
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

Jan 8, 2024 • 11min
Executive Series: Sanofi's Pattern Recognition in Vaccine Development with Deborah Glasser
About Deborah Glasser:Deborah Glasser holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.A. with honors from Tufts University. Deborah is currently the Head of Vaccines in North America at Sanofi. In this role, she spearheads a team committed to pursuing scientific breakthroughs, focusing on the development and enhancement of immunizations. Sanofi, a global pharmaceutical giant, places a strong emphasis on innovation, and Deborah plays a crucial role in driving the vision forward, expanding access to vaccines, and advancing public health initiatives throughout the U.S. and Canada.Drawing on a rich and varied professional background, Deborah brings more than a decade of experience to her current role. Her journey includes an illustrious 13-year tenure at Biogen, where she held diverse positions across its U.S., European, and global organizations. Notably, she played a key role in the successful launch of Tecfidera, an oral multiple sclerosis product that achieved remarkable success, generating $1.3 billion in U.S. sales within its first four full quarters on the market.Things You’ll Learn:The vaccine industry faces intense competition.RSV stands as the primary reason for infant hospitalizations.Approximately 70 out of every 100,000 individuals end up hospitalized due to the flu.The flu poses a significant and serious risk, with an average of 36,000 deaths annually, potentially reaching 98,000 in severe seasons. These deaths are preventable.It's crucial to recognize the seriousness of the flu and take preventive measures to avoid unnecessary fatalities.Resources:Connect with and follow Deborah Glasser on LinkedIn.Follow Sanofi on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Jan 5, 2024 • 13min
Live at HLTH: The Role of Digital Health In Elevating Patient Experience —Featuring Byron Crowe
About Byron Crowe:Dr. Byron Crowe is the Chief Medical Officer at Solera Health, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, and a practicing internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Byron oversees clinical program development for Solera's suite of health solutions, addressing physical, mental, and social well-being for millions of patients nationwide. With a rich background in healthcare, his expertise lies in digital health innovation and human-centered design, navigating the complexities of health systems. Things You’ll Learn:Chronic conditions affect six out of ten US adults, making it a space needing further innovation.Solera Health’s HALO platform helps patients, providers, and payers, offering evidence-based solutions and streamlining operations.Measuring outcomes at the individual level provides objective evidence of improvement.The next decade is a tremendous learning opportunity for those invested in digital health solutions.It's hard to manage chronic conditions, but if managed well, they can make a big impact on someone's long-term trajectory.Resources:Connect with and follow Byron Crowe on LinkedIn.Follow Solera Health on LinkedIn.Visit the Solera Health website here.Get a copy of The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande here.

Jan 3, 2024 • 9min
Live at HLTH: How Technology is Revolutionizing Healthcare Purchases —Featuring Caroline Pearson
About Caroline Pearson:Caroline Pearson is the Executive Director of the Peterson Health Technology Institute, driving impactful change in the healthcare sector. With a passion for addressing complex healthcare issues, Caroline leads initiatives to create a high-performing health system that reduces costs and enhances outcomes. She is a nationally recognized expert in public and private health insurance, prescription drugs, and aging issues. Caroline has two decades of consulting experience providing data-driven analysis and strategic advice to healthcare stakeholders. Currently, at PHTI, she oversees programs dedicated to improving healthcare data, fostering better market functioning, and revolutionizing digital health purchasing. Caroline's commitment to tackling industry challenges reflects in her role, where she actively contributes to shaping a future where technology plays a pivotal role in delivering quality healthcare. Things You’ll Learn:Patients deserve equal or better clinical outcomes from digital tools backed by evidence.It's time to evolve how we think about digital health and drive towards better evidence.The Peterson Health Technology Institute evaluates digital health tools based on clinical benefit and budget impact.PHTI focuses on innovative technology-based solutions that disrupt the system and deliver value.Technology has the potential to drive better outcomes and produce greater efficiency.Resources:Connect with and follow Caroline Pearson on LinkedIn.Follow Peterson Healthcare Technology Institute on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Jan 2, 2024 • 14min
Executive Series: Decoding the Future of Healthcare Investment with Josh Flum
About Josh Flum:Josh Flum is a Managing Partner at LRVHealth, a company that invests in healthcare ideas. LRVHealth has a skilled team of healthcare experts and partners with others to support new healthcare companies. Before LRVHealth, Flum worked for 20 years at CVS Health in different roles. His latest role there was as Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer, where he handled challenges in the changing healthcare world. Flum led significant changes, like combining CVS Health and Aetna and starting CVS Health Ventures, a fund to support new digital health businesses. He played key roles in senior positions, leading growth in CVS Health’s Retail Pharmacy Division through new and smart ideas. Flum studied at Tufts University and Yale Law School. He began his career working for a U.S. Court of Appeals judge and then at a law firm. Later, he joined the Boston Consulting Group, focusing on the consumer and retail fields.Things You’ll Learn:Investing is both an art and a science, requiring a nuanced blend of strategic thinking and analytical evaluation.Market dynamics resemble a pendulum, with current positioning influenced by past trajectories. Understanding this informs future directions and decision-making.The surge in digital health solutions during the COVID crisis highlights the transformative potential of technology in healthcare.Amid market challenges, it's crucial to reassess and prioritize the fundamental aspects of healthcare for the coming years.There are upcoming changes in how new therapies will be brought to market, commercialized, and integrated into the system for patient access. This includes the exploration of new insurance models to facilitate the payment for these therapies.Resources:Connect with and follow Josh Flum on LinkedIn.Follow LRVHealth on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Dec 29, 2023 • 11min
Live at HLTH: Simplifying Healthcare: A Unified Platform for Members —Featuring Owen Tripp
About Owen Tripp:Owen Tripp is the Co-founder of Included Health, a groundbreaking integrated navigation and virtual care company reshaping the healthcare landscape. With a lifelong background in technology, Owen previously co-founded Reputation.com, a global leader in online reputation and privacy management, showcasing his prowess in dealing with large datasets to enhance trust and collaboration in online interactions.In 2012, Owen embarked on a mission to revolutionize the healthcare experience. Driven by the saddening fact that the internet has had a limited impact on healthcare, he identified an opportunity to leverage technology for positive change. Owen’s journey reflects not only a technical challenge but also a commitment to making a substantial impact on individuals, including his family members, by redefining healthcare accessibility and experience.Things You’ll Learn:It's unfortunate that the internet hasn't changed how we get healthcare.Let's use AI to the fullest. Solve tough diagnoses, be quick, and provide better care.At the end of the day, we're all patients, as well as caregivers for others.Invest in yourself by getting access to primary care that is integrated with mental health. Make that investment in yourself. Do it today.We aim for personalized care that can save lives and lower the time spent in the healthcare system.Resources:Connect with and follow Owen Tripp on LinkedIn.Follow Included Health on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Dec 27, 2023 • 13min
Live at HLTH: Uncovering Early Cancer Detection —Featuring Stephen Hahn
About Stephen Hahn:Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., is CEO-Partner of Flagship Pioneering and Chief Executive Officer of Harbinger Health. Steve joined Flagship in June 2021 as Chief Medical Officer of its Preemptive Health and Medicine Initiative, which is creating a new field that aims to protect, maintain, or improve people’s health before they get sick. Steve will continue as a strategic advisor to the Initiative.Steve brings two decades of distinguished leadership in healthcare strategy, oncology medical practice, and translational/clinical research to this role. He served as the 24th U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner from 2019 to 2021, overseeing both COVID and non-COVID regulatory affairs, including therapeutics and vaccine development, devices, diagnostics, and clinical trials.Steve focused his translational research efforts on evaluating the tumor microenvironment, signal transduction pathways involved in tumor response to therapies, and proton therapy. He has authored more than 220 peer-reviewed original research articles and has experience developing medical products.Things You’ll Learn:Harbinger's mission is to find diseases early, before symptoms arise, to improve treatment outcomes and save lives. Their focus on developing accessible and affordable diagnostics will revolutionize healthcare.Dr. Hahn’s insights into Harbinger's innovative blood test, leveraging machine learning and AI to detect specific genetic signatures of cancer in the bloodstream. This technology has the potential to revolutionize cancer screening and diagnosis.The importance of building trust in healthcare. Access to affordable and reliable testing is vital, and Harbinger is committed to making its technologies accessible to all, regardless of location or socioeconomic status.Resources:Connect with and follow Stephen Hahn on LinkedIn.Follow Harbinger Health on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Dec 22, 2023 • 20min
Live at HLTH: Accelerating Change in Mental Health —Featuring Malekeh Amini and Roshni Koli
About Malekeh Amini:Malekeh Amini is the Founder and CEO of Trayt, a healthcare software company dedicated to improving diagnosis and treatments in brain-based disorders, including Autism, ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, substance use, and Alzheimer's, among others. Before Trayt, Malekeh was the Senior Vice President of Products & Business Development at Base Health where she provided the vision connecting new breakthroughs in medical science to the needs of healthcare organizations and consumers. A former consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and the Parthenon Group, Malekeh has provided strategic, operational, and fundraising advice to healthcare and education organizations globally. Malekeh served on the fundraising Board of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Wings Learning Center in Redwood City. Malekeh has an M.B.A. from Harvard University. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in Communication Sciences (Cognitive Science) and computer science and her master’s in Systems Engineering at the University of Southern California.About Roshni Koli:Roshni is a board-certified adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. Before joining the Meadows Institute, she served as the inaugural medical director of the pediatric mental health service line for Dell Children’s Medical Center. In her role at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Roshni is a top decision-maker on all things medical. She anchors the executive team’s activities in contemporary, innovative, and evidence-based medical knowledge, with a special emphasis on children, youth, and families. Roshni oversees all medically-focused policy and practice guidance developed at the Institute, working closely with physicians and other clinicians across the organization. She brings decades of practical experience and deep caring for people and families affected by mental illness to help us always put people first as we pursue our mission and vision.Things You’ll Learn:Social determinants of health are crucial in influencing better quality and better healthcare outcomes.The impact of non-medical drivers of health, such as food insecurity, transportation, housing, and unemployment, cannot be overlooked.Data and analytics are transforming mental healthcare.It's not just about collecting data but structuring it in the right way and using analytics to create actionable insights for decision-makers.Policy improvements are needed for equitable access to mental healthcare. Early intervention, early diagnosis, and prevention are vital to changing the trajectory of a child's life and the future of our communities.Resources:Connect with and follow Malekeh on LinkedIn.Follow Trayt on LinkedIn and visit their website.Connect with and follow Roshni on LinkedIn.Follow Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute on LinkedIn and visit their website.Malekeh previous interview.

Dec 20, 2023 • 10min
Live at HLTH: Your Health Insurer Doesn’t Want You To Listen To This — Featuring Curative CEO & co-founder Fred Turner
About Fred Turner:Fred Turner is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Curative. Turner was named one of the top 100 practicing scientists in the UK by the Science Council in 2013. He was also included in Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ list and ranked first in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists. Recently, Fred was awarded Comparably's Best CEO Award and Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Emerging Leaders in 2021.Under Turner’s leadership, Curative launched a first-of-its-kind health insurance plan that offers unmatched transparency into healthcare costs. Inspired by his vision to create a healthcare system that works for and supports patients’ whole health through every step of their personal health journey, Turner and the Curative team developed a path-breaking health plan with no copays, no deductibles, and no cost-sharing for its members.Previously, Turner led Curative as it became the national leader in bringing COVID-19 testing and vaccine administration resources to people in response to the pandemic, providing more than 36 million tests and two million vaccines across thousands of locations in more than 40 states. Before creating both of Curative’s highly innovative business models, Fred founded and led a 16z and YC-backed diagnostics (Dx) startup that built a CLIA lab for validating and launching an STD testing product in Menlo Park, California.Things You’ll Learn:High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) are leaving insured individuals functionally uninsured, unable to afford out-of-pocket costs for care.Curative's unique model offers 120 days of no out-of-pocket cost for in-network care, promoting preventative care and simplifying health benefits.Employers experiencing rising insurance costs can benefit from exploring new options like those offered by Curative to better support their employees' health and well-being.The importance of making healthcare access and benefits clear and straightforward. Curative’s approach yields an impressive 98% member engagement rate, demonstrating the effectiveness of its model in promoting proactive health management.Resources:Connect with and follow Fred Turner on LinkedIn.Follow Curative on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Dec 18, 2023 • 33min
Live at HLTH: Prenuvo: The Pioneer in Whole-Body MRI Screenings—featuring Andrew Lacy
The current healthcare system is a reactive one. We only see a doctor when something is wrong, and disease is rarely diagnosed in its early stages. But Andrew Lacy is working to make our sick care system much more proactive. Andrew is Founder and CEO of Prenuvo, the pioneer in MRI-based, clinical-diagnostic screening exams. Under his leadership, the company has expanded across North America, establishing Prenuvo as a recognized and trusted proactive healthcare service. On this episode of The Beat, Andrew joins hosts Dr. Jessica Shepherd and Dr. Gautam Gulati to discuss the future of whole-body imaging diagnostics for early disease detection and prevention. Andrew explains what differentiates Prenuvo from the typical healthcare experience and how his technology differs from other MRI options. Listen in for Andrew’s insight on empowering people with a roadmap of what’s going on in their body and learn how Prenuvo inspires the lifestyle changes that have a massive impact on patient health. Topics CoveredHow Andrew’s own health crisis inspired him to build PrenuvoHow Prenuvo’s whole-body screening empowers patients with information about their healthWhat differentiates Prenuvo from the typical healthcare experienceWhy there’s a growing acceptance of the technology for full-body imagingHow Andrew responds to the 2 most common objections to Prenuvo—unnecessary follow-up and worryWhat distinguishes the Prenuvo technology from other MRI optionsThe challenge around training radiologists to be comfortable with a whole-body approachThe 3 most typical profiles of a Prenuvo patient and who it ISN’T forThe top features of Prenuvo from a women’s health perspectiveWhen a Prenuvo scan is covered by insurance (and when it isn’t)How Prenuvo imaging inspires clients to make important lifestyle changesHow Prenuvo is training AI to identify subtle signals of early diseaseConnect with Andrew LacyPrenuvo Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam GulatiHLTHDr. Shepherd on XDr. Shepherd on LinkedInDr. Gulati on XDr. Gulati on LinkedIn ResourcesNikoHealth

Dec 18, 2023 • 11min
Executive Series: Revolutionizing Disease Advancement Through Science and Tech with Mike Montello
About Mike Montello:Mike Montello serves as the Senior Vice President, R&D Digital and Tech at GSK, a pharmaceutical company that ranks among the top ten globally and generates over $36 billion in revenue. Oncology, immunology, respiratory disorders, HIV, and infectious illnesses are its strong therapeutic domains. Mike is a sponsor of multiple aspects of GSK's overall digital transformation, including the company's transition to a product-centric structure, its strategic alliances with IT firms, and its digital training initiatives. Building diverse teams and encouraging inclusive leaders are two things that particularly inspire and excite him personally. He gets his energy from speeding innovation through culture. His other main concern is giving GSK's AI machine learning engineers the best quality data in the safest manner possible.Over his career, Mike has worked to improve healthcare via the use of digital, data, and analytics technologies. Mike held the position of CIO at Quintiles prior to the company's 2018 rebranding as IQVIA. He was in charge of the technological platforms that allowed clinical trials to take place in over 100 nations. Along with leading the product teams that developed the next generation of clinical development data and analytics capabilities, decentralized trial platforms, and supported multiple tech acquisitions, Mike also directed the company's R&D technology strategy following the merger with IMS and Quintiles. In addition to spending several years in IT leadership positions at Shire Pharmaceuticals, Mike spent twelve years working as a management consultant at Accenture, where he developed his basic understanding of biopharmaceuticals and technology. Mike has a mechanical engineering degree and graduated from London Business School with an executive MBA.Things You’ll Learn:Every pharmaceutical company needs transformation and acceleration.GSK is using AI to identify patients who are most likely to respond favorably to medicines and vaccines by leveraging appropriate data.In the pharma sector, there is a constant need to accelerate clinical trials, drug discovery, and the commercialization process.Large language models and AI will help us a lot with mundane activities.We have to balance the benefits of AI with making sure we're doing things extremely responsibly.It's less about the technology and more about serving people with that technology.Resources:Connect with and follow Mike Montello on LinkedIn.Follow GSK on LinkedIn and visit their website.