The Beat

About Judith Kulich:Judith serves as ZS’s lead for patient health and equity, focused on partnering with clients across the healthcare industry to drive meaningful progress in health equity. She is also an elected member of ZS’s Shareholders’ Council where she serves as the chair of the ESG Committee and leads the ZS Practice Council.Judith has spent much of her 20-plus years in the healthcare industry focused on drug development and bringing medicines to market globally. In recent years, she has expanded her work into healthcare payers and providers, bringing sectors together to address disparities in care and global health inequities. She has led industry collaborations and ZS’s investments and actively contributed to global health equity partnerships.Judith established and ran ZS’s pipeline and launch strategy practice area. Internally, she led ZS’s San Francisco office and was one of the founders of Women@ZS and our philanthropic arm, ZS Cares, both of which she is still actively involved in today.Judith holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in industrial engineering and operations research from the University of California, Berkeley. Things You’ll Learn:74,000 black Americans die every year in the United States due to inequities.The economic costs of health inequities in the US are over $300 billion annually.There is a lack of representation among minority groups.There is also a lack of training and incentives to adopt behaviors that bolster equity across healthcare.A third of patients who drop out of their care do so because of drivers of health like transportation, food, and housing, which require their partial or full financial support.The other two-thirds of patients that drop out of their programs need help with awareness and care coordination.Life sciences stakeholders can expand sites of care and increase representation to improve access.Targeting specific disease areas and communities is a great start to closing disparity gaps. Resources:Connect with and follow Judith Kulich on LinkedIn.Follow ZS on LinkedIn.Explore the ZS Website.

Today, in the average ICU, there are 35 smart devices with independent alarms, resulting in 750 alarms per patient per day. And technology that was supposed to make life easier for medical professionals is overwhelming them and contributing to burnout. So, what can innovators do build technology that supports providers and enhances the care experience? Tom Polen serves as President, Chairman and CEO of Becton, Dickinson and Company or BD, a $20 billion global medical technology company headquartered in New Jersey. Tom is focused on advancing BDs role in redefining the future of healthcare through innovative technologies and solutions that are changing people's lives. On this episode of HLTH Matters, Tom joins hosts Dr. Jessica Shepherd and Dr. Guatam Gulati to discuss how the first generation of medical technology contributes to the crisis of provider burnout and what BD is doing to improve the next generation of digital solutions. Tom shares his vision for the at-home health experience, explaining what medical services can be performed by patients and how the role of the clinician will change with the adoption of self-screening and in-home treatments. Listen in for Tom’s insight on AI-enabled medication management and learn how BD identifies the future needs of health care and then invents technologies to advance the world of health. Topics CoveredBD’s 125-year history of inventing technology to advance the world of healthTom’s experience leading BD through the global pandemicWhat BD is doing to address the crisis of provider burnout in healthcareHow technology can curb or contribute to provider burnoutThe 2 major issues with the first generation of medical technologyHow BD is using AI to improve the next generation of digital medical devicesThe rapid adoption of AI-enabled medication management and pharmacy automationBD’s partnership with Microsoft’s AI team to identify diversion of narcoticsTom’s vision for the moving some health care into the homeWhat types of medical services can be performed by patients in the homeHow the role of the clinician will change as care moves into the homeDesigning in-home therapies that don’t add friction to the living environment Connect with Tom PolenBecton, Dickinson and Company Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Guatam GulatiHLTHDr. Shepherd on TwitterDr. Shepherd on LinkedInDr. Gulati on TwitterDr. Gulati on LinkedIn Resources‘BD CEO on Leadership During COVID-19’ in ForbesWHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink

About Simon Gisby:Simon is a principal and the Life Sciences and Health Care Group leader with Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC (DCF) and a principal in Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics LLP. He has more than 20 years of investment banking experience focused on the healthcare industry. Before joining DCF, Simon was a director with Houlihan Lokey where he specialized in the financial restructuring of healthcare companies. Simon was previously a director in the Global Healthcare Investment Banking Group of UBS Investment Bank, where he structured and completed numerous mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, and other capital markets transactions. Simon started his career at Chase Manhattan Bank.Simon has lectured on and contributed to numerous articles on the healthcare industry and M&A strategy. He is regularly quoted in the national media and is a contributor to the M&A Advisor/Best Practices of Deal Makers. In 2014, Simon was awarded The M&A Advisor Healthcare Restructuring Deal of the Year and in 2013, he was awarded The M&A Advisor Healthcare Deal of the Year.Simon's clients include multinational medical device and pharmaceutical companies, national and regional health plans and hospital systems, multi-specialty physician groups, and ancillary service healthcare companies. Things You’ll Learn:Deloitte is the largest professional services firm and the largest healthcare practice globally.Pipeline businesses grow the traditional way: through expanding their geography, adding a new product, or scaling through vertical or horizontal integration.Platforms grow by taking in feedback and creating relationships that make them faster, more accurate, and have better outcomes.Health ecosystems consist of connections and networks of companies and different business models that approach and cover health and wellness.Healthcare costs in the United States pick up about 18% of GDP.One way to address the health equity problem is through education focused on healthcare outcomes for stakeholders.Platform businesses are the most valuable businesses. Resources:Connect with and follow Simon Gisby on LinkedIn.Follow Deloitte on LinkedIn.Explore the Deloitte Website!

Dr. Tom X. Lee, CEO of Galileo, discusses the value-based model of virtual primary care. Topics covered include accessibility of the Galileo app, recruiting physicians, and which medical conditions require a relationship with a provider. The podcast explores the importance of human connection and the impact of the pandemic on virtual primary care.

About Yaw Fellin:Yaw J. Fellin, is the VP of Product and Solutions and Clinical Effectiveness for Wolters Kluwer HealthYaw Fellin brings more than 15 years of experience as a healthcare executive, with proven results leading cross-functional teams, generating value and revenue growth, most recently at Optum, a global healthcare IT company. Prior to that, Yaw spent over 12 years at the Advisory Board, a leading healthcare research firm, where he ultimately led its highest-growth SaaS business line. He received a BS in Healthcare Administration from Penn State University. Things You’ll Learn:Wolters Kluwer is an integrated resource into EMRs to provide clinicians with mission-critical information as they make decisions to deliver high-quality care.In the Virtual Care Space, there is a need to amplify the quality and experience for both clinicians and patients.Virtual Care is here to stay as it’s proven to increase access to patients and improve their experiences with support throughout their journeys.The Digital Health Architect Consumer Education Suite provides patients, consumers, and members access to evidence-based content to improve their digital health experiences.The EmmiGuide brings incremental benefits to payers by helping them with care management, particularly scaling member engagement. Resources:Connect with and follow Yaw Fellin on LinkedIn.Follow Wolters Kluwer Health on LinkedIn.Discover the Wolters Kluwer Health Website!Find Wolters Kluwer’s Digital Health Architect Consumer Education Suite here!Find Wolters Kluwer’s EmmiGuide in the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace here!

We recognize that nutrition is the front line of health care. But it’s challenging for patients to sustain lasting changes to their eating habits outside the clinical environment. Can technology help us promote healthy eating after a patient leaves the hospital or exam room? How do we deliver a customized digital nutrition coaching experience that keeps users engaged for the long-term? Vanessa Rissetto and Tamar Samuels are the registered dieticians behind Culina Health, a personalized virtual nutrition coaching platform designed to make nutrition accessible and sustainable for everyone. On this episode, Vanessa and Tamar join host Dr. Jessica Shepherd to discuss what differentiates Culina from other nutrition apps and describe the role of automation in the personalized nutrition space. Vanessa and Tamar explain why ongoing engagement is key in changing the way a patient eats and how the Culina Health team addresses the emotional aspects of food. Listen in to understand how Culina collaborates with providers to support their patients and find out how Vanessa and Tamar’s app empowers users to set their own goals, learn about what’s healthy and lead the change process. Topics CoveredWhat differentiates Culina Health from other nutrition apps on the marketThe role of automation in the personalized nutrition spaceHow to support patients around nutrition once they leave the hospital or clinicWhy it’s crucial to address the emotional aspect of eating habitsVanessa & Tamar’s insight on the addictive nature of sugarWhy ongoing engagement is key in changing the way a patient eatsHow Culina helps users set their own goals and lead the change processHow to deal with a weight management patient who’s having a bad dayHow Vanessa & Tamar educate patients around what’s healthy (based on their medical condition)What Culina Health is doing to create community among its usersHow Culina works with providers to support patients and collaborate care Connect with Vanessa Rissetto & Tamar SamuelsCulina Health Connect with Dr. Jessica ShepherdHLTHDr. Shepherd on TwitterDr. Shepherd on LinkedIn Resources‘Obese Children Show Hyperactivation to Food Pictures in Brain Networks Linked to Motivation, Reward and Cognitive Control’ in the International Journal of Obesity

About Heidi Riney:Dr. Riney is board-certified in sleep medicine and neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), Georgia Association of Sleep Professionals (GASP) and National Sleep Foundation (NSF), where she serves on the Public Affairs Committee.She completed her medical training at Wake Forest, neurology residency and neurophysiology fellowship at Emory University, and sleep medicine fellowship at FusionSleep. During her neurology residency, Dr. Riney taught neuroanatomy courses and led small-group clinical cases with second-year Emory medical students. She was also involved in research, looking at concentric-needle single-fiber electromyography for the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.After her neurology residency, Dr. Riney completed a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Emory University. During her fellowship, Dr. Riney led weekly lectures with neurology residents on topics related to electromyography and electroencephalography.Dr. Riney currently evaluates adults and children with sleep, wake, and circadian rhythm problems at the Atlanta North location. About Heidi Anderson:Heidi Anderson has spent more than two decades building businesses and driving major growth in emerging and mature B2B and B2C markets, especially in the healthcare industry.In her role as President & Chief Growth Officer at Nox Health, a sleep healthcare and tech company founded in Iceland, Anderson helps lead the visionary team that has reimagined the sleep healthcare space so that millions worldwide will have access to highly effective sleep solutions, including at-home sleep testing, sleep board-certified physicians telemedicine visits, and ongoing care team support.Prior to joining Nox Health, Anderson served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Clients and Initiatives and ASO Strategy at Teladoc Health. She’s also held senior leadership and officer positions at several start-ups, and mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies. At Time Warner and WebMD, she drove several successful print and digital launches including WebMD Magazine digital edition, Medscape’s Business of Medicine magazine, as well as the Time Health and People Health verticals.Anderson is an active board member of Solis Mammography, a strategic advisor at AliveCor and TaskHuman, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Things You’ll Learn:Nox Health reimagines sleep healthcare so millions worldwide can access highly effective sleep solutions, including at-home sleep testing, sleep board-certified physician telemedicine visits, and ongoing care team support.There is a correlation between the lack of sleep and chronic diseases, mental health issues, behavioral health, and even safety conditions.Sleep Medicine is one field of medicine where you can come from a lot of different specialties.50% of people typically fall off sleep care therapy in the first year. Less than 10% of Nox’s therapy patients fall off. You will die sooner from lack of sleep than from not eating.Duration, quality, and timing are three factors in healthy sleep. There are more than 80 different sleep disorders.Nox doesn’t charge an employer or health plan until someone enrolls in the program.Resources:Connect with and follow Heidi Riney on LinkedIn.Reach out to Dr. Riney at HRiney@NoxHealth.com.Connect with and follow Heidi Anderson on LinkedIn.Reach out to Heidi at Heidi@NoxHealth.com.Follow Nox Health on LinkedIn.Explore the Nox Health Website!

We have come to understand the importance of mental wellness in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, many of us don’t have access to traditional therapy, or we’re hesitant to visit a psychiatrist’s office. And a growing number of people are looking to online therapy as an alternative. But can you build strong relationship with a therapist virtually? What does quality mental health care look like in a digital landscape? Dr. Varun Choudhary is a Board-Certified Forensic Psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Talkspace, a leading virtual behavioral health company that offers convenient and affordable access to a fully credentialed network of highly qualified mental health providers. Dr. Choudhary has 17 years of experience in behavioral health, providing care to patients in the public sector, correctional arena, private practice and community-based settings. He is a specialist in the realm of teletherapy, population health and collaborative care. On this episode, Dr.  Choudhary joins host Dr. Guatam Gulati to explain the concept of asynchronous text-based therapy and explore the benefits of building a relationship with a therapist online. Dr. Choudhary discusses the root causes of the mental health crisis in our country, describing how rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketed during the pandemic and why telepsychiatry remains popular while other forms of telehealth are in decline. Listen in for Dr. Choudhary’s insight on the future of telemental health care and learn how online therapy like Talkspace is democratizing mental wellness around the world. Topics CoveredThe significant shift in the way we think about mental health over the last 10 yearsHow the mental health reimbursement system is informed by the regulatory environmentHow Talkspace pioneered the concept of asynchronous text-based therapyThe benefits of building a relationship with a therapist online (and when it’s more appropriate to meet face-to-face)The potential for Talkspace to eventually add brick-and-mortar facilities to its comprehensive care modelWhat responsibility platforms like Talkspace bear in reporting potential criminal activityHow rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketed during the COVID crisisWhy telepsychiatry use did not drop off after the pandemic like other telehealth servicesDr. Choudhary’s insight on the root causes of the mental health crisis in our countryHow Dr. Choudhary’s WHY aligns with the Talkspace mission to democratize therapyThe meditation practice Dr. Choudhary uses to preserve his own mental wellness Connect with Dr. Varun ChoudharyTalkspaceDr. Choudhary on LinkedIn Connect with Dr. Guatam GulatiHLTHDr. Gulati on TwitterDr. Gulati on LinkedIn Resources‘A Study of Asynchronous Mobile-Enabled SMS Text Psychotherapy’ in Telemedicine and e-HealthHealing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health by Thomas Insel, MDKFF/CNN Survey on Mental Health in AmericaRyan Haight ActMagellan HealthCOVID-19 and Mental HealthTogether: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek H. Murthy, MD

About Taha Kass-Hout:Taha Kass-Hout, MD, MS is the Director of Machine Learning and Chief Medical Officer at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and leads AWS Health AI strategy and efforts. He led teams at Amazon responsible for developing the science, technology, and scale for Covid-19 lab testing, including Amazon’s first FDA authorization for testing our associates—later offered to the public for at-home testing. A physician and bioinformatician, Taha served two terms under President Obama, including as the first Chief Health Informatics officer at the FDA. During this time as a public servant, he pioneered the use of emerging technologies and the cloud (the CDC’s electronic disease surveillance) and established widely accessible global data sharing platforms: openFDA, which enabled researchers and the public to search and analyze adverse events data, and precisionFDA, part of the Presidential Precision Medicine initiative. Taha holds Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science in biostatistics degrees from the University of Texas and completed clinical training in Interventional Cardiology at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Things You’ll Learn:Amazon invented the cloud with Amazon Web Services, the widely available and adopted cloud platform with over 200 features and services from data centers worldwide. AWS helps healthcare and life science customers with breakthrough and ever-evolving medical innovations.In the last ten years, digitized medical record data went from 15% to almost 98%. Although medical records are digitized, about 97% of this data goes unused.Amazon HealthLake allows customers to store, transform, and analyze their structured and unstructured health information in the cloud at a petabyte scale. Amazon HealthLake has an Imaging service and an Analytics service.Just looking at medical imaging, 5.5 billion studies and procedures are done every year globally, which doubles the amount made ten years ago.Healthcare costs $8 trillion globally, and yet, 40% of the world’s population currently doesn't have access to care. Resources:Connect with and follow Taha Kass-Hout on LinkedIn.Follow Amazon Web Services on LinkedIn.Discover the Amazon Web Services Website. 

Several years ago, leading VC Marc Andreessen proposed the notion that innovation happens through a process of unbundling and rebundling. Healthcare is no exception. Through the micro-specialization of companies, we’ve witnessed a great deal of unbundling in the industry. Now, we’ve begun the process of rebundling. So, what does this mean for the future of healthcare tech? And how do venture investors leverage this idea to decide which digital health startups deserve funding? Dr. Vineeta Agarwala is General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where she leads investments for the a16z bio and health fund across digital health care delivery, biotech and life sciences tools and diagnostics. Dr. Agarwala has a special interest in companies leveraging unique datasets to improve healthcare delivery, and she serves on several healthcare portfolio company boards, including Memorial Health, Thyme Care and Waymark. On this episode, Dr.  Agarwala joins host Dr. Guatam Gulati to discuss what health payviders are doing to aggregate the best technology for specialty care and how we might integrate such specialized health tech into already complicated workflows. Dr. Agarwala shares her take on the successes and failures of digital health in the last decade, describing how healthcare tech has been transformative for certain patient populations and why she sees most remote connected wearables as a missed opportunity. Listen in to understand how the high bar for fundraising is changing the way a16z makes decisions and get Dr. Agarwala’s advice for aspiring founders in healthcare tech. Topics CoveredHow Dr. Agarwala thinks about the unbundling and rebundling of services in healthcareWhat health payviders are doing to aggregate the best possible technology across large numbers of specialty care areasHow we might integrate specialized health tech into already complicated workflows (and why it’s such a challenge)Dr. Agarwala’s take on patients, providers and payers as joint custodians of healthcare dataThe pros and cons of imposing a government tax on corporations to access healthcare dataHow digital health has been transformative for some small patient populations, health systems and provider practicesWhy Dr. Agarwala sees remote connected wearables as a failure in the absence of intelligent care managementHow the high bar for fundraising has changed the way a16z makes healthcare tech investment decisionsWhy a16z is encouraging its portfolio companies to adopt a lean business modelWhy now is a phenomenal time to start a company in the healthcare technology spaceHow Dr. Agarwala’s experience with her grandfather’s death informs her work at a16z Connect with Dr. Vineeta AgarwalaDr. Agarwala at Andreessen HorowitzDr. Agarwala on TwitterDr. Agarwala on LinkedIn  Connect with Dr. Guatam GulatiHLTHDr. Gulati on TwitterDr. Gulati on LinkedIn  ResourcesJulie Yoo at Andreesen HorowitzThyme Care