15 Minutes With The Doctor: Learn from Healthcare Entrepreneurs and Innovators - podcast cover

15 Minutes With The Doctor: Learn from Healthcare Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Dr Vinay Shankarvinayshankar.net
The podcast for inspiring stories from businesses, start-ups and innovators in healthcare and medical technology
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Episodes

77: What makes an effective virtual ward & community triage platform? With Elina from Feebris

On this episode, Vinay is joined by Elina Naydenova, a biomedical engineer and CEO of Feebris. A company developing AI-driven tools to support clinical decision-making in community settings through the use of virtual wards and remote monitoring. It helps carers and clinicians such as GP’s deliver more accurate health assessments at home, potentially reducing avoidable escalations. Learn how machine learning can support proactive care, what people said when Elina first shared her idea many years ...

Jul 09, 202523 min

76: Is Digital Innovation the Key to Safer Motherhood? With Anish from Babyscripts

In this episode, we're joined by Anish Sebastian, the founder and CEO of Babyscripts, a company changing access to maternal health. He shares his personal journey that fuelled his passion for digitally transforming prenatal care in the United States, where some maternal health statistics are worse than other high-income countries. We explore key insights such as the power of technology to bridge care gaps, the importance of a holistic approach to prenatal care, and the potential for digital tool...

Apr 23, 202522 min

75: Can your voice help diagnose diseases? Taking ambient voice tech to the next level with Henry O’Connell from Canary Speech

What if your voice could predict your future health? Today, we’re joined by Henry O’Connell, CEO of Canary Speech, whose ground-breaking AI is changing the way we can diagnose health conditions. With a simple 20-second voice clip, ambient voice technology analysis can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and mental health conditions. But how does it work? What challenges did Henry face bringing this to life? And could your voice really be the key to a longer, healthier future? Discove...

Mar 26, 202523 min

74: Transforming care rostering & planning with Ian from Access Health

On this episode, Ian McMullon a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience, shares his fascinating journey from Rentokil to former founder of People Planner. It was a UK-based disruptor in the care rostering industry which has evolved into Access Care Rostering. The platform has grown further following it’s acquisition by the Access group, where Ian now serves as Divisional Director. Learn how the platform is transforming care with its touch-first design, streamlined user experiences, and ...

Jan 15, 202526 min

73: How effective is digital therapy for insomnia? With Alison from Sleepstation

On this episode, Vinay welcomes Alison Gardiner who turned her passion for behaviour change into a life-changing solution for insomnia sufferers. As CEO and founder of Sleepstation, Alison has revolutionised sleep health through a program based on digital CBTi techniques. It leads to an improvement in sleep cycles for 94% of participants and is available worldwide. Listen to her inspiring journey of resilience while navigating challenges in healthtech entrepreneurship, strategies for scaling dig...

Dec 18, 202424 min

72: How a smartwatch & iOS app is personalising care for Parkinson’s disease? With Amanda from Strive PD

On this episode, Vinay chats with Amanda Hare, a nurse practitioner specialising in neurology, and experienced in Parkinson's disease management. Amanda explains the complexity of treating Parkinson's patients. To help, she introduces Strive PD, an iOS app that integrates objective data and patient inputs. The solution was created by a patient. It tracks mobility, tremors, medication adherence, and enables symptom logging. The app enhances access to clinical trials, assists tailored treatment pl...

Nov 26, 202422 min

71: From Star Trek to Reality: The quest for digital body twins and quantified imaging with Clarissa from Q Bio

On this episode Clarissa Shen joins the show, she is COO at Q Bio. She discusses how they are transforming healthcare with AI, machine learning, and big data. Discover how Q Bio’s advanced digital platform combines full-body MRI, biochemistry, and genomics to predict health risks, making diagnostics more accessible. Clarissa reveals how they are building their own MRI scanner from scratch to take advantage of new computational power available in a Star Trek like world of preventative healthcare....

Oct 30, 202425 min

70: Transforming Fertility: How Apricity’s virtual clinic is changing fertility care with Caroline Allen

On this episode, Caroline Allen joins the show, they discuss how Apricity is forging a new future for those seeking fertility treatments in the UK. She introduces her career in midwifery and how she made the move to Head of Growth at Apricity. Apricity is the UK’s first virtual fertility clinic using tech to improve fertility outcomes. They blend some of the valued aspects of remote care and technology to improve outcomes, collect valuable additional data, provide expert support with clinical ad...

Oct 09, 202421 min

69: How to go from extraordinary side hustles to an AI mental health startup? With Ross from Limbic

On this episode, Vinay is joined by founder of Limbic, Ross Harper, who has a PhD in computational neuroscience. Limbic enhances mental health care by assisting providers to manage and support demand for mental health services through AI-driven tools. It can prioritise need, from more routine aspects to serious issues, by applying machine learning to user inputs like questionnaires. Ultimately, the platform improves access to services and the patient journey. In a Series A funding round, they ra...

Sep 20, 202423 min

68: How to understand your brain with MEG? With Caitlin from MYndspan

On this episode, Caitlin Baltzer, CEO and Co-founder of MYndspan helps us imagine a world where access to information on how our brain works is at our fingertips. MYndspan is a platform which uses a unique brain scanning technology called magnetoencephalography or more easily known as the MEG scanner. This non-invasive, millimetre-accurate scanning can offer a new perspective on brain function. The data can provide early detection for neurodegenerative illnesses and also provide new intelligence...

Aug 28, 202421 min

67: Do we need technology for our health and wellbeing? With Srinivas Arka

On this episode, Srinivas Arka joins the show. He is a philosopher, author and renowned speaker who focuses on achieving a state of well-being by addressing our mental, physical and spiritual health. Highly regarded for his talks, books, and workshops internationally, Srinivas Arka has also founded the Centre For Conscious Awareness charities worldwide. He has developed a unique form of intuitive meditation called Arka Dhyana, which helps us understand our true selves and reach our highest poten...

Aug 08, 202429 min

66: Vann, a cancer support platform inspired by a personal journey with Ani Haykuni

Imagine a platform where technology and compassionate care converge. This episode is a deep dive into that very space. We're joined by Ani, the visionary founder of Vann, a cancer support app created from her own personal experience. Incubated at Oxford University Innovation, Vann combines support for patients during and after diagnosis. The platform provides not only support and information for patients, but for any individual or group looking to signpost anyone who wants to understand how to m...

Jul 16, 202421 min

65: Surgical training beyond boundaries with Ad Gandhe from Amodisc

On this episode, practising orthopaedic surgeon and founder of Touch Surgery, Ad Gandhe joins the show to discuss Amodisc, his latest venture. This conversation cuts deep into healthcare transformation through technology, as we uncover the story behind a platform designed to educate various grades of surgeons on complex surgeries. Born out of necessity, the platform tackles the post-pandemic hurdles surgical trainees face and supports professionals in lower income countries. It leverages easy ac...

Jun 26, 202422 min

64: Can you improve mental health in six weeks? With Ravi Janapureddy from Resony

On this episode, Ravi Janapureddy joins the show to discuss his latest venture, Resony Health. It’s a response to his own experience of burnout working as a financial consultant. Vinay navigates through the creation of Resony, a software as medical device platform that promises to improve accessibility to mental health services. The app, backed by some of the best elements of cognitive behavioural therapy, offers users a 6-week programme to manage anxiety, reduce stress and build resilience. Rav...

Jun 05, 202421 min

63: Fertility Mapper: How to help patients navigate the fertility treatment journey? With CEO Kaleigh Hartigan

On this episode, Kaleigh Hartigan, CEO and founder who has created fertility mapper joins the show. It’s powered by user reviews and provides clarity to those seeking fertility treatments. Kaleigh also reveals their newest tool to help those pursuing NHS support for fertility. The NHS IVF tool, breaks down complex criteria, to offer any person who needs it a comprehensive understanding of their eligibility for NHS treatment. Having worked extensively in the NHS and also the WHO before developing...

May 08, 202424 min

62: Can you use an app to unleash the power of photos & games in dementia?

On this episode, we have CEO Bruce Elliot from Memory Lane games. It all started as a chat in a humble pub with his co-founder, where they began to discuss their own mothers and how much joy they gained from reminiscing over old photos. Recognising the value of conversation for those with dementia and cognitive decline, they have utilised a gamification model with photos and images in an app. Learn about the journey to over 50k downloads and users in 100 countries, how they can utilise digital b...

Apr 17, 202421 min

61: Reimagining the community nursing journey for patients & nurses using tech with Kelly Klifa from Ally Health

On this episode, CEO and co-founder Kelly Klifa joins the show to discuss Ally Health. It’s a company that uses digital scheduling with a track and trace type system to bring clinical care to the home. No stranger to entrepreneurship, she is the founder of Testing for All, a company with an annual turnover of £29 million, which became the leading Covid-19 platform for connecting laboratories and home testing. They started with just one partner, and ended with eight labs processing between 8K and...

Mar 27, 202422 min

60: Better than paper? A digital surgical consent platform with Dr Patrick Hart from Concentric Health

On this episode Dr Patrick Hart joins the show, he is the clinical operations lead at Concentric Health. We delve into how Concentric is pioneering change in surgical operations and procedures. It streamlines how patients and clinicians navigate the consent process, reducing errors and delays in operations, integrating with electronic health record systems, and ultimately leading to better informed patients. The company is the market leader for digital consent in the UK, offering standardised co...

Feb 23, 202423 min

59: Neutrocheck, an at-home test for neutropenic sepsis with Umaima Ahmad from 52North

On this episode, Vinay is joined by co-founder Umaima Ahmad, to discuss their startup 52North and their ambitious tech that powers a life-saving product. Neutrocheck is device for those undergoing chemotherapy and who are at risk of neutropenic sepsis. With a background in financial law, Umaima and her team of co-founders were inspired to solve a problem that is a serious side-effect for those needing crucial treatment for cancer. Hear all about their journey to creating the product and how it a...

Jan 25, 202421 min

58: Can you optimise your health before surgery with an app? With Adam Robinson from Surgery Hero

On this episode, Adam Robinson joins the show to share how his diverse background including working with Tesco and Spotify, led him to found Surgery Hero. The company was developed to tackle mental and physical issues that can reduce the effectiveness of surgery due to various aspects such as anxiety, weight management, alcohol use and more. They provide their patients with education, coaching and digital tools that can reduce cancellations, hospital stays, and rehabilitation times. With the evi...

Dec 20, 202322 min

57: Do we really need precision medicine for our drug prescriptions? With Athena Doshi, founder of Celeste

On this episode, Vinay Shankar is joined by Athena Doshi, founder of Celeste, a medication diagnostic tool. The company aims to tackle the gender gap in health, to provide prescriptions that fit physiology to improve outcomes in women’s health. Celeste aims not only to bridge the gap, but decrease wastage and eliminate the time it takes to treat a patient with the optimal drug. The platform works seamlessly with healthcare systems to provide a holistic approach to diagnostics and prescriptions. ...

Nov 28, 202323 min

56: How to use a digital health platform to effectively prescribe exercise? With Louise O’Mahony from EXi

On this episode we have Louise O'Mahony, who is the head of customer success at EXI. She shares her transformative journey from managing exercise referral services to working with the National Diabetes Prevention Program and now working on the EXI platform. EXI has been built to integrate with existing technologies to create a seamless pathway to prescribing exercise and holistic fitness. The app simplifies the task of prescribing exercise for people, including those with long-term conditions, a...

Nov 07, 202323 min

55: From Echo to Phlo: How to build a new digital pharmacy world? with Alistair Murray from Phlo

On this episode, we welcome Alastair Murray who is the chief pharmacist at Phlo. He was started his healthtech journey at Echo, the digital pharmacy that was later acquired by Lloyds Pharmacy. Phlo aims to provide a safer, error-free prescriptions-based system. Its API creates seamless connections with existing client’s software and the distinctive Phlo Connect system uses AI to track availability, stock, and price. Learn all about Alistair’s journey, the experiences he gained scaling Echo, how ...

Sep 26, 202322 min

54: Can you use AI to discover rare diseases? With Dr Peter Fish from Mendelian

On this episode, Dr Peter Fish, the CEO of Mendelian joins the show. Their mission is to make it easier for clinicians to diagnose rare diseases. Their AI based platform can sift through medical records to discover more than 100 rare conditions. As a serial entrepreneur, he has built and invested in various tech companies, combining his medical background with his passion for the tech industry. Learn about his investment experience starting at the age of 18, why they created the product, how it ...

Sep 06, 202324 min

53: Can a digital health app beat patient information leaflets? With Dom Raban from Xploro

On this episode we have Dom Raban, the CEO of Xploro, a digital therapeutics platform. As a result of his daughter developing and then beating cancer as a child, he was inspired to create the company to help young people better understand their health condition. The platform uses augmented reality, games, chatbots, and AI to deliver health content to children and young adults in a more meaningful way. This improves satisfaction and health outcomes. Learn about his design background, developing t...

Aug 10, 202320 min

52: How to streamline medical image reporting with Brian Plackis Cheng from OpenRad

In this episode, Vinay talks to Brian Plackis Cheng, CEO of OpenRad, a teleradiology service. The company brings radiology reporting services to the cloud. It enables all medical imaging interpretation to happen remotely, allows easier collaboration with clinical colleagues and patients can access their scans through the patient portal. Brian is a specialist in scaling tech companies, with a deep passion for defining the future of radiology. As a serial entrepreneur, he has brought his expertise...

Jul 26, 202324 min

51: The CUE1 wearable, an effective non-drug treatment for Parkinson’s with Lucy from Charco Neurotech

Lucy Jung is the CEO of Charco Neurotech, a start-up that has created a non-invasive device for improving symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The CUE1 device uses vibrotactile stimulation through a small electronic device placed on the chest. It’s a unique device inspired by the famous neurologist Dr Charcot and already has 16 000 patients on the waiting list. Learn about her story starting from developing the product while doing her Masters at Imperial College London, her focus on using tech to he...

Jul 12, 202323 min

50: How to create a first-in-class drug? With Lisa Patel from Istesso

On this episode, we have Lisa Patel, who is the CEO and co-founder of the drug discovery & development company Istesso. They work in the emerging field of immunometabolism, harnessing the connection between immunology & metabolism to help a patient return to their natural rhythm. Lisa wanted to further her passion to eliminate conditions like rheumatoid arthritis by creating a ‘first in class’ medication that could change the way we treat autoimmune conditions. Hear about her experiences...

Jun 14, 202320 min

49: How did a digital health blockchain startup lead to a telemedicine platform? With Dr Abdullah Albeyatti

Dr Abdullah Albeyatti is a GP and founder of two healthtech companies. Medicalchain harnesses blockchain technology to provide patients with access to their medical records on multiple levels of healthcare, removing barriers and enabling patients to be at the centre of their health. MyClinic is a telemedical solution created within three weeks of the Covid pandemic starting. It is now used in 78 countries and has unique clinician-inspired features. Discover the lessons learned through his entrep...

May 23, 202324 min

48: How to go deeper with AI to reduce missed healthcare appointments in the NHS? With Dr Benyamin Deldar from Deep Medical

On this episode, we have Benyamin, a Doctor and co-founder of Deep Medical. He developed the idea for the company in 2020 alongside his co-founder, David Hanbury, who is an AI engineer. They wanted to help utilise appointments in healthcare more efficiently while being focused on finding solutions that were people-centred. Using AI, Deep Medical is designed to better understand human behaviour and predict who might be at risk of missing their appointments with 90% accuracy. We talk about Benyami...

May 10, 202318 min
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