The Beat

About Julie Ebert:Julie Betts Ebert is Managing Director of Silicon Valley Bank’s National Life Science & Healthcare team, supporting life science companies in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast with banking services, debt financing, and strategic growth advice. Previously, she led SVB’s Strategic Advisory effort, managing client engagements and advisory projects. Julie’s prior experience includes 10 years at Greenhill & Co., advising on M&A and restructuring, and roles at Prudential Securities and J.P. Morgan. She holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in finance from the University of Virginia.Things You’ll Learn:There's been an increase in the number of deals being made in the health tech space, signaling a positive shift in the market despite funding not growing as drastically as there's a slight uptick.A significant portion of health tech companies, roughly a third that have raised money, are integrating AI into their products or services, demonstrating the growing importance of AI in healthcare innovation. Silicon Valley Bank's reports aim to create transparency in the market. They give companies access to critical information about venture capital trends and investment patterns, helping to level the playing field for these companies.The 2024 Future of Healthtech report also shows that investors are becoming more pragmatic about valuations, with fewer up rounds and an increase in flat or down rounds or deals where the terms are not disclosed at all. By offering its insights, being creative in its financing, and supporting companies with the knowledge to help move their businesses forward, Silicon Valley Bank shows that it is a bold leader who is playing a crucial role in transforming the healthcare industry and fostering innovation.Resources:Connect with and follow Julie Ebert on LinkedIn.Follow Silicon Valley Bank on LinkedIn and visit their website.Read this year’s SVB’s Future of Healthtech report here.

About Frank Harvey:Frank Harvey is the CEO of Surescripts, a company aiming to we convene healthcare organizations nationwide to simplify how health intelligence is shared. Frank is an experienced chief executive and investor and has held numerous senior leadership roles during his more than 35-year career in the healthcare technology, pharmacy and pharmaceutical sectors. His leadership philosophy is to treat every person with respect, keep communication honest, and always have a bias for action. When Frank isn’t working, he and his wife support their local Boys & Girls Clubs. They are also passionate defenders of clean water, working with local organizations to address the significant issue of toxic algae in local rivers.Things You’ll Learn:Electronic prescribing has significantly reduced medication errors, administrative costs, and physician/pharmacist callbacks, with an estimated annual savings of $140 billion for the US healthcare system.Interoperability allows for better clinical decisions by making a comprehensive patient history accessible, improving health outcomes.The nation is facing a shortage of primary care providers, so pharmacists are in the perfect position to be integrated into the care team, making better medicine treatment and delivery. Surescripts is part of the Healthcare community and has partnerships with pharmacies, PBMs, EHRs, and health systems, all working together to improve the process of healthcare.Implementing real-time prescription benefits can reduce healthcare costs by helping physicians select more cost-effective treatment options.Resources:Connect with and follow Frank Harvey on LinkedIn.Follow Surescripts on LinkedIn and visit their website.

About Zane Burke:Zane Burke is the CEO of Quantum Health, where he leads efforts to revolutionize healthcare navigation through innovative solutions that combine technology with a human touch. With a background in both healthcare IT and executive leadership, Zane brings a wealth of experience to his role. Prior to joining Quantum Health, he served as CEO of Livongo Health, Inc., and as President of Cerner Corporation, where he drove significant advancements in healthcare technology. Zane is known for his commitment to improving healthcare delivery and making it more efficient and patient-centered. He holds both an undergraduate degree and an MBA from Kansas State University. Passionate about creating great healthcare experiences and addressing societal imbalances, Zane is a visionary leader dedicated to driving sustainable innovation in the healthcare industry.Things You’ll Learn:The integration of advanced technology with personalized human interaction significantly enhances healthcare experiences.Quantum Health's pharmacy navigation solution helps reduce pharmacy costs, especially for specialty medications, by providing cost-effective alternatives at the point of care.Streamlining healthcare processes makes them more efficient and less cumbersome for both patients and providers.Similar navigation solutions could be applied to other areas of healthcare, such as surgery and oncology, to improve outcomes and manage costs.Quantum Health's commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence creates seamless consumer experiences and drives down healthcare costs.Resources:Connect with and follow Zane Burke on LinkedIn and X.Follow Quantum Health on LinkedIn and visit their website. 

Sandy Vance and Peter Horadan, CEO of Vouched, discuss how Vouched uses AI and automation to verify identities in Telehealth. When you go to a doctor’s office, the receptionist checks your ID. As healthcare providers continue to conduct appointments virtually, how can they verify their patients’ identities digitally? Vouched uses artificial intelligence and automation to check the validity of patient IDs and verify that the person on the virtual appointment matches that identity. They discuss applications, success stories, and more. In this episode, they discuss:How Vouched helps doctors and hospitals deal with challenges and identification requirements unique to healthcareHow Vouched removes friction in the Telehealth spaceThe steps Vouched takes to ensure that documents are real and match the patientHow Vouched helps healthcare organizations stay compliant with HIPAA and other healthcare compliance requirementsThe role Vouched plays in cybersecurity, and how Vouched protects itself from attacksThe emergence of AI agents in 2025Real-world success stories from Vouched’s customersA little about Horadan:Peter Horadan is the CEO of Vouched, a provider of AI-powered identity verification in the healthcare space. He founded Lockstep, developed the first connected accounting platform, and led its successful acquisition by The Sage Group.Previously, Peter drove Avalara's growth towards its IPO and held technology leadership roles at Concur Technologies and Microsoft. His expertise in SaaS and his strategic vision fuels Vouched’s innovation in digital verification.Vouched is a rapidly growing company, and was recognized in Inc. 5000’s Fastest Growing-Companies List. It also made the Deloitte Fast 500 in 2024. As healthcare providers continue to use Telehealth to make appointments more convenient, Vouched fills an important role in identity verification, patient satisfaction, and compliance.

About Srinivas Velamoor:Srinivas (Sri) Velamoor is a senior executive with expertise in healthcare, technology, and financial services. He currently serves as President and COO of NextGen Healthcare, overseeing operations in the U.S. and India. Previously, he was Chief Growth and strategy Officer there. Sri has extensive experience driving growth for tech and SaaS companies, aligning strategy with execution. He has held leadership roles at McKinsey, PwC, and Diamond Management, where he helped scale digital health and healthcare technology initiatives.Things You’ll Learn:Healthcare providers must recognize that patients are also consumers with lives outside of healthcare.AI in healthcare is being applied to both administrative and clinical areas but the admin areas have a clearer path to immediate ROI.There's a trend towards digital front doors, which replace older patient portals, and bring the patient experience directly to their mobile devices. This shift is driven by the need for better accessibility and patient convenience.AI can enhance the revenue cycle process by predicting payment likelihood and reducing submission errors, ultimately increasing cash flow.Collaboration, and not competition, is vital in the health tech space to create better outcomes.Resources:Connect with and follow Srinivas Velamoor on LinkedIn.Follow NextGen Healthcare on LinkedIn and visit their website.

About David Stein:David Stein is the former global head of strategy and president of molecular diagnostics for Siemens Healthineers. His previous roles include CEO of Siemens' point of care business, head of strategy for the Diagnostics division, and global vice president of engineering within the Diagnostics division. Working alongside Eric Olson, he was instrumental in incubating Babson Diagnostics in the company’s earliest days. David is also the Board Chairman of PixCell Medical, Israel.Dr. Stein earned his Ph.D. in Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.Things You’ll Learn:Babson Diagnostics' BetterWay Blood Testing service allows for routine and specialty testing from a finger prick sample. It is available at convenient locations like pharmacies and community events, which is ideal for people who are afraid of needles or are busy.The service is designed to be affordable, addressing a major barrier for those without insurance or who are underinsured, allowing broader access to vital health information and empowering them with better clinical outcomes.The company actively seeks to partner with local businesses, community groups, and healthcare providers, offering diverse locations and extended hours to serve a wide range of people and impact diverse communities.Blood testing is very personal, and many have stories, good or bad, and a significant percentage don’t get their doctor-ordered blood testing done unless they have a trigger event.Partnering with clinicians is a fundamental human right.Resources:Connect with and follow David Stein on LinkedIn.Follow Babson Diagnostics on LinkedIn and visit their website.Learn more about BetterWay Blood Testing here!

About Dr. Theo Koury:Theo Koury, MD, is the President of Vituity. Across his 25-year leadership career, Dr. Koury has focused on empowering front-line clinicians to improve care by prioritizing patient outcomes and maximizing quality and efficiency. In addition to his executive duties, he is a practicing emergency physician in the San Francisco Bay Area. As President of Vituity since 2017, Dr. Koury oversees the company’s financial and infrastructure strategies to fulfill the enterprise’s mission of empowering healthcare providers to deliver exceptional care across more than 500 service locations nationwide. Dr. Koury holds a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Southern California and a medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and is an American College of Emergency Physicians Fellow. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine, where he served as Chief Resident, was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, and received the John P. McDade Award for Research in Emergency Medical Care.Things You’ll Learn:Creating a culture of innovation starts with open communication and collaborative teamwork that encourages team members, followed by dedicated resources for frontline staff to develop their ideas.Solutions developed from the ground up, with frontline provider involvement, are more likely to succeed and provide better patient outcomes than top-down, less-informed approaches.AI-driven tools can go beyond basic automation to serve as a physician-partner, offering decision support, differential diagnoses, and a more thorough patient analysis than physicians alone can do.Integrating frontline providers in technology implementation leads to better results and avoids the negative impacts often seen when rolling out technology without their input.Healthcare organizations can build an in-house innovation lab and dedicate an innovation budget to bring forward the ideas their physicians and nurses have to offer and implement them quickly.Resources:Connect with and follow Dr. Theo Koury on LinkedIn.Follow Vituity on LinkedIn and visit their website.

About Erin Weber:Erin Richter Weber is a healthcare leader with 14 years at CAQH. She oversees CAQH CORE, advancing healthcare automation, and CAQH Insights, producing the annual Index report. Erin unites stakeholders to address industry challenges through data-driven innovation. Previously, she consulted for PwC and led research at the Advisory Board Company. She holds a Master’s from Harvard and a Bachelor’s from Cornell, making her a pivotal voice in healthcare standards and policy.About Don Rucker:Dr. Donald Rucker is the Chief Strategy Officer of 1upHealth and former National Coordinator for Health IT at HHS (2017–2021). He led the ONC’s 21st Century Cures Act Interoperability Rule, enabling secure patient access to health data via standardized FHIR APIs. A board-certified physician with clinical informatics expertise, he co-developed the first Windows-based electronic medical record. Dr. Rucker holds degrees from Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford, blending medicine, technology, and leadership.Things You’ll Learn:Provider data is the backbone of the healthcare system, powering everything from patient care to billing, and requires standardization to ensure accuracy.The healthcare industry needs to learn from the internet and establish a system similar to domain name services to reduce friction.Data quality is paramount for interoperability, requiring standardized definitions of data elements like location. To improve data, AI should be included. AI can be used to standardize the multiple sources of provider data by merging them and enhancing the quality of that data. The healthcare industry is behind other industries, and boldness comes from adopting solutions that have already been implemented elsewhere. Resources:Connect with and follow Erin Weber on LinkedIn.Follow CAQH on LinkedIn and visit their website.Connect with and follow Don Rucker on LinkedIn.Learn more about 1upHealth on their LinkedIn and website.Check out the latest annual CAQH Index Report here. 

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.