The HealthBiz podcast is moving to the CareTalk: Healthcare Unfiltered Channel . From now on, when you want to listen to HealthBiz, head over to one of these links: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2GTYhbNnvDHriDp7Xo9s6Z Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/caretalk-healthcare-unfiltered/id1532402352 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CareTalkPodcast CareTalk website https://www.caretalkpodcast.com/ I launched the Health Business Blog exactly 20 years ago, on March 1, 2005 to provide m...
Mar 13, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 219
Dougal Hawes, Group CEO of Smartbox Assistive Technology shares his inspiring journey from growing up in the English countryside to leading a company that empowers people with communication disabilities. Dougal's story is deeply intertwined with his father's dedication to empowering the disabled, a passion that began with a chance encounter in a hospital and evolved into a lifelong commitment. This familial influence not only shaped Dougal's understanding and empathy but also paved the way for h...
Feb 27, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 218
DexCare CEO Derek Streat shares how his early experiences in a small industrial town and the challenges of growing up in a single-parent household instilled a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. These formative years paved the way for his commitment to making a significant impact in healthcare, a commitment deepened by personal experiences, such as his daughter's serious illness and subsequent kidney transplant. Derek's dedication is further highlighted by his involvement in non-profit...
Feb 13, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 217
What if scheduling a doctor's appointment was as easy as booking a table at your favorite restaurant? Join for an enlightening discussion with Jeff Gartland, CEO of Relatient, as we unlock the complexities of patient scheduling in healthcare. Jeff shares his unique perspective, drawing from a childhood influenced by behavioral psychologists and a career spanning top healthcare technology firms like McKesson, Ciox, and Elevance. Together, we explore how patient scheduling is much more than a tech...
Feb 06, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 216
RJ Kedziora, co-founder and COO of Estenda, shares his journey from a tech-savvy childhood in the 70s to becoming a leader in healthcare innovation. RJ reflects on his early fascination with computers, starting with the IBM PC Junior, and his academic pursuit of artificial intelligence. His career path has traversed the evolution of software development, consulting, and the Internet boom of the late 90s. With a unique blend of empathy and technical expertise, RJ emphasizes the importance of unde...
Jan 23, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 215
I had a great experience with my inguinal hernia surgery this summer, so I just had to invite my doctor, Nora Fullington and her partner, Dr. Michael Reinhorn from Boston Hernia onto the podcast! A few takeaways: The vast majority of hernia repairs are performed by general surgeons in hospital operating rooms. But better outcomes, lower cost, and greater convenience are possible if you can find a specialized practice like I did and go to an ambulatory surgery center. (Only 3% of inguinal hernias...
Jan 09, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 214
Advance Care Directives are great in theory, but often fail in practice. The result: patients' wishes aren't respected and their families end up fighting. Dr. Ferdinando Mirarchi has built a whole medical practice and business around Advance Directives. HIs company, MIDEO enables patients to create video-based plans either with or without a physician's help. I went through the process myself in preparation for this interview and learned a lot about the nuances of what to put in the directive to ...
Dec 19, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 213
Bradley Bostic, the visionary CEO and founder of hc1, shares his journey from the plains of South Dakota to the cutting-edge world of healthcare data innovation. We explore how a childhood fascination with technology and a stint on the football field at Indiana University laid the groundwork for his groundbreaking work in healthcare. Our conversation uncovers Bradley's early career experiences at Ernst & Young, where he first glimpsed the complex inner workings of the healthcare industry, ul...
Dec 12, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 212
Hadassah Backman, founder and CEO of GuardDoc Health shares her personal story, from growing up in New York as a family caretaker, influenced by her father's illness and her grandmother's survival of the Holocaust, to her initial career in literature and writing. Discover how her path took a pivotal turn after a personal caregiving experience, leading her to pursue nursing. As a single mother, Hadassah navigated the challenges of nursing school and built an impressive career at Northwell, gainin...
Dec 05, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 211
Explore the fascinating journey of Bo Holland, a pioneering figure in healthcare innovation. Growing up in Houston and Austin, Texas, Bo was inspired by his family's entrepreneurial spirit, which led him to pursue an entrepreneurship program at Baylor University. From running small businesses to becoming a pivotal player at Citrix Systems, Bo shares his early experiences and the lessons he learned along the way. We uncover how his ability to recognize opportunities and his passion for technology...
Nov 21, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 210
Shan Sinha is confronting the urgent issue of workplace violence in healthcare. Delving into the alarming rise of aggression against healthcare workers, particularly exacerbated by the pandemic, Shan discusses pioneering solutions like Canopy's wearable safety buttons that empower staff with connectivity and protection. Shan shares his extraordinary journey through the fast-paced world of technology and innovation. We embark on a captivating exploration of Shan's upbringing in Texas, his academi...
Nov 07, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 209
In this episode I welcome back Mohan Giridharadas, CEO and founder of LeanTaaS, who shares his journey in revolutionizing healthcare capacity through AI and prescriptive analytics. Mohan provides insights into LeanTaas's evolution since pivoting to healthcare in 2015, tackling pressing challenges such as increased demand, financial pressures and staffing shortages. With innovative solutions now optimizing a third of the U.S. chemotherapy capacity and enhancing 15% of the nation's surgical capaci...
Oct 24, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 208
Join me in exploring value-based care with George Aloth, co-founder and CEO of Chamber. George shares his inspiring journey from his upbringing in Baltimore to his pivotal role in shaping healthcare. With a unique educational background in accounting and law, he honed his expertise in Medicaid and Medicare through early career experiences at CMS and Cigna. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found a Medicaid insurance startup and eventually become CEO of CareFirst's Medicaid division. Georg...
Oct 10, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 207
As a physician and healthcare CEO, Russ Richmond already knew a lot about healthcare. But when a bad accident put him into the hospital for three months he developed a much more profound understanding of caregiving. In particular, he learned that many of the nurses and therapists who provided him with such great care were thinking of quitting their jobs! Once he was released he did some research and discovered that a root cause of burnout was a lack of effective management and high administrativ...
Sep 26, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 206
Richard Kellner is on a mission to end polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a leading cause of kidney failure in younger people. The key is combining pre-implantation genetic testing with in vitro fertilization to prevent the disease from being passed from parent to child. The PKD Outreach Foundation , run by Richard is raising awareness so that physicians and parents-to-be know about this option. PKD Outreach is also making testing and IVF more affordable and accessible through a partnership with U...
Sep 12, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 205
Explore the life and career of Brett White, CEO of Weave, an AI-powered platform designed to support small and mid-sized medical practices. Brett shares his formative experiences growing up in Northern California, working on a farm, and benefiting from his father's career as an airline pilot. These early influences instilled in him a strong work ethic and an appreciation for the value of hard work and simple living, shaping his approach to leadership and innovation in healthcare. We trace Brett'...
Sep 05, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 204
PatientPay and ClearGage are merging. I interviewed CEO Tom Furr to get his take. The combined offering is intended to deliver a comprehensive billing and payment platform that includes estimation and eligibility along with streamlined patient payments. Doctors offices are generally set up to bill insurance, but patients are now responsible for a lot more of the bill. Offices that manage patient payments effectively perform much better financially and reduce friction. That's what PatientPay enab...
Aug 29, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 203
Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Sarah Iselin is a great asset for Massachusetts. I admired her work when she ran the Department of Healthcare Finance and Policy and then the BCBS Foundation, and was grateful for her rescue of Massachusetts' implementation of the Affordable Care Act. After a decade-long sojourn to Florida and California she's come back to Massachusetts just in time to address some big challenges. Among the topics we discussed: The Steward Healthcare bankruptcy Access to care -especial...
Aug 22, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 202
Jeff Greenfield's journey is fascinating. As a child he was enchanted with magic, fell in love with Disney, and was transformed by a year in Israel during high school. Jeff shares how his early experiences shaped his career path, from studying biochemistry at the University of Maryland to becoming a chiropractor, all the while nurturing his passion for close-up magic. A car accident meant he had to stop practicing, but ultimately led him to embrace the burgeoning internet era of the mid-90s. Nex...
Aug 15, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 201
Most people living with chronic conditions have more than one, yet digital health is full of point solutions for specific conditions. Dr. Tryggvi Thorgeirsson transformed that insight into Sidekick Health, which takes a platform approach to addressing a patient's complex needs. The company is growing fast, both organically and through acquisition. The latest addition, PINK! specializes in cancer care and women's health. Tryggvi is from Iceland, and I enjoyed uncovering his fascinating journey. H...
Aug 08, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 200
Dr. Sarah Adler, founder and CEO of Wave and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, shares her journey from childhood through an eclectic academic path at Columbia University, a brief stint in medical school, and an unexpected career turn at a hedge fund. Her story offers a unique perspective on how personal experiences --in Sarah's case a diagnosis of ADHD at age 40 --can ignite a passion for mental health and drive innovative approaches to care. We explore how Gener...
Aug 01, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 199
Can value-based care transform the American healthcare system? In this episode, we dive deep into this pressing question with Dr. Mohamed Diab, president of CVS Accountable Care. Dr. Diab highlights systemic challenges, such as physician burnout and the inadequacies of primary care funding. With an emphasis on primary care's critical role in managing chronic conditions and preventing illness, he reveals how a shift to value-based care can lead to better health outcomes by focusing on holistic, p...
Jul 18, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 198
Greg Mario, CEO of TAXIS Pharmaceuticals shares his dynamic journey from a childhood of constant relocations to spearheading the fight against antibiotic-resistant infections. Greg opens up about his immigrant grandparents' profound influence and a transformative experience with a captivating professor at Trinity College that shifted his academic focus from mechanical engineering to chemistry. This pivotal change set the foundation for his career in the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting his ...
Jul 11, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 197
Unlock the secrets to effective behavioral health management in long-term care in this interview with Rocco Coniglio, a powerhouse in healthcare entrepreneurship. From a sports-driven childhood in Pittsburgh to collegiate triumphs as a middle linebacker, Rocco's journey is certain to inspire. We dive into his career, navigating roles at McKesson, Gambro, Medtronic, and Spectranetics, and explore his bold move to co-found Psych360 mid-career. Get actionable insights on starting a business while j...
Jul 04, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 196
Listen in to this informative episode with Pete O'Heeron, CEO of FibroBiologics, as we explore his journey from a small, innovative town to the forefront of healthcare innovation. Pete shares how his upbringing in a medically inclined family and a community rich with inventiveness influenced his career. Hear how Pete transitioned from pre-med to hospital administration due to unforeseen geopolitical events, ultimately finding his passion within the healthcare industry. Pete recounts his transfor...
Jun 27, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 195
The future of healthcare isn't just about treating illness, but fundamentally reshaping how care is delivered and experienced. Join us as Emily Young from Tufts Medicine Integrated Network and Courtney Fortner from Navvis share their compelling insights on the transformative potential of value-based care. Emily delves into the importance of integrating value-based and volume-based approaches, while Courtney brings to light the inspirational story of a physician who found renewed purpose and post...
Jun 21, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 194
What if your dentist could spot cavities long before they became a problem? Join us as we chat with Jordan Rubinson, CEO of CaviSense, about his interesting journey from pharma to medtech We start by discussing Jordan's early influences, from his father's career at Block Drug Company to his own academic adventures at Columbia and MIT's Sloan School. Despite an initial interest in accounting, Jordan's passion for pharma led him down a path less traveled, avoiding the conventional business routes ...
Jun 11, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Travis Morgan, President and CFO of DecisionRx touts medication optimization as the way to improve outcomes and reduce costs. In this episode, Travis shares his journey from an entrepreneurial upbringing to making waves in the life sciences and healthcare technology sectors. Learn how his experiences in public accounting and as a precision medicine company co-founder have shaped his unique approach to tackling one of the healthcare industry's most costly issues: ineffective medications. Hear how...
Jun 06, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 192
Curious about the forces driving healthcare pricing and access? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Sarah Emond, President and CEO of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). Sarah's upbringing in a family passionate about policy and social justice laid the foundation for her impactful career in health policy. We explore her educational journey from Smith College to Brandeis University’s Heller School, and how her professional experiences in clinical research and biopharm...
May 30, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 191
Eileen McAnenny, the driving force behind the Employer Coalition on Health in Massachusetts shares her journey from a typical Irish Catholic home in Somerville (before it was fashionable) to a leader in healthcare policy and cost management. Discover how her roots and influential figures like Tip O'Neill and the Kennedys shaped her passion for public service, leading to a law career and roles at the Bank of New England, the Joint Committee on Taxation, and beyond. Eileen's insights on employer e...
May 23, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 190
