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Lifers with Christina Farr

Author: Christina Farr

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Veteran journalist, investor, and Second Opinion Media founder Chrissy Farr talks with the CEOs and founders who've been in the trenches long enough to know that healthcare doesn't move at startup speed. These aren't the entrepreneurs chasing quick exits—they're the "lifers" who understand that building in healthcare requires endless pivots, regulatory navigation, and decade-long timelines.

No hype, just honest conversations about what it really takes.

Each episode explores healthcare innovation, startup strategy, medical technology and AI, health system transformation, and investment insights from operators who've navigated regulatory challenges, clinical trials, reimbursement complexities, and the unique dynamics of the healthcare industry.

54 Episodes
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On this special mini episode of Lifers, Christina Farr speaks with Josh Tauber, multi-time COO and founder, and Keaton Bedell, co-founder and CEO of Bridge, about a recent New York Times article on Medvi, a cash-pay GLP-1 company valued at $1.8 billion. The conversation covers the infrastructure shifts enabling virtual care companies to launch faster than ever, the legal and regulatory questions still unresolved, and what separates sustainable virtual care businesses from those chasing a short-term opportunity.— Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS: NY Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/technology/ai-billion-dollar-company-medvi.html  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  —FOLLOW: Keaton:https://www.linkedin.com/in/keatonbedell/ https://x.com/keatonbedell Josh:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuatauber/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:51) Leveraging turnkey infrastructure to spin up virtual clinics(02:52) Evaluating the lack of traditional software moats in health tech(04:58) Analyzing the legality and ethics of cash-pay medical groups(06:37) Sponsor: Granola(07:16) Analyzing the legality and ethics of cash-pay medical groups(08:02) Improving patient access and agency through direct-to-consumer models(09:50) Building competitive advantages through patient trust and retention(11:40) Bootstrapping virtual care companies without traditional venture capital(13:08) Wrap
For this week's episode of Lifers, Chrissy recorded live with Terri Meier, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Revenue Cycle at UAMS, at the HFMA Revenue Cycle Conference in Dallas. Together they pull back the curtain on the $300 billion part of healthcare nobody wants to talk about. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/b25d9642-3266-4bd0-bfb8-d119f7c7f8c0-008umkv4  — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543 —Thanks to our sponsor Smarter Technologies, a leading AI-powered revenue management platform that combines proprietary clinical agents, human-in-the-loop AI agents, clinical ontology, and global financial and administrative services. The company enables healthcare organizations to automate the entirety of their administrative and financial workflows—helping optimize operational outcomes, reduce costs, and improve patient experiences. For more information, visit www.smartertech.com—LINKS: HFMA: https://www.hfma.org/ HFMA Revenue Cycle Conference 2026: https://www.hfma.org/revenue-cycle/hfma-revenue-cycle-conference-tackles-issues-big-and-small/ Second Opinion Rev Cycle piece: https://secondopinion.media/p/why-revenue-cycle-is-the-first-smash-hit-application-for-ai Smarter Technologies: https://www.smartertech.com/  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Terri:https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-meier-chfp-crcr-lssgb-07a7a8a/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:03) Intro(02:17) Terri Meier and her 43-year career(04:13) Shifting focus back to the patient financial experience(07:15) Integrating revenue cycle into C-suite strategic dialogues(08:27) Navigating the battle of the bots in claims denials(12:28) Moving from manual tasks to AI orchestration and strategy(14:57) Creating new job descriptions for the innovative biller(16:59) Evaluating vendor signals and performance-based business models(19:03) Addressing financial headwinds in rural and safety net hospitals(21:59) Transforming the registration team into proactive pre-billers(23:57) The transparency gap in payer adjudication and revenue leakage(25:27) Navigating the rise of healthcare consumerism and patient liability(28:55) Closing the collection gap and verifying actual vendor ROI(32:15) Wrap
This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with emergency physician and entrepreneur Graham Walker to discuss why the medical profession is reaching a breaking point. Graham "sounds the alarm" on the moral injury and administrative blockades that have stripped doctors of their authority and turned patient care into a "factory". They explore the "raw deal" of declining reimbursements, the absurdity of "Big Fax," and Graham’s mission to use transparency to keep physicians from abandoning the bedside. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/6b1bd0b8-79df-457e-bf9a-ba6b403d50f4-008umkv4 — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Offcall: https://www.offcall.com/MDCalc: https://www.mdcalc.com/Acquired Podcast Episode on EPIC: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/epic-systems-mychart 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:Graham:https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-walker-md/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview (00:46) Intro(02:03) Graham’s background(02:55) Driving physician leverage through salary and workload transparency(03:45) Why emergency physicians are naturally suited for entrepreneurship(06:11) Extracting a nine-year-old bullet from a patient's chest(09:45) Loss of physician authority as the root of burnout(13:53) Patient frustration with opaque pricing and high-deductible plans(15:38) Sponsor: Granola(16:30) Physician perspectives on trading pay cuts for system reform(19:00) The car insurance analogy for catastrophic healthcare coverage(22:31) Viewing healthcare as a public good versus a business(24:49) Redesigning systems to restore meaning and professional fulfillment(27:55) How Epic moved medicine from paper to factory billing(30:25) The brilliant business strategy and secret sauce of Epic(32:30) Addressing the hair-on-fire problem of geriatric patient complexity(35:54) Critiquing the technology industry's bias toward young healthy users(37:04) Empathy exercises and the mission to solve system inefficiency(38:46) Wrap
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— Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543 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.  — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—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. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—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. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—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. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—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. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543 —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 joins Omada Health CEO Sean Duffy and healthcare industry analyst Stephanie Davis to discuss whether digital health is a resilient "safe haven" or a casualty in the current public market software "blood bath". They explore how healthcare differs from traditional SaaS because it relies on "between-visit" provider care, physical touch, and rigorous regulatory compliance rather than just "vibe-coded" software, analyze recent M&A activity, such as UHS acquiring Talkspace, and discuss how AI might shift the industry toward a "creator" model while maintaining the essential "human-in-the-loop" for patient accountability. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/ed07ad4e-18c1-4f8c-a8c9-9e3a17cc68c3-008umkv4 — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠  ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠ •⁠  ⁠⁠6/18 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/P8xj5Nmbt543—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS:The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis - Citrini Research: https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gicChamath Article: https://x.com/chamath/status/2033385903520129161Chrissy 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:Sean:https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpduffy/https://x.com/seanduffyStephanie:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephjdavis/Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://x.com/chrissyfarr—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:24) Intro(00:47) Analyzing the SaaS market bloodbath and healthcare's unique position(02:09) Omada Health's evolution from vendor to regulated care provider(04:21) Challenging the pandemic-era trend of valuing services like software(06:09) Evaluating end-market resilience for doctors versus white-collar workers(08:17) Shifting revenue models from seat licenses to value-based outcomes(11:12) Navigating the psychological shift from growth multiples to cash flow(13:51) Perception versus reality in a nascent and misunderstood industry(15:52) Bridging the gap between technology and healthcare venture capital(18:07) Sponsor: Granola(18:46) The Talkspace acquisition as a bellwether for incumbent interest(21:42) Managing clinical and regulatory governance in the age of AI(25:02) Using LLMs to navigate complex employer benefit ecosystems(28:35) Balancing the science of models with the art of medicine(29:44) Future-proofing careers by leveraging AI tools for creative creation(34:45) Wrap
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