Lifers with Christina Farr

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr and Peter Lee, President of Microsoft Science explore the evolution of AI from its early "neural net" origins to the groundbreaking scale of GPT-4. Peter shares insider insights on Microsoft’s strategic partnership with OpenAI and how AI is transforming specialized fields into "full stack" generalist roles. They dive deep into the future of healthcare, highlighting how AI could eliminate administrative "coordination" layers while significantly increasing clinical patient flow. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/58d5e88a-5b17-46fa-85be-c3fde5d3e8f3-009c2hma—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Lake Nona Impact Forum: https://lakenonaimpactforum.org/ Microsoft Research Podcast with Chrissy and Dave deBronkart: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/podcast/the-ai-revolution-in-medicine-revisited-empowering-patients-and-healthcare-consumers-in-the-age-of-generative-ai/ Attention is All You Need (Google Research): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1706.03762 The Pause Letter: https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/ The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis: https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gic?source=queue Lifers episode with Dr. Bob Wachter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6U1fX1JgVk Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW:Peter:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterlee4/ https://x.com/peteratmsr Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:23) Intro(03:12) Evolution from deep neural nets to modern AI(04:47) Demystifying model weights and the shift to training(07:04) Breakthroughs in speech recognition and computer vision(09:25) The arrival of transformers and the attention mechanism(11:28) Why Microsoft invested when the research community ridiculed(13:54) Addressing the Pause Letter and the need for caution(16:44) AI as the moral equivalent of the transistor(19:27) Sponsor: Granola(20:06) How AI native teams restructure software development(22:29) Empowering everyone from junior devs to the CEO(28:01) Integrating AI into frontline clinical encounters and avatars(32:41) The hidden costs and upcoding risks of ambient scribes(35:48) Eliminating the coordination drag to improve patient throughput(47:45) Displacing administrative and payer-side adjudication roles(49:53) Predicting the decline of medical subspecialties(53:05) Distinguishing between mathematical proof and human creativity(56:50) Wrap

In this episode, Christina Farr sits down with Othman Laraki, co-founder and CEO of Color. They discuss the "tortuous" yet rewarding journey of building a generational healthcare company. Othman shares how Color successfully navigated three major pivots—evolving from a cancer genetics startup into a national COVID-19 infrastructure provider, and finally into a comprehensive virtual cancer clinic. They explore the critical differences between tech and healthcare, the evolution of risk in venture capital, and why long-term success in the industry requires a deep commitment to solving complex clinical problems. Check out the Granola Notes from this episode here: ⁠https://notes.granola.ai/t/d1e8a189-ddb1-4c4f-b92d-3d4d509e4937-008umkv4⁠. —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: granola.ai/lifers with code LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Color: https://www.color.com/Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Othman:https://www.linkedin.com/in/othmanlaraki/ https://x.com/othman Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:58) Intro(01:21) Lessons from Figma and betting on the tortoise over the hair(02:45) Othman's transition from Google and Twitter to healthcare founder(05:07) Why simple features often become massively scalable business engines(06:52) Analyzing the shift from venture risk-taking to asset management(10:49) Playing the hard mode of healthcare for long-term impact(13:10) Why market structure dictates clock speed more than regulation(15:33) Navigating the conflicting financial incentives of health system CFOs(15:54) Sponsor: Granola(16:33) Navigating the conflicting financial incentives of health system CFOs (cont’d)(17:38) Surviving three pivots by aligning boards and team talent(20:37) Building infrastructure for the world's largest research study(23:51) Leaving money on the table to avoid ephemeral COVID traps(28:00) Launching a national virtual cancer clinic with the ACS(32:25) Focusing on the five high-spend pillars of patient identity(34:58) Closing the gap between clinical guidelines and early-stage screening(36:16) Removing friction to increase cancer screening rates by seventy percent(40:25) Mastering the diverse unit economics of different payer books(42:29) Preserving the nimbleness of private companies over going public(43:40) Wrap

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr examines the intricate intersection of clinical oversight and product strategy with Dr. Ari Hoffman, who oversees both domains at Collective Health. They discuss the only “because healthcare" realities that define the sector—from the friction of reconciling HIPAA regulations with modern mobile standards to the structural persistence of legacy technologies like the fax machine. They offer deep dives into the strategic role of Third Party Administrators (TPAs) and the "relentless optimism" required to navigate a market where complexity often serves as a regrettable moat for incumbents.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/.—LINKS: Collective Health: https://collectivehealth.com/  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Ari:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-hoffman-2b32b87/  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:02) Intro(01:56) Examining the shift from digital health into policy roles (02:42) Assessing political headwinds for the healthcare industry (03:27) How Medicaid cuts squeeze the commercial employer market (05:04) Reactions to the make health tech great again movement (06:33) The lack of clear standards for true interoperability (07:47) Direct primary care and the limits of shoppable health (10:32) Building Collective Health (12:23) Why healthcare innovation lags behind other tech sectors (14:25) Solving product friction caused by HIPAA and Apple standards (16:52) Leveraging complexity and the pipes of healthcare as a moat (18:15) Sponsor: Arbiter(18:46) Separating AI hype from foundational data quality use cases (22:18) Merging clinical risk tolerance with product design (23:08) Breaking down the role of third party administrators (26:04) The venture capital thesis on investing in a TPA (31:31) Advice for founders tackling the underbelly of healthcare (32:42) Using patient APIs to unblind the fragmented system(37:44) Wrap

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr speaks with Dr. Zeke Emanuel about his new book, Eat Your Ice Cream, which offers a sustainable alternative to the aggressive trend of health optimization. Zeke breaks down six simple, long-term habits for longevity, emphasizing that consistency and enjoyment are more vital than perfection or expensive supplements. They discuss the future of healthcare, including the impact of miracle drugs like GLP-1s and the need for better wellness education within the medical community.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/ —LINKS: Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324117537 Zeke’s website: https://www.ezekielemanuel.com/ Zeke’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drezekielemanuel CMS Elevate: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/maha-elevate  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Zeke:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeke-emanuel-6ab78a1b0/ https://x.com/ZekeEmanuel  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:54) Intro(02:43) The inspiration behind the book (04:38) The importance of socialization and shared meals (07:51) Sustainability versus the short-term hustle (08:48) The truth about supplements and regulation (12:22) Sponsor: Arbiter(12:58) Research on psychedelics and mental health (14:52) Social determinants of health and environment (17:20) Diet essentials and the problem with ultra-processed foods (20:53) The science and practice of intermittent fasting (23:21) GLP-1 drugs as a breakthrough in healthcare (27:39) Building healthy food habits in children (30:21) Political policy and chronic illness (34:12) Four ways to prevent cognitive decline (37:52) Addressing the gap in medical education (42:05) Where to get the book(42:21) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Niyum Gandhi, CFO of Mass General Brigham, and Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly, discuss the financial pressures facing health systems today. They cover why hospital expenses are rising faster than revenue, what health systems actually look for when evaluating startups, and why collaboration matters more than finger-pointing.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: Mass General Bringham: https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en Anomaly: https://www.findanomaly.com/  Lifers: How money really flows in healthcare with Claimable CEO Warris Bokhari & Anomaly CEO Mike Desjadon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxuZ889ww-I Sachin Jain Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvtakm7NMnI  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Niyum:https://www.linkedin.com/in/niyum-gandhi/ https://x.com/niyumgandhi  Mike:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-desjadon-4a0a21a/ https://x.com/Mike_Desjadon Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:24) Intro(02:28) How Niyum and Mike first met at Mount Sinai(05:55) Career path and the move to CFO of Mass General Brigham(11:53) Why choose a career in healthcare(15:19) Sponsor: Arbiter(15:50) Current financial state of American health systems(19:28) Addressing the revenue and expense trend gap(21:26) The role of AI and technology in productivity(26:07) Ambient documentation and physician burnout(29:58) Strategic partnerships versus point solution vendors(31:40) The evolution of healthcare startups and health systems(36:31) Advice for founders building in the industry(40:34) Wrap

Dr. Kameron Matthews (Chief Health Officer, Impact Care) and Shelli Pavone (President & Co-Founder, Inlightened) join Chrissy Farr to tackle healthcare's biggest challenges: the Medicaid crisis, state licensing chaos, the death of primary care, and why Silicon Valley keeps getting it wrong. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Inlightened.Healthcare innovation doesn’t fail for lack of ideas; it fails when real clinical expertise is missing. Inlightened connects innovators with vetted, diverse healthcare professionals for paid research, advisory, and consulting work, helping companies build solutions grounded in reality. Healthcare professionals can sign up to share their expertise and get paid, and companies can directly access expert insights at getinlightened.com. —LINKS: Inlightened:https://www.linkedin.com/company/getinlightened/ https://www.facebook.com/getinlightened/ https://twitter.com/GetInlightened  Doctors getting multiple licenses: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/13/telemedicine-doctors-are-getting-licenses-in-all-50-states.html  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Kameron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameronmatthews/  Shelli:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelli-pavone-a729b2/ https://x.com/shellipavone Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:24) Health equity and policy landscape(03:15) Challenges in healthcare delivery(05:21) Medicaid and community health(08:49) Entrepreneurship and innovation in healthcare(12:35) Licensing and regulatory hurdles(19:28) Encouraging the next generation(23:46) The role of social media in healthcare(32:32) AI and the future of primary care(36:17) Rapid fire round(43:48) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sat down with Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN Health Plan. Sachin makes a compelling case for "radical common sense" in healthcare—the idea that we've normalized dysfunction for so long that simple, patient-centered solutions now feel revolutionary. He challenges the industry's toxic positivity and truth-telling problem, arguing that real change requires leaders to acknowledge what's broken in their own backyards, including calling out his own insurance industry publicly. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: SCAN Health Plan: https://www.thescangroup.org/ LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sachinhjain1_the-revolution-healthcare-actually-needs-activity-7402346091767398400-CVnF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAWcjXgBb3Jw6dX16PD9lRJSsxfgqVAqZLw The Revolution Healthcare Actually Needs: Radical Common Sense (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/sachinjain/2025/12/03/radical-common-sense-a-leadership-philosophy-for-healthcare-system/ Health Insurance is Broken ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bty0M9ySA  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Sachin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinhjain1/  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro(02:27) Innovative solutions in healthcare(04:28) Challenges in healthcare communication(06:06) The broken culture of healthcare leadership(14:10) Mentorship and career advice(18:02) Sponsor: Arbiter(18:33) Concierge medicine and longevity(23:05) The system's shortcomings and individual choices(24:38) Medical anxiety and consumerism in healthcare(25:35) The role of primary care physicians(26:07) AI in healthcare: opportunities and limitations(29:48) Employer-sponsored health insurance issues(35:20) The cost crisis and technological challenges(40:13) The role of social media in healthcare leadership(44:49) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sat down with Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly and Warris Bokhari CEO of Claimable. They discuss automating patient appeals, the challenges of the current payment model, and their approach to working directly with patients. They share insights on denial rates, what they've learned from claim files, and why they believe healthcare needs more direct challengers. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS:Anomaly: https://www.findanomaly.com/ Claimable: https://www.getclaimable.com/  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Warris:https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrisbokhari https://x.com/warrisbokhari  Mike:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-desjadon-4a0a21a/ https://x.com/Mike_Desjadon Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(03:18) Warris’ journey from corporate to startup(07:36) The problem with healthcare payment models(08:57) Claimable's mission and approach(12:14) Challenges and strategies in healthcare advocacy(16:21) Real stories of healthcare denials(20:28) Complexities of surgery and healthcare incompetence(21:08) Sponsor: Arbiter(21:39) Impact of Claimable on the insurance market(23:37) Challenges and innovations in revenue cycle management(24:52) The role of venture capital in healthcare(27:19) Denial rates and revenue cycle management(33:04) The importance of being a challenger in healthcare(37:32) Wrap

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr engages in an insightful conversation with V, CEO of Sword Health. V shares his unconventional journey from Portugal to the U.S. healthcare market, emphasizing the importance of providing high-quality care to reduce overall healthcare costs. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: Sword Health: https://swordhealth.com/  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:V:https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbento/  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:07) Meet V Bento(01:52) Journey to the US healthcare market (03:53) Challenges in the US healthcare system (05:05) Value-based care and incentives (07:49) Digital health and technology (14:11) Sponsor: Arbiter(15:12) AI in healthcare: Opportunities and limitations (22:16) Balancing work and family (32:12) Company culture and employee success (36:32) Wrap

Chrissy Farr sits down with Michelle Carnahan, who spent 26 years at Eli Lilly witnessing the development of breakthrough GLP-1 drugs before transitioning to direct-to-consumer healthcare (Thirty Madison) and then co-founding Arbiter, a startup that raised $52M at a $400M valuation. Michelle and Chrissy discuss the GLP-1 revolution, transformative shifts in health insurance, and how her company is using AI-powered care orchestration to solve healthcare's fragmentation crisis by connecting disconnected systems and improving patient access.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at Arbiter.AI.—LINKS: Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW: Michelle:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-carnahan/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(02:49) The Lifers concept and healthcare dedication(04:19) Michelle's journey: from big pharma to startups(07:54) Addressing access and fragmentation in healthcare(13:43) The rise of GLP-1s and their impact(20:58) Future of GLP-1s: pricing and distribution(23:18) The role of health insurance in modern healthcare(25:09) Transformative shifts in health insurance(27:25) AI-powered care orchestration(32:17) Challenges and solutions in healthcare technology(34:55) The importance of collaboration in healthcare(40:21) Personal insights and recommendations

In this episode of Second Opinion, hosts Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood sit down with Owen Tripp, the CEO of Included Health. They discuss digital health models, the challenges and opportunities in selling directly to employers, growing digital health companies, and the potential return to a more personalized, concierge-style primary care model to actually make a difference in people's health. — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast — SPONSORS: 👩‍⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today. 🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit https://awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp. — LINKS:  Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/  Thinking of selling into the employer? You probably shouldn't: https://secondopinion.media/p/thinking-of-selling-into-the-employer  The thing that is breaking digital health is marketing: https://secondopinion.media/p/the-thing-that-is-breaking-digital — FOLLOW: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenwtripp/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/ — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:16) Owen Tripp's journey in digital health (02:04) Challenges in healthcare vs. other sectors (03:29) Building a business model in healthcare (05:07) Grand Rounds: from concept to success (08:07) The role of AI in healthcare (13:48) Sponsor: Awell (14:50) Growth strategies in digital health (17:33) Selling digital health solutions to employers (19:10) Cancer care and digital health (22:22) Navigating employer sales (26:12) Utilization and awareness of digital health services (35:01) The future of digital health and primary care (38:57) The Debrief

In this episode of Second Opinion, Meg FitzGerald, a nurse turned private equity investor, offers insights into how VCs and PEs are thinking of investing in healthcare and everything founders should know to raise from both. She discusses the slowdown in private equity deals due to high interest rates and market uncertainty, and highlights the merging of venture capital and private equity in healthcare, particularly in growth capital. She shares her experience transitioning from a clinical background to private equity, underscoring the value of healthcare expertise in investment decisions. Second Opinion is a podcast from Turpentine. Learn more: www.turpentine.co — SPONSORS: 👩‍⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today. 🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp. — FOLLOW: Meg https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanmfitzgerald/ Christina https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ Luba https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/ Ash https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/ — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:59) Meet Meg FitzGerald: Nurse and Private Equity Investor (01:19) Private Equity in Healthcare: Current Market Dynamics (03:09) Venture Capital vs. Private Equity in Healthcare (05:00) Challenges and Opportunities in Health Tech (11:23) The Role of Private Equity (18:51) Awell (19:49) Advice for Healthcare Professionals Entering Private Equity (31:26) The debrief (35:00) Wrap

In this eye-opening episode, Christina Farr and Luba Greenwood dive deep into the challenges big tech faces in healthcare with serial entrepreneur and Cherish CEO Sumit Nagpal. Drawing from his experience founding five companies over the past 25 years and his time working with Steve Jobs at NeXT, Nagpal offers unique insights into why tech giants struggle to gain traction in the medical world. They discuss: Apple's healthcare ambitions, the untapped potential of hardware in health tech, the importance of understanding healthcare business models, and how lessons from the diagnostics industry could shape the future of digital health innovation. — SPONSORS: 👩‍⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today. 🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp. — LINKS:  Cherish Health: https://www.cherishhealth.com/ Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/  — FOLLOW: Sumit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumitknagpal/ Christina https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ Luba https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/ Ash https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/ — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: TURPENTINE VC 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (02:04) Why big tech fails in healthcare (05:00) Has Apple succeeded in becoming a healthcare company? (08:44) Finding adjacencies (10:11) Billionaires' health concerns driving tech investments (14:19) Sponsor: Awell (15:19) Revolving door of healthcare leaders in tech (17:14) Culture clash in tech-healthcare partnerships (19:26) NVIDIA's successful approach to healthcare (20:21) Waystar IPO (24:10) Limited options for health tech companies (26:19) Diagnostics industry parallels with digital health (28:22) Aligning Incentives (31:54) "Follow the Money" approach to healthcare solutions (34:41) The Debrief

In this episode of Second Opinion, hosts Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood are joined by Daphne Zohar, Founder and CEO of Seaport Therapeutics. They talk about the complexities of drug development, the investment in biotech via big tech VCs, and the future of mental health treatments. Daphne also shares her insights on biotech today, drug development misconceptions and complex regulatory challenges the industry is facing. Daphne was the founder, CEO and a Board Member of PureTech Health (Nasdaq: PRTC, LSE: PRTC) where she also co-founded PureTech’s entities, including Karuna Therapeutics (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb). — SPONSOR:  👩‍⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today. — LINKS:  Seaport Therapeutics: https://seaporttx.com/ Seaport Therapeutics $100M series A: https://seaporttx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240409_press_release.pdf PureTech: https://www.puretechhealth.com/  Karuna Therapeutics: https://karunatx.com/  Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/  — FOLLOW: Daphne https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnezohar/ Christina https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ Luba https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/ Ash https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/ — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: TURPENTINE VC 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:42) Daphne's Background and Achievements (02:29) Challenges in Mental Health and Neuro Space (05:52) Drug Development Journey and Challenges (10:40) Opportunities and Challenges for Tech Investors in Biotech (16:16) Regulatory Challenges and Industry Impact (26:39) Biosecure Act and National Security (28:02) The Debrief

On the first episode of Second Opinion, Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, and Luba Greenwood chat with Dr. Robin Berzin, the Founder & CEO of Parsley Health. Robin shares her journey from being a physician to founding Parsley Health, a digital health company that uses root cause medicine to drive powerful outcomes for patients with complex health needs. She also talks about how breakthroughs in data and AI are helping redefine primary care with data-driven insights. They explore crucial healthcare questions like "Whose job is it to prevent chronic disease?" and discuss whether digital health can deliver on prevention, treatment, and longevity. They reflect on the shortcomings of primary care, the impact of the standard American diet on health, the latest studies on cortisol, and the importance of a holistic approach to medicine. Thank you to our sponsor Awell, the leading CareOps platform. — SPONSORS: 👩‍⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ to book your virtual visit today. 🩺 AWELL. Transform your healthcare operations with Awell! Say goodbye to manual work and Excel hell. Awell's CareOps orchestration platform helps design, implement, and improve care flows in days. Trusted by Astrana Health, Commons Clinic, and Better Health, Awell automates processes for faster care model improvements in 2 days or less. Visit awellhealth.com and mention Second Opinion for a free bootcamp. — LINKS: Subscribe to Robin’s Newsletter: https://robinberzinmd.com/  Subscribe to Parsley Health Newsletter: https://www.parsleyhealth.com/blog/category/news/  Parsley Health: https://www.parsleyhealth.com   ARTICLES MENTIONED: Health care's "churn" problem: https://secondopinion.media/p/health-cares-churn-problem  How to balance cortisol levels to increase energy and lose weight: https://robinberzinmd.com/how-to-balance-cortisol-levels-to-increase-energy-and-lose-weight/  A Lot of What You’ve Heard About Cortisol Is Wrong: https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/cortisol-stress-hormone-adrenal-fatigue-02aab49a  — FOLLOW: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-berzin-md/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubagreenwood/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashzenooz/ Subscribe to Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/  — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (02:30) Robin Berzin's Journey: From Physician to CEO of Parsley Health (07:11) Functional Medicine (aka Root Cause Medicine) and Parsley Health (09:31) Challenges in Traditional Healthcare (11:06) The Role of AI and Data in Healthcare (14:34) Whose Job Is It To Prevent Chronic Disease? (21:19) SPONSOR: Awell Health (22:22) Healthcare’s “Churn” Problem, Insurance and Healthcare Costs (27:57) Partnering with Insurance Companies (30:43) How Diet and Lifestyle Impact Health (34:34) The Role of Cortisol in the Body (36:32) Wrap This podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co

Second Opinion doesn't hold back. Join Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz, Luba Greenwood, as they bring influential entrepreneurs, experts and investors into the ring for candid conversations at the frontlines of healthcare and digital health every week. Episode 1 with Robin Berzin, CEO of Parsley Health, will be available starting on July 31, 2024. Subscribe to Second Opinion wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more at https://www.podpage.com/secondopinion/ Til then, meet your hosts:  Christina Farr draws on a decade of experience covering the industry as a reporter at CNBC, Fast Company and Reuters, as well as an investor at OMERS Ventures. During her tenure as a reporter, she broke some big health-tech stories ranging from Amazon’s first moves into the sector to Apple’s secretive acquisitions.  Luba Greenwood, JD is a veteran biotech CEO and investor. She is the managing partner and founder of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute venture fund and has served as CEO and Chair of multiple companies including Kojin. She has led over $10b in deals and served in leadership roles at large healthcare and tech companies, including Roche and Google. She is a thought leader in the industry and senior lecturer at Harvard. Ash Zenooz, MD — former CEO of Commure and partner at Luxeda Holdings. As former CEO of Commure, she drove over 550% ARR growth and led a merger. Previously, she grew Salesforce's global health and life sciences unit to $2.5b ARR. Ash also served as Chief Medical Officer at the VA, overseeing an $80B portfolio and leading telehealth and precision medicine reforms.  This season, we’re tackling meaty topics like biosecurity, the latest in telemedicine, why patient acquisition is so hard, and the pros and cons of VC versus private equity in funding startups in the healthtech space.

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Bob Wachter, Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF and author of the seminal book The Digital Doctor. After years of observing the "hope, hype, and harm" of health technology, Dr. Wachter discusses his new book, A Giant Leap, and why he has moved from a skeptic to a staunch optimist regarding AI's role in medicine. They dive into the high-stakes reality of autonomous AI, the "incumbency advantage" of companies like Epic, and why the primary care crisis makes AI integration an absolute necessity. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/.  —LINKS: Robert Wachter, MD’s website: https://www.robertwachtermd.com/ The Digital Doctor (book): https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Doctor-Hope-Medicines-Computer/dp/1260019608/ A Giant Leap (book): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F7G3216X Utah & Doctronic Partnership: https://commerce.utah.gov/2026/01/06/news-release-utah-and-doctronic-announce-groundbreaking-partnership-for-ai-prescription-medication-renewals/ (Study) 27h/day is needed to provide adult primary care: https://mhcc.maryland.gov/mhcc/pages/home/workgroups/documents/pcw/Revisit_Time_Needed_Provide_Adult_Prim_Care_032723.pdf Lifers episode with Niyum Gandhi: https://a16zstudios.slack.com/archives/C06U4ASHPR8/p1770108617302019 Bob’s Substack: https://substack.com/@robertwachter  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Bob:https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-wachter-3102b963/ https://x.com/Bob_Wachter  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:42) Intro(01:04) Is AI truly different from previous healthcare technologies(02:43) Addressing the perception of AI as a crutch in medicine(04:46) The risks and realities of physician de-skilling(05:11) Moving from skepticism to optimism in digital health(05:51) Navigating AI implementation within fee-for-service payment models (07:01) How AI could potentially lower the cost of care(10:15) Advice for the next generation of doctors in the AI era(14:14) Sponsor: Arbiter(14:45) Comparing the safety of self-driving cars to AI in medicine(15:34) Analyzing Utah's pilot for autonomous medication renewals (26:04) Value-based care as an accelerator for AI adoption(28:18) The creative process and challenges of writing about AI(31:15) The growing threat of deep fakes in medical communication(31:57) Predicting the winners between startups and tech giants like Epic(34:58) Thoughts on the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health(38:40) Wrap

In this episode of the Second Opinion, Christina Farr interviews Dickon Waterfield, president of Lantern to discuss the intricacies of U.S. healthcare costs, particularly the disparity between Medicare and commercial prices. They cover the unsustainable burden on employers to provide healthcare, the evolving nature of digital health solutions, and the market's reaction to recent IPOs in the sector. —📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  —LINKS: Lantern: https://lanterncare.com/  Christina Farr's Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/  —SPONSOR: 👩‍⚕️ Hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog? You don't have to accept these as just another part of aging. Midi Health is the virtual care clinic for women navigating midlife hormonal transition, offering FDA-approved medications, supplements and lifestyle coaching - all covered by insurance. Visit https://joinmidi.com to book your virtual visit today.—FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dickonwaterfield https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/—HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: • The company was previously under the radar despite its size because it lacked traditional digital health investors and operated in the emerging "sensitive excellence" space • Lantern works by securing lower rates from select providers in exchange for steering patient volume to them, rather than contracting with all providers like traditional insurers • Commercial insurance pays dramatically more than Medicare for the same procedures - for example, a total knee replacement costs around $45,000 commercially versus $17,000 for Medicare • About 90% of surgical costs go to the facility, with only 10% split between surgeon and anesthesia fees • The company built scale over 14 years by starting with local networks and school districts before expanding to national employers • They typically contract with only one or two providers per market, offering them incremental volume and market share gains • By waiving patient cost-sharing (like $5,000 out-of-pocket maximums), they incentivize patients to travel to preferred providers • Proposed Medicaid cuts could affect 10% of Medicaid recipients, forcing more healthcare costs onto employers • When Medicaid funding decreases, hospitals typically increase commercial rates to compensate for uninsured patients • Employers are increasingly frustrated with being responsible for 60-70% of Americans' healthcare coverage • The current system originated post-WWII as a talent competition tool and became normalized as part of total compensation packages • Only a major economic downturn with high unemployment could potentially break this cycle, as tight labor markets force employers to maintain competitive benefits • Employers will likely narrow their coverage, offering less rich benefits and more selective networks and formularies • Cell and gene therapies costing $1-5 million per treatment pose existential threats to employer-sponsored health plans • There's a reckoning coming for point solutions that don't deliver measurable ROI, with increased scrutiny on clinical evidence and cost reduction • Digital health companies are held to higher standards than pharmaceuticals, which don't face the same outcome-based payment requirements • Forward-thinking employers are moving beyond simple cost savings to evaluate programs on multiple parameters including talent retention and clinical outcomes • A new generation of digital health companies is becoming in-network providers rather than selling directly to employers • This approach eliminates long sales cycles and complex billing arrangements that characterized earlier digital health companies • Successful healthcare sales requires understanding buyers' needs and solving their problems rather than just selling solutions • Founder-led sales remains crucial in early stages because founders can listen more acutely to feedback and pivot quickly

In this episode of Second Opinion, Christina Farr and Lifeforce CEO Dugal Bain-Kim dive into the billion-dollar longevity economy, examining why health optimization became a status symbol and how personal data drives better health decisions than population-level advice. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  —LINKS: Lifeforce: https://www.mylifeforce.com/  Christina Farr's Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/  —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dugal-bain https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/  —HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:• The "shadow healthcare system" refers to cash-pay healthcare alternatives where insured people seek services outside traditional insurance coverage.• This trend results from converging factors: post-COVID cultural shifts, health becoming aspirational/lifestyle status, and new technology enabling accessible longevity services.• Personalized data from wearables (like Aura rings showing sleep/alcohol impact) motivates behavior change more effectively than general medical advice.• "N of one" personalized data feels more relevant than population health guidance, though there's risk of "measuring the fun out of life."• Personal genetic risk (like Alzheimer's predisposition) transforms health behaviors from optional to urgent, particularly around sleep quality.• A paradox exists where physicians publicly skeptical of longevity medicine privately use interventions like GLP-1 microdosing and seek optimization partners.• Personal health testing reveals significant issues traditional healthcare misses, including PCOS, scoliosis, and device malfunctions.• Longevity medicine catches problems early - 26% of members are pre-diabetic, often undiagnosed despite regular annual physicals.• Continuous monitoring can discover serious conditions like pituitary brain tumors when primary care doctors aren't interested in investigating elevated biomarkers.• The equity challenge questions how expensive cash-pay services can reach populations who need them most.• Three customer types emerge: health optimizers, health-motivated people getting back on track, and people wanting complete health reinvention.• Solutions for broader access include insurance integration and AI-powered tools to reduce costs from $140 to $40 monthly.• The "dating app problem" asks whether longevity companies lose customers when they successfully improve health.• Solutions include maintenance vs. optimization modes, targeting 40-60 age demographic where significant bodily changes occur.• Despite male-focused industry branding, actual customer bases can be gender-balanced (45% female, 55% male).• Effective messaging balances performance-focused and wellness-focused approaches rather than targeting one gender.• Longevity medicine includes traditional prevention but adds quality-of-life interventions that create initial motivation and trust for broader health compliance.• The rebranding question asks whether longevity is simply primordial prevention made more engaging and actionable.• Supplement safety concerns arise from liver injuries and poor industry regulation, highlighting need for data-driven approaches.• Most people take too many unnecessary supplements; data-driven supplementation could improve both safety and efficacy.

This week on Second Opinion, Christina Far interviews Courtney Bragg, CEO and co-founder of Fabric Health, about their innovative approach to delivering healthcare services in laundromats. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the Medicaid system, the importance of building trust and relationships in healthcare, and the critical role of human elements alongside technology.— 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  —SPONSOR:🏥Thatch makes it easy to give your team great healthcare. Save ~$1620 per employee yearly while giving them customizable plans. Visit https://thatch.ai/HR  for a demo and receive a $100 gift card. —LINKS: Fabric Health: https://fabrichealth.org/ Christina Farr's Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/   —FOLLOW:https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdebragg/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/  —HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:• Most healthcare startups chase the obvious markets, but Fabric Health found something different: 32 million Americans spending two hours weekly in laundromats, 70% of them women making healthcare decisions for their families.• Founder Courtney Bragg's counterintuitive insight: you need "muffins before mammograms" - build genuine relationships before pushing healthcare services on people who've been burned by scams.• The approach works because it's human-first with tech as an enabler, not the other way around - they integrate with laundromat systems but lead with offering someone a laundry cart.• After 837 days in laundromats, they learned the hard way that walking up and asking "do you have insurance?" is tone-deaf; real conversations start with Eagles football talk in Philly.• The results speak for themselves: 27,000 families enrolled, profitable before raising VC money, and hiring directly from the communities they serve.• The healthcare system is genuinely broken in absurd ways - like sending a blind woman a paper letter asking her to confirm she's still blind to keep her benefits.• System dysfunction runs deep: kids auto-assigned to different health plans (one mom juggling four), caseworker calls flagged as "scam likely," transportation benefits that stop 2 miles short of available care.• These aren't technology problems - they're human problems that require understanding real people's lives, not building apps in isolation.• The Medicaid opportunity is massive and misunderstood: 80 million Americans, nearly half of all births, but VCs avoid it because they think "poor people don't pay enough."• Political noise around Medicaid cuts is mostly theater - too many hospitals and jobs depend on it, plus "a lot of people who wear red MAGA hats are on Medicaid."• States are actually begging Fabric to expand because they see results, with Medicaid directors personally requesting their services.• The real opportunities ahead are in maternal and pediatric care, where states face real financial penalties for missed metrics.• Courtney's unconventional background in education taught her community organizing - skills most tech founders lack but healthcare desperately needs.• Her advice for mission-driven founders: "you've gotta be obsessed with what you're building because you care deeply about it" - most startup founders are just chasing trends.