CCS Medical's chronic care extension teams leverage data to provide personalized clinical guidance and coaching that supports behavior change for chronic care patients. This Geek Squad style approach is transforming CCS from a traditional Durable Medical Equipment (DME) supplier to a much more central role CEO Tony Vahedian got his start in consumer-oriented businesses (Miracle-Gro anyone) before shifting over to healthcare. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered ...
Oct 12, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 159
Cecelia Health is pioneering the virtual specialty clinic, aiming to make specialized healthcare accessible nationwide. CEO Mark Clermont discusses how his team extends from the purely medical to health coaching and lifestyle management. Mark's dedication to holistic care, a philosophy he credits to his father's influence, is inspiring. Obesity treatment is a complex, multifaceted issue that Mark tackles head-on. As we delve into the world of anti-obesity medications , Mark unpacks the safety co...
Oct 04, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 158
Value based care is often associated with primary care, but the big opportunities are in specialties like cardiology and oncology. Dr. Dan Blumenthal is founder and president of Novocardia, which brings a value based approach to cardiology. I enjoyed hearing about Dr. Blumenthal's upbringing in a medical family and his formative international experiences, including helping Soviet nuclear scientists transition productively at the end of the Cold War. Unlike a lot of MD/MBAs, Dr. Blumenthal contin...
Sep 28, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 157
Joon CEO Emily Pesce is driven to do something meaningful to arrest the mental health crisis facing young adults. Her professional experience at Amazon and Nerdy gave her the tools, confidence and resources to get it done. And she draws on her experience as a trans woman to empathize with marginalized people. Joon is gaining traction, including a recent partnership with the city of Seattle to provide access to online mental healthcare for teens and young adults. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is par...
Sep 21, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 156
Brandi Kurtyka shares the findings from a recent survey of home care workforce dynamics. I was surprised (and disturbed) by the large proportion of agencies reporting that clients express specific racial preferences for caregivers. It's also interesting that many clients are reluctant to work with younger caregivers and that transportation and childcare are big unsolved issues for these workers. Brandi has a fascinating back story and is the first guest to list the Bible as her top book recommen...
Sep 14, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 155
What if the dating model could revolutionize healthcare hiring? That's the vision put forth by Ryan Lee, a former bouncer turned lawyer and now a dynamic entrepreneur shaking up the healthcare industry. From his intriguing time in Vienna studying human rights, through his stint bringing health-centric energy initiatives into refugee settlements in Uganda, Ryan's journey is amazingly broad. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following li...
Sep 07, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 154
The arrival of legal cannabis and especially high-potency edibles has brought acute cannabis intoxication along with it. According to guest Simon Allen, CEO of Anebulo a staggering 5000 intoxicated patients per day arrive in the emergency room. There's not a lot doctors can do beyond sedation. Anebulo hopes to change that with a product under development to quickly reverse the unwanted high. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following ...
Aug 31, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 153
We discuss the fragmentation of the US healthcare system and how it prompted Yishai to create a solution for seamless patient experiences and improved healthcare outcomes. The solution, RxWare, helps companies rethink the patient journey tech stack. Yishai provides an update on his 2023 predictions with an emphasis on how manufacturers are adapting to meet consumer needs in a frictionless and contextual way. We discuss the importance of companies connecting with patients at relevant moments, the...
Aug 24, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 152
Summer's here and the guests are on vacation. But I've got a thing or two to say about what I'm seeing: How the big problem switched from obesity to obesity drugs Sharks on the Cape: the new normal Reproductive rights after Dobbs Race-based admissions decision flows through to healthcare Bidenomics: How Republicans turned my $1 into $20 As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following links: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2GTYhbNnvDH...
Aug 17, 2023•6 min•Season 1Ep. 151
Andrew Eye was raised by a single mom, worked at NASA, and founded and sold multiple companies. All that before jumping headfirst into healthcare by co-founding ClosedLoop. Andrew saw untapped potential in value-based care at a time when only one in three ACOs was succeeding. We delve into the world of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare. Discover how these technologies are revolutionizing the field, enabling organizations to harness data for accurate and actionable predic...
Aug 10, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 150
pCare CEO Dave Bennett share insights on the evolution of patient engagement. pCare has been around for decades and it's fascinating to learn about its evolution from a TV rental business to a digital consumer and patient family engagement device. Dave describes his approach to developing a value proposition for technology and fostering its successful integration within healthcare organizations. Hear his thoughts on the importance of easing the workload on nurses and creating solutions that allo...
Aug 03, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 149
Jerry Sto. Tomas walks us through his upbringing and education and how he transitioned from the poultry business to the field of information security. He credits his father for teaching him about leadership and his mother for instilling in him the value of hard work and discipline. Discover how he parlayed his business skills into IT and then cybersecurity. Jerry sheds light on the key cybersecurity risks faced by the healthcare industry. From ransomware to phishing attacks, he shares the key th...
Jul 27, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 148
Memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s. It’s not something most people want to think about happening to them, yet it’s all too common. Treatments haven’t been available anyway, so it seems like a lot of worry for nothing. But Cognivue CEO, Tom O'Neill has a different perspective. He's focused on empowering patients and caregivers in Alzheimer’s prevention through cognitive health promotion and early detection to enhance patient outcomes in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. As of Mar...
Jul 20, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 147
Leqembi was just approved to treat early stage Alzheimer's. In this solo episode, host David Williams shares five thoughts. Leqembi is just different enough from Aduhelm to survive scrutiny Patient registry requirement is a good idea The delivery system isn't ready Health equity will suffer Public health and prevention would be money better spent As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following links: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2...
Jul 13, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 146
Milton Silva-Craig studied international relations, then earned a law degree and an MBA. His bilingual skills were helpful in his early success within medical imaging at GE, and his journey took him through leadership roles at public and private companies before joining Q-Centrix. In this episode, Milton shares his perspectives on the founding of Q-Centrix, its evolution, and the ways in which the company's call point and customer base have changed over the years. We also take a deep dive into t...
Jul 06, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 145
DarioHealth President, Rick Anderson shares how his experience in robotics, entertainment, internet companies, biotech tech, and healthcare prepared him to lead a digital health company. Rick and I explore how Dario's initial consumer-focused approach informs their current B2B strategy and how their product engages consumers. We also take a look at the contemporary trends for employers and payers, and how digital health benefits are evaluated today. Our discussion also examines the need for a hy...
Jun 29, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 144
Troy Bannister launched his entrepreneurial voyage in high school with a boat detailing business. At Particle Health, he created a game-changing, single electronic tool that collects and exchanges patient medical records nationwide. Troy shares how his background in entrepreneurship and his passion for helping others influenced his unique approach to healthcare innovation. Navigating the challenges of interoperability in healthcare can be daunting, but Troy's determination and vision have led Pa...
Jun 22, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 143
What if you could bridge gaps in healthcare and make it easier for people to stay healthy at home? Our guest this week, Ashish Shah, co-founder and CEO of Dina, has made it his mission to do just that. From his childhood in Chicago to his studies in computer engineering at Iowa State University, Ashish's journey led him to create a purpose-driven health engagement company that's making a difference in people's lives. As we explore the evolution of Dina and its offerings to health plans and care ...
Jun 15, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 142
What happens when a veteran HR leader sets out to revolutionize the clinical trial staffing industry? Meet Garrett Walker, founder of Virb, a people-centric clinical trial ecosystem designed to provide top talent for pharma companies and clinical research organizations. In this engaging conversation, we explore Garrett's background, his career journey from working in his father's lab to leading talent management at big-name organizations like Verizon, IBM, and Quintiles, and the challenges he's ...
Jun 07, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 141
Fertilis CEO Marty Gauvin and I explored the challenges of IVF accessibility and the global demand for fertility treatments. We discussed the potential for increased productivity through automation, the effects of environmental and lifestyle factors on fertility, and the consensus on the reason for falling fertility rates. Plus, we considered the future implications if IVF becomes the norm. Marty and I discussed how his upbringing and experiences with the healthcare system have shaped his career...
Jun 01, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 140
In this engaging discussion with Shara Cohen, the CEO of Carallel, we explore her journey from a history major with a passion for volunteering to a leader in the healthcare industry. Shara shares her early experiences as a candy striper, delivering meals on wheels, and how those moments helped shape her career path. We also discuss her time at Berkeley, law school, and her work with the Oakland A's, which provided valuable life lessons and fueled her passion for healthcare and legal topics. We t...
May 25, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 139
Growing up as the daughter of immigrants, Neepa Patel, CEO of WellRight, always knew she wanted to make a difference in healthcare. However, it wasn't until she dove into the business side that she found her true calling. In this episode, Neepa takes us through her unique journey and shares the invaluable lessons she's learned along the way—including the importance of making decisions quickly when you have enough information and how "done beats perfect." We also delve into employee wellness and ...
May 18, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 138
Hear insights on improving access to clinical trials with guest, Sam Eells, co-founder of Lightship. We dive deep into her inspiring journey from her early interests in science and healthcare, to her work in public health that led to the founding of Lightship. Learn how Sam's experiences at UCLA shaped her passion for creating better patient experiences and addressing health disparities in clinical trials. Sam and I explore the mission of Lightship and how it aims to revolutionize the clinical t...
May 11, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 137
United Healthcare reported a data breach late last week. https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/united-healthcare-reports-data-breach-that-may-have-revealed-customers-personal-information/ Apparently a hacker used credential stuffing to break into some member portals in February. United just figured this out recently, and responded by forcing password resets and giving affected members two years of identity theft protection services. This leaves a lot of questions, like: 1. What is credential s...
May 04, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 136
In this episode, we discuss the impact of 9/11 on the pharmaceutical industry, role of medical science liaisons, and importance of establishing uniformity in medical affairs competencies with Will Soliman, CEO of the Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA). We explore challenges of implementing standardization, role of PBMs in drug pricing, and potential for unethical behavior in the industry. (0:10) - 9/11 Impact on Pharma (7:33) - Medical Science Liaisons (12:13) - Establishing Unifor...
Apr 27, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 135
Dr. Barry Chaiken's book, Navigating the Code calls for revolutionary technology to transform the patient-physician journey. He believes in IT as healthcare's greatest problem solving tool for the 21st Century. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following links: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2GTYhbNnvDHriDp7Xo9s6Z Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/caretalk-healthcare-unfiltered/id1532402352 YouTube https://www.youtube....
Apr 20, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 134
CalmWave uses AI to combat alarm fatigue in the ICU. CEO Ophir Ronen is a multi-time entrepreneur and a Search & Rescue volunteer. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following 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/ Host ...
Apr 13, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 133
Surgeon, technologist and entrepreneur Dan Riskin founded Verantos to ensure that Real World Evidence (RWE) would fulfill its potential. High-fidelity RWE is challenging and expensive to create, especially at scale. But Verantos appear well on its way. Chapters: (0:00:10) - Real World Evidence (0:13:51) - High Validity Real World Evidence (0:21:19) - Real World Evidence Challenges (0:29:19) - Revolutionizing Healthcare With Technology (0:35:24) - Thanks for listening Chapter Summaries: (0:00:10)...
Apr 05, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 132
Arrive Health provides information to prescribers at the point of care, helping improve affordability, which leads to better access and outcomes. CEO Kyle Kiser describes how it all works. As of March 2025 HealthBiz is part of CareTalk. Healthcare. Unfiltered and can be found at the following 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 C...
Mar 30, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 131
Becky Payne led development of The Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience, which commits federal agencies to strengthen the vital conditions needed to improve nationwide well-being. It’s a government-wide approach to bring to bear the huge breadth of federal resources to improve resilience at the individual and community level. She is now President and CEO of the Rippel Foundation, whose vision is a cohesive system of health that focuses on health and well-being; a system t...
Mar 23, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 130
