health care is not discretionary. It has an immense impact on physical health and overall well-being.Engage patients through various channels, including employers, health systems, payers, and consumers.SonderMind serves as a mental health home, providing comprehensive digital tools for sustained well-being.Resources:Connect with and follow Mark Frank on LinkedIn.Follow SonderMind on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Feb 19, 2024 • 16min
Executive Series: The Future of Home Healthcare with Vijay Kedar
About Vijay Kedar:Vijay Kedar, co-founder and CEO of Tomorrow Health, was raised in a family of physicians, often joking that he was “pre-med coming out of the womb.” However, it wasn’t until he took on managing his mother's care through stage III colorectal cancer and acute respiratory distress syndrome that the idea for Tomorrow Health was born. In this episode, Kedar speaks with host Steve Krupa about using technology to coordinate high-quality home-based care for patients and families who find securing such care increasingly difficult to navigate.Kedar also discusses how home-based care improves health outcomes, alleviates the administrative and healthcare burden for providers, and is often the most economical option for patients requiring long-term treatment. He says, “Treating a patient with the same conditions at home can be one-tenth the cost of doing so in a hospital-based setting and one-third the cost of doing so in a post-acute setting like a skilled nursing facility.” Kedar goes on to outline how Tomorrow Health’s launch during the pandemic essentially changed how home-based care was ordered, delivered, and purchased to meet an ever-growing demand.Things You’ll Learn:Tomorrow Health emphasizes the use of technology and strategic partnerships to enhance the efficiency of coordinating and delivering home-based healthcare.Tomorrow Health’s commitment aims to provide patients and families across the nation with more dependable and higher-quality care.Vijay highlighted the significance of tackling distinct challenges faced by different stakeholders in the home-based care ecosystem.Through aligning incentives and consistently offering value propositions, Tomorrow Health is expediting the acquisition, engagement, and retention of stakeholders. This strategic approach is paving the way for widespread market adoption.Tomorrow Health is utilizing the capabilities of artificial intelligence to automate operational processes, diminish manual workload, and expedite the delivery of home-based care to patients.Resources:Connect with and follow Vijay Kedar on LinkedIn.Follow Tomorrow Health on LinkedIn.Visit the Tomorrow Health website here.

Feb 19, 2024 • 25min
Live at HLTH: How Much of Longevity Is Controllable?—featuring Melanie Goldey
Research has shown that less than 10% of longevity is based on genetics and 90% hinges on your lifestyle choices.But if you don’t have Bryan Johnson’s resources, how do you identify the gap between your chorological age versus your real age?And more importantly, how do you use that information to design a plan that will truly move the needle on helping you live healthier, longer?Melanie Goldey is CEO of Tally Health, a biotech company developing science-backed tools for consumers to increase health span and extend longevity. Melanie has an extensive background in technology and healthcare startups, and she is passionate about making longevity science accessible to consumers.On this episode of The Beat, Melanie joins host Dr. Gautam Gulati to discuss the future of diagnostic markers and testing to optimize for the extension of both lifespan and health span.Melanie explains how Tally Health differs from prior iterations of real age measurement and describes how her team uses DNA methylation to develop personalized recommendations for its members.Listen in to understand the benefits of Tally Helth’s pro-longevity supplements and learn how to enhance longevity with small improvements to your diet, fitness, sleep, mental health and habits!Topics CoveredHow Tally Health is working to help consumers live healthier, longerThe 3 components of Tally Health’s consumer longevity offeringWhat differentiates Tally from prior iterations of real age measurementHow Tally uses DNA methylation to develop personalized recommendationsDavid Sinclair’s research on epigenetics and his information theory of agingHow much of longevity is based on genetics vs. lifestyle choicesHow Melanie thinks about quick fixes vs. small lifestyle adjustmentsThe benefits of Tally Health’s pro-longevity supplementsHow machine learning can improve specificity of Tally’s recommendationsThe connections among diet, fitness, sleep, mental health and habitsWhat we might learn from Bryan Johnson’s biohacking experiencesOther markers Tally Health is studying (beyond DNA methylation)Connect with Melanie GoldeyTally HealthMelanie on LinkedInConnect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam GulatiHLTHDr. Shepherd on XDr. Shepherd on LinkedInDr. Gulati on XDr. Gulati on LinkedInResourcesHarvard Aging LabDavid Sinclair’s Landmark Study on Longevity in NatureBryan Johnson

Feb 16, 2024 • 26min
Live at HLTH: A New Dawn in Early Cancer Detection with Dr. Megan Hall of GRAIL
In this groundbreaking era of healthcare, the opportunity to revolutionize cancer outcomes has never been more promising. With cutting-edge testing techniques, early detection strategies, and the power of AI, the landscape of cancer care is evolving to save lives and enhance patient well-being like never before. In this episode of The Beat, Dr. Gautam Gulati sits down with Dr. Megan Hall to discuss the future of cancer detection and prevention through early genetic testing. Dr. Megan Hall is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs at GRAIL. With a Ph.D. in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics she is dedicated to making early cancer detection and prevention accessible on a population scale.As Dr. Hall says, “I was enamored of the mission to detect cancer early when it can be cured. That's a huge problem that we have to be frank have not made great headway on in the 50 years that we've been waging this war on cancer.” Now she shares how GRAIL's flagship product, Galleri, is using advanced technology, including DNA methylation analysis and artificial intelligence (AI), to detect and predict cancer in a non-invasive way. Listen in as we explore the potential cost savings and improved outcomes with early cancer detection, and GRAIL's efforts to make this transformative technology accessible to a broader population. Topics CoveredThe significance of early detection in cancer careThe role of DNA methylation in cancer detectionThe importance of evaluating the accuracy of cancer screening and the power of positive predictive valueThe need for education across the cancer care continuumThe potential for healthcare cost savings with early cancer detectionThe role of AI and machine learning in cancer detectionGRAIL's focus on expanding access to cancer screening and its plans for future productsConnect with Dr. Megan HallDr. Hall on LinkedInConnect with Dr. Gautam Gulati & Dr. Jessica Shepherd HLTHDr. Gulati on XDr. Gulati on LinkedInDr. Jessica Shepherd MDDr. Shepherd on XResources GRAILGalleri Test - GRAIL

Feb 14, 2024 • 32min
Live at HLTH: HATCo: Pioneering Health Assurance—featuring Dr. Marc Harrison
How can we transform healthcare delivery to better serve ALL people and communities? In today's episode of The Beat, host Dr. Gautam Gulati welcomes special guest Dr. Marc Harrison, a Partner at General Catalyst and the Founding Partner of the new company owned by General Catalyst called Health Assurance Transformation Corporation, HATCo. Dr. Marc Harrison is a distinguished healthcare leader with a career dedicated to improving health equity. His journey spans from a pediatric intensivist to an entrepreneurial path. Dr. Harrison's latest venture, HATCo focuses on reshaping healthcare systems to embrace digital, value-based care while preserving local community identity.Dr. Harrison walks listeners through how the pandemic exacerbated the fragility of the healthcare system, and why NOW is the time to address the social determinants of health and holistic patient care. He also discusses HATCo's unique approach, advisory services, and its ecosystem of partner health systems. Listen in to explore the challenges and opportunities in transitioning from a volume-based healthcare system to one that truly values patient outcomes and health equity and how HATCo's insights and innovative solutions could reshape the healthcare landscape.Topics CoveredThe importance of addressing social determinants of healthThe shift from volume-based care to value-based careThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare system and the need for healthcare systems to become more resilient and adaptableThe role of innovation and digital tools in healthcare transformationHATCo's mission to create a better healthcare system and improve public health outcomesThe challenges and opportunities in modernizing healthcare deliveryConnect with Dr. Marc HarrisonDr. Marc Harrison on LinkedInConnect with Dr. Gautam Gulati & Dr. Jessica Shepherd HLTHDr. Gulati on XDr. Gulati on LinkedInDr. Jessica Shepherd MDDr. Shepherd on XResources General CatalystThe Future of Health: A Bold Leap Forward | General Catalyst