Vital Signs with Jacob Effron and Nikhil Krishnan

Jacob and Nikhil sit down with Toyin Ajayi, Co-Founder and CEO of Cityblock Health, an SDoH-focused provider of primary care, behavioral health, and chronic disease management for Medicaid and dual eligible patients. They discuss innovating in Medicaid, engaging patients with digital solutions, building sustainable companies, and more. (0:00) intro(0:50) the state of Medicaid innovation today(2:33) Toyin’s time at Commonwealth(7:33) incubators in the current climate(11:02) biggest risks starting Cityblock(14:46) surprises in building Cityblock(23:06) how Cityblock chooses which services to offer and which to outsource(29:22) lower acuity patients(33:23) state-by-state differences(37:59) policy changes to improve Medicaid(42:15) a shift towards profitability(45:01) generative AI Out-Of-Pocket: https://www.outofpocket.health/

Marta Bralic Kerns, Founder and CEO of Pomelo Care, discusses payer contracting, career advice for startups, and the pressing issue of maternity care in the US. They also talk about the challenges faced by OB practices, different types of practitioners in maternity care, and the importance of building an EHR as part of a business strategy.

Farzad Mostashari, CEO of Aledade, discusses the success of value-based care, barriers for Medicaid models, and the competitiveness of acquiring new practices. He also shares his insights on overhyped and underhyped aspects of health tech and the use of AI in healthcare. The speakers delve into the need for market competition, advancements in technology, and the impact of retailers acquiring at-risk providers.

Jacob and Nikhil speak with Heather Fernandez, CEO and Co-Founder of Solv, a company that focuses on getting people access to high-quality, last-minute care. Heather discusses the future of urgent care, operating a digital health company during Covid, crafting a strong go-to-market strategy, the role of private equity in urgent care, and more. (0:00) intro(3:07) what is Solv?(10:50) why is scheduling so bad in healthcare?(16:03) is urgent care a net good?(20:35) areas where urgent care can improve(24:07) will urgent and longitudinal care combine somehow?(25:31) Solv during Covid(32:54) state by state healthcare nuances(39:16) private equity and urgent care Out-Of-Pocket: https://www.outofpocket.health/

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, discusses his pharmaceutical startup, disrupting PBMs, the future of AI in healthcare, and why he doesn't put his name on buildings.

Chris Hogg, CEO of Marley Medical, discusses selecting markets, go-to-market strategies, and using AI in healthcare. They explore the challenges of B2B2C models, standing out from the competition, and the potential of AI in personalized care programs. They also discuss integrating virtual care with in-person components and the future of consumer-driven healthcare.

Jacob and Nikhil sit down with Omada Health's CEO, Sean Duffy, to discuss evolving employer pricing, incorporating GLP-1s, and using LLMs. They also touch on the Livongo-Teladoc merger, coining the term 'digital therapeutics,' and policy changes that could improve healthcare.

Dr. Andy Beck, PathAI CEO, discusses AI adoption in diagnosis, nailing go-to-market strategy, digitalizing pathology labs, regulatory frameworks, standardizing diagnoses, the future of pathologists' jobs, working in Daphne Koller's lab, and the potential of AI in drug development and healthcare.

Jacob and Nikhil sit down with Dr. Austin Chiang, an interventional GI doc and Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic’s GI business who also has >500K TikTok Followers. We discuss how social media companies deal with public health issues, how doctors can use social media, lessons from being a “physician influencer,” the consumerization of GLP-1s and more. 0:00 intro1:02 how Austin got into medicine and social media4:59 highlights and lowlights of being a recognizable figure in the medical world8:47 balancing engagement with education25:22 how to steer away from misinformation30:51 the consumerization of GLP-1s39:24 tips for doctors on social media45:45 how to market to physicians47:31 public health campaigns on social media 52:10 Austin’s favorite post

Jacob and Nikhil sit down with Dotmatics CEO Thomas Swalla to discuss R&D software, differences in software requirements across biotechs, growing through 11 acquisitions and expanding beyond life sciences.  0:00 intro0:36 getting into healthcare5:20 what R&D looks like today8:03 what does Dotmatics do?13:06 differences in software requirements across biotechs20:15 bundling vs. “best-of-breed”23:46 do life sciences need their own data tools?26:44 incorporating AI into Dotmatics tools34:38 AI replacing scientists37:39 how Dotmatics tools can serve companies outside of life sciences39:50 acquisition strategy44:43 spaces for innovation in R&D