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HLTH Forward Podcast

Smriti Kirubanandan

HLTH (Health) Forward is where we hold space for Healthcare leaders, physicians, and key health policymakers to discuss what takes us to move Healthcare Forward. We want to hear challenges, ideas, and out-of-the-box solutions for us to unite our ecosystems further and move the needle towards an innovative, affordable, and all-inclusive healthcare ecosystem.
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20 episodes
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Avg 46 min
English

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July 21 · 31 min
The Man Who Injected Himself With Snake Venom 800+ Times — Tim Friede on Building a Universal Antivenom
⚠️ Please do not attempt anything discussed in this episode. My guest today is Tim Friede — a name some listeners may recognize from Stan Lee's Superhumans, where he appeared as "Antivenom," or from National Geographic's Snake Underworld, or from the paper published last year in Cell that made his decades of self-experimentation suddenly, scientifically undeniable. For over two decades, Tim did something no research institution would sanction: he injected himself with snake venom — hundreds of times, from some of the deadliest species on Earth — in an effort to build immunity no antivenom could offer. He was bitten by cobras. He flatlined. He kept going. I asked him where it started. Not with grand ambition, he told me, but with a hobby — milking spiders and scorpions in the late '90s — and a sobering statistic: five million snakebites a year, worse than a hundred thousand deaths, hundreds of thousands more left maimed. He decided, without a medical degree or a lab, that he would become his own subject. I wanted to understand the cost. He described the isolation — a divorce, a small house in the woods, doctors who refused to touch research built on self-harm, no matter how methodical. And the moment that changed everything: a phone call from immunologist Jacob Glanville, asking for a vial of his blood. That sample led to an antibody, D9, capable of neutralizing venom across an entire family of snakes — the foundation, now, for what may become a universal antivenom, with a manufacturing partnership underway in New Delhi. I closed by asking what he hopes people remember. Not the bites, he said. The persistence. We ended, as we always do here, with ichigo ichie — this moment, once in a lifetime, never repeated quite this way ,again. Support the show
July 7 · 1 hr 41 min
Better Data. Better Care : With Nigam Shah , Chief Data Scientist @Stanford Health Care
I had the privilege of hosting Nigam Shah, Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Data Science and Chief Data Scientist for Stanford Healthcare, for a conversation that traced an improbable arc — from an orthopedic surgeon redirected toward doctoral study the very year the Human Genome Project seized the world's attention, through two decades at the frontier of computational medicine. He guided me through Stanford's quietly foundational role in this field, dating to the first AI supercomputer deployed on a medical campus in 1984, and through his own contributions: rendering the chaos of unstructured electronic health records legible for bedside decision-making, and in 2018, launching what became one of the earliest real-time AI consultation services — a lineage he traced back, with characteristic precision, to a 1972 experiment at the New Haven VA. Perhaps most illuminating was his framework for thinking about technological change in medicine: an analogy to the evolution of money, where the deeper transaction — human beings caring for one another — remains fixed even as the mechanics accelerate around it. That distinction, he argued, separates genuine augmentation of care from mere digitization of the status quo. What lingered longest after we spoke was his unsparing clarity on incentives. He didn't equivocate in observing that the preponderance of AI deployed across American healthcare today serves the machinery of billing and prior authorization rather than the patients it ostensibly exists to serve — and that no technological sophistication can compensate for incentives left unexamined. We explored ChatEHR, the tool his team has embedded into clinical workflow at Stanford and which now serves roughly 3,000 physicians daily, alongside MedHELM, his rigorous framework for evaluating medical language models against the realities of clinical practice rather than the artifice of exam questions, and the constellation of companies he's founded in the space between insight and implementation. I closed, as I always do, with the phrase that anchors this show — Ichigo ichie, "one time, one meeting" — a fitting note for a dialogue this rich, unlikely ever to be repeated in quite the same way. About Nigam Shah, MBBS, PhD, is Professor of Medicine (Biomedical Informatics) and of Biomedical Data Science at Stanford University, where he also serves as Chief Data Scientist for Stanford Health Care and Associate Dean of the School of Medicine. His research applies machine learning, knowledge representation, and artificial intelligence to analyze multiple types of health data, including electronic health records, claims, wearables, and patient-generated web content, in order to understand disease and improve clinical care. He earned an MBBS from Baroda Medical College in India in 1999, a PhD in Integrative Biosciences from Pennsylvania State University in 2005, and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford in 2007, joining the Stanford faculty in 2011. Over his career, Shah has authored more than 350 scientific articles and has been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2012 Stanford School of Medicine Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching, the 2013 AMIA New Investigator Award, and the 2016 Department of Medicine Divisional Teaching Award. He is also an inventor on eight patents and patent applications and has co-founded three companies. He was elected to the American College of Medical Informatics in 2015 and inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2016, and more recently, was inducted into the Association of American Physicians in 2026. His work focuses in particular on making machine learning models clinically useful and on bringing AI into medical practice safely, ethically, and cost-effectively Support the show
May 4 · 38 min
Left Behind: The DNA We Don't Know We're Sharing, Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Information and Bio Artist
In this episode, I sit down with Heather, an artist who has spent over a decade at the intersection of biotechnology, surveillance, and identity. What began as a quiet moment in a therapy session — staring at a strand of hair caught in cracked glass — became a decade-long investigation into what our discarded DNA reveals about us. Heather collects cigarette butts, chewed gum, hair, and nail clippings from public spaces, extracts the DNA, and uses it to reconstruct 3D-printed portraits of complete strangers — people who never consented to being seen, never knew they left something behind, and never imagined they'd end up on a gallery wall. I found this conversation deeply philosophical, and it made me rethink something I'd never considered: that every step we take, every cup of coffee we leave behind, we are quietly shedding a biological story that anyone — artist, scientist, or law enforcement — could one day pick up and read. But for the HLTHForward audience, this goes far beyond art. The same DNA that can reconstruct a face holds a map to our health — our ancestry, our inherited risks, and the diseases that may one day find us before we ever see them coming. Heather also opened my eyes to something that I think we all take for granted: every consent form we sign at a doctor's visit, every biopsy, every blood draw — that data lives on, changes hands, and we rarely ask where it goes. This conversation with Heather is about art, yes, but it's really about identity, privacy, and what it means to truly know yourself — and others — at the most fundamental biological level. It's one of those episodes that will change how you move through the world. About Heather Dewey-Hagborg is an information artist and biohacker whose work lives at the uneasy edge of science, surveillance, and what it means to be seen. Born in Philadelphia in 1982 and based in Brooklyn, New York, she is best known for Stranger Visions — a series of hyper-realistic 3D-printed portraits constructed entirely from DNA recovered from discarded objects: a cigarette butt on a subway grate, a strand of hair on a park bench, a piece of chewing gum left on the sidewalk. From those fragments, she extracted genetic data, determined traits like gender, ethnicity, and facial structure, and used face-generating software and a 3D printer to bring a stranger's face to life — without ever meeting them. Her work is as provocative as it is precise. Equal parts artist and scientist, Dewey-Hagborg doesn't just make art — she asks questions the rest of us haven't thought to ask yet: Who owns the DNA you leave behind? What does your biology say about you without your permission? And what happens when the same technology that reconstructs a face can also predict a disease? With no clear legal precedent governing what she does, her practice sits in a space that is simultaneously legal, deeply intimate, and quietly radical — forcing us to reckon with how much of ourselves we unknowingly give away every single day. Support the show
April 20 · 27 min
The Wand Reimagining Cervical Cancer Screening: Kara Egan, CEO and Founder @Teal Health
Every time a friend mentions her annual checkup, the conversation sounds less like healthcare and more like a horror story. Stirrups. A speculum. A procedure that hasn't meaningfully changed in 150 years — a tool designed before women could vote, still showing up in exam rooms like it owns the place. So when I sat down with Kara Egan, CEO and co-founder of Teal Health, I came in with real questions. Here's the number that stopped me cold: 4,200 women die from cervical cancer every year in the United States. Not because we lack the science. We have the vaccine. We have decades of research. And yet 1 in 3 women are behind on their screenings — and it's getting worse. The barriers aren't medical. They're logistical. Kara didn't set out to build a medical device company. She came up through health tech investing, had a baby, and realized it was genuinely easier to order a coffee than schedule a doctor's appointment. She met her co-founder, who had built the first prototype of the Teal Wand at Stanford Biodesign. Covid hit. Telehealth exploded. She saw the opening. What Teal built is an at-home HPV self-collection kit — a small wand, used privately, on your own schedule. Mail the sample. Get your results. No stirrups. No six-month wait. FDA authorized in May 2025. Nationwide by January 2026. Nearly half of Teal's customers were behind on screenings. Almost 20% had never been screened at all — not because they didn't care, but because the system was never designed for them. And starting January 1st, 2027, federal guidelines require it to be covered with zero cost-sharing for anyone with insurance. No copay. No deductible. Effectively free. Mark it. About Kara Egan is the CEO and co-founder of Teal Health, the company behind the first FDA-authorized at-home cervical cancer screening kit in the United States. Named to TIME's Best Inventions of 2025, she has spent her career at the intersection of healthcare and technology — as a health tech investor, software investor, and operator at companies like Zendesk. A Stanford and Wharton alumna, Kara co-founded Teal in 2020 after recognizing that women's healthcare was long overdue for a redesign. In May 2025, the FDA authorized the Teal Wand, and by January 2026, it was available in all 50 states. She is on a mission to eliminate cervical cancer — a disease that is almost entirely preventable — by making screening accessible to every woman, everywhere. Support the show
March 23 · 22 min
Beyond the Incision: Oliver Keown, CEO & Founder , Oath Surgical
Sitting down with Oliver, the CEO of Oath Surgical, felt less like conducting a typical healthcare interview and more like getting a front-row seat to how the future of surgery might be built. As someone whose career spans clinical surgery, medical technology, venture investing, and surgical innovation, Oliver brings a rare perspective to the conversation. Early in his career he trained as a physician in the UK, with surgical rotations in orthopedics, ENT, and colorectal surgery. However, he soon realized that his real calling was not just practicing surgery but shaping how surgical care evolves. His time working with companies like Intuitive Surgical and investing in early-stage healthcare technologies exposed him to the broader structural challenges of surgical care and convinced him that incremental improvements to the existing system would never be enough. One of the most striking insights Oliver shared during our conversation was the scale of the problem in the current healthcare system. Surgery is one of the largest cost drivers in healthcare, representing more than $1 trillion in annual spending in the United States alone. Yet a significant portion of surgical procedures that are performed in hospitals today could safely be done in outpatient surgical centers. According to Oliver, moving appropriate surgeries into outpatient environments can reduce costs by 50% to 80% while maintaining or even improving patient outcomes. This realization became the foundation of what Oath Surgical is building: a next-generation model for delivering complex surgical care in a more efficient, technology-enabled environment. At its core, Oath Surgical is creating a national network of premium outpatient surgical centers that are co-owned and operated with high-performing surgeons. The philosophy behind the model is straightforward but powerful—surgeons should lead the system, technology should support it, and the entire structure should be aligned around delivering measurable value. Instead of simply operating facilities, the company is building a digitally integrated surgical platform that connects surgeons, facilities, and patients through a unified operating system. This allows Oath Surgical to focus on three critical dimensions simultaneously: better outcomes for patients, improved experiences for surgeons, and lower overall costs for the healthcare system. A particularly fascinating aspect of our conversation centered on how Oath Surgical approaches data and artificial intelligence. Rather than layering software tools on top of existing hospital infrastructure, Oliver explained that the company is rebuilding the entire system from the ground up. Their platform integrates data from multiple sources across the entire surgical journey, including clinical records, operational workflows, patient-reported outcomes, inventory and financial systems, and even ambient data from surgical videos and sensors. By structuring this data across the full care episode, the platform creates a longitudinal view of surgical performance and patient recovery that traditional hospital systems rarely achieve. This integrated data architecture enables a wide range of AI-driven capabilities designed to reduce administrative burden and improve efficiency. Tasks that often consume hours of clinician time—such as documentation, scheduling, referrals, and coding—can increasingly be automated. Oliver described this vision as moving toward “zero documentation workflows,” where surgeons and clinical teams spend less time interacting with computers and more time focusing on patient care. In this model, artificial intelligence operates quietly in the background, handling operational complexity while leaving clinical decision-making firmly in the hands of medical professionals. Despite the growing role of AI in healthcare, Oliver was very clear that technology is not meant to replace surgeons. Surgery remains a deeply human craft built on Support the show
March 12 · 19 min
Strengthening The Frontlines : Stephen Beard, Chairman and CEO, Covista
In this episode of HLTH Forward, I sit down with Steve Beard for a candid conversation about one of the most urgent issues in healthcare today—the people who deliver care, and the system that is pushing many of them to the brink. Across the United States, the numbers tell a powerful story: about 43% of physicians report experiencing symptoms of burnout, and nearly two-thirds of nurses—around 65%—say they are experiencing high levels of burnout. The pressure is enormous, and the cost is not only personal—it’s systemic, with burnout estimated to cost the U.S. healthcare system about $4.6 billion each year due to turnover and reduced clinical hours. 76% of clinicians say staffing shortages are preventing them from delivering high-quality care Stress reduction ranks as clinicians' second-highest workplace priority — just behind adequate staffing itself Despite relatively high job satisfaction, 15% of physicians and 13% of nurses say they're likely to leave the profession within the next year As I talk with Steve, we explore what these numbers really mean for the future of healthcare. Behind every statistic is a physician working late to finish electronic records, a nurse covering extra shifts because a unit is short-staffed, or a clinician questioning how long they can keep up the pace. Research shows physicians are over 80% more likely to experience burnout than workers in other professions, and many say the growing administrative burden and regulatory complexity are major contributors. These realities are exactly why conversations about workforce sustainability, training, and support systems are no longer optional—they are essential. In my conversation with Steve, we talked about how leadership, communication, and collaboration across healthcare ecosystems can help address these pressures and ultimately build a more resilient workforce. Because if healthcare is at a turning point, the real question isn’t just how we got here—it’s how leaders, organizations, and communities come together to shape what comes next. About Covista (formerly Adtalem Global Education) is a major U.S. healthcare educator, serving over 97,000 students through five accredited institutions—including Chamberlain University and Walden University—focused on closing workforce gaps. The company emphasizes tech-enabled education, AI-driven innovation, and directly connecting graduates to healthcare systems Support the show
February 11 · 36 min
Interstellar Care: Pioneering Health in Space with Dr. Kenneth Savin, Chief Science Officer @Redwire
In this HLTH Forward episode, I sit down with Dr. Kenneth Savin, Chief Scientist at Redwire and one of TIME100 Health’s Most Influential People of 2025, to explore how space is transforming the future of medicine. With over two decades in the pharmaceutical industry and a career that spans Eli Lilly, NASA collaborations, and the International Space Station, Dr. Savin is pioneering breakthroughs that were once science fiction. From bioprinting the first human knee meniscus and living cardiac tissue in microgravity to advancing next-generation drug development through protein crystallization in space, his work is redefining what’s possible for human health on Earth. We dive into how microgravity accelerates biomedical innovation, why space-based research could unlock new treatments for heart disease, bone loss, and neurological conditions, and what it really takes to turn space science into real-world therapies. Dr. Savin also shares his journey from pharmaceutical R&D to leading cutting-edge space biotech—and what excites him most about the future of health. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone curious about the intersection of space, science, and medicine, and how breakthroughs orbiting Earth may soon change lives everywhere. Support the show
January 21 · 24 min
Rewriting Menopause Care, Joanna Strober, CEO and Founder @Midi Health
In my conversation with Joanna Strober, CEO of Midi Health, a recentl Times 100 Health awardee, we explored the current landscape of menopause care — a space where millions of women experience significant symptoms yet remain underserved by traditional healthcare systems. Despite hormone therapy being one of the most effective treatments for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbances, and fatigue, usage rates remain strikingly low; recent research shows that fewer than 4% of women aged 45–59 use hormone therapy, even though up to 80% of women are affected by symptoms at some point in midlife. Compounding this care gap is a broader systemic challenge: only about one in five obstetricians/gynecologists and even fewer primary care physicians receive formal training in menopause management, leaving many women without knowledgeable clinicians to guide them through this critical life stage. Meanwhile, perimenopause — when hormone levels surge and crash unpredictably — can begin years before the final period and trigger mood fluctuations, physical changes, brain fog, and anxiety, underscoring the emotional and physiological complexity of this transition. Against this backdrop, Midi Health has emerged as a provider platform designed specifically to support women’s menopause journeys with personalized, evidence-based care that meets patients where they are. Launched to close the care gap that traditional healthcare has long ignored, Midi leverages a nationwide telehealth model with clinicians trained in midlife women’s health protocols, offering both hormonal and non-hormonal treatment plans that are often covered by insurance. With tens of thousands of patients served and ambitious plans to scale to care for more than a million women per year, the company is striving to transform how women experience midlife health — from dismissive, fragmented care to proactive, supportive treatment that acknowledges both the physical and emotional effects of menopause at scale Support the show
January 3 · 31 min
Unbroken: The Noma Survivor Changing Global Health, Fidel Strub
In this HLTH Forward episode, I spoke with Fidel Strub, and I felt the kind of strength and hope that transforms pain into power. He isn’t just a survivor — he is living proof that with knowledge, compassion, and action, tragedy can become a force for change. According to the World Health Organization, Noma — the devastating, gangrenous disease that ravages the mouths and faces of malnourished children — once afflicted an estimated 140,000 individuals per year globally, with a case-fatality rate as high as 90%. Survivors often endure severe disfigurement, lifelong difficulties eating, speaking, or breathing, and face social isolation — yet many never receive timely treatment, because far too many healthcare workers don’t recognize Noma early enough. Fidel shared that surviving Noma gave him a “second chance at life.” But survival alone wasn’t enough — dignity, acceptance, and opportunity were what truly mattered. As a co-founder of the survivor-led advocacy group Elysium, he and his fellow survivors turned personal trauma into a public mission. Their campaign helped ensure that in 2023, Noma was finally added to the WHO’s official list of neglected tropical diseases. This milestone opens the door to funding, research, education, and treatment. Now he champions early detection, basic antibiotic treatment, and reconstructive surgery — but most of all, he fights for the right of survivors to be seen as people deserving of dignity, not pity. And Noma is far from an isolated tragedy. Across the globe, millions suffer from rare diseases — deeply misunderstood, under diagnosed, and grossly under-resourced. Experts estimate there are more than 7,000 rare diseases worldwide, affecting up to 3.5–5.9% of the global population — that’s hundreds of millions of people. Many begin in childhood: around 70 % of rare diseases are genetic, and a significant proportion manifest before adulthood. Yet over 95% of these conditions lack an approved treatment, reflecting a shocking disparity between need and support. At its core, Fidel’s story — and the broader rare-disease crisis — challenges us to expand our vision of healthcare and humanity. It’s not just about surviving illnesses; it’s about ensuring dignity, inclusion, and opportunity for every human being, regardless of where they were born or how rare their condition. Support the show
Oct 6, 2025 · 46 min
Molecules of the Mind: Dr. Eric Nestler on the Biology of Addiction and Depression, Mt.Sinai Health System
In this episode, featuring Dr. Eric Nestler, offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of neuroscience, addiction, and depression. Dr. Nestler explains that both conditions share similar brain mechanisms, particularly within the limbic system, which regulates emotion and motivation. His laboratory’s research delves into how chronic stress or drug exposure alters molecular pathways in these emotional brain regions, leading to maladaptive behaviors. Through advanced techniques like transcriptomics, his team analyzes thousands of brain molecules simultaneously, helping to uncover key differences between healthy and diseased brains. This cutting-edge work not only enhances our understanding of mental health disorders but also opens new possibilities for targeted treatments and resilience-building therapies. Beyond the science, Dr. Nestler highlights broader social and ethical dimensions. He emphasizes that the global rise in addiction and depression reflects modern societal stressors—social isolation, technological pressures, and post-pandemic effects. While innovative approaches like AI-driven analysis and brain–computer interfaces show promise, he cautions that such technologies must be pursued with great ethical care. Ultimately, his message centers on balance: advancing research while nurturing everyday resilience through healthy living, social connection, and emotional awareness. His closing insight—that true health comes from integrating science, empathy, and humanity—resonates as both hopeful and urgent for the future of healthcare. About Dr. Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, is a leading neuroscientist and physician renowned for his groundbreaking research on the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying depression and drug addiction. Currently serving as the Interim Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Chief Scientific Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Nestler has played a transformative role in advancing brain science through his leadership of the Friedman Brain Institute and his own laboratory’s work. His research has shed light on how chronic stress and repeated drug exposure alter gene expression and neural circuits, particularly through discoveries such as the transcription factor ΔFosB, a key regulator of long-term changes in the brain’s reward pathways. Dr. Nestler earned his BA, MD, and PhD from Yale University and has held prominent academic positions at Yale, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and Mount Sinai. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has published hundreds of influential scientific papers. Deeply committed to diversity in science, Dr. Nestler is also known for promoting inclusive leadership and mentorship throughout his career. Support the show
Sep 24, 2025 · 30 min
Oscar Health: A CTO’s Blueprint for the Future of Insurance, Mario Schlosser
In this episode, Mario Schlosser, Founder & Chief Technology Officer at Oscar Health, emphasized his belief that the future of health insurance lies in decentralization, with providers taking on more responsibility for the role that insurers have traditionally played. He argued that insurance companies, as they currently exist, act as unnecessary middlemen that add limited value to the system. Instead, Schlosser envisions a model where caregivers evolve to function like insurers, combining payment and care delivery into a unified structure. He highlighted how Oscar Health’s technology-first infrastructure is designed not just for its own members but as a platform that providers could adopt, helping them manage care and financial risk more seamlessly. This integrated approach, he believes, would create a more efficient system that better aligns incentives to improve outcomes while reducing costs At the same time, Schlosser was clear that Oscar Health’s guiding mission is centered on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, which he described as the company’s “north star.” With millions of Americans relying on ACA plans, he sees this market as the proving ground for new models of consumer-focused, technology-enabled coverage. By focusing exclusively on the ACA in the 18 states it serves, Oscar is doubling down on serving individuals directly, ensuring affordability, better navigation, and improved health outcomes. Schlosser tied this vision to a broader hope: that U.S. healthcare will evolve toward an individualized system where people can stay with the insurance and care model they trust for the long term, making the ACA both a foundation and a catalyst for the transformation he wants to see. BIO Mario Schlosser is the Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer at Oscar Health. In this role, Mario leads product and engineering, with a focus on building Oscar’s technology platform for the future and continuing to set the strategy for +Oscar. Previously, Mario served as CEO of Oscar, leading the company from inception to serving over 1M members. Before co-founding Oscar, Mario also co-founded the largest social gaming company in Latin America, where he led the company's analytics and game design practices. Prior to that, Mario was a Senior Investment Associate at Bridgewater Associates and worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company in Europe, the U.S. and Brazil. Mario also spent time as a visiting scholar at Stanford University, where he wrote and co-authored 10 computer science publications, including one of the most-cited computer science papers published in the past decade, in which he developed the EigenTrust Algorithm to securely compute trust in randomized networks. In May 2019, Mario and his co-authors, Sepandar D. Kamvar (Mosaic Building Group Inc) and Héctor Garcia-Molina (Celo), received the prestigious Seoul Test of Time Award from the International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2) for this work. Mario holds a degree in computer science with highest distinction from the University of Hannover in Germany and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Support the show
Aug 20, 2025 · 48 min
Beyond the Bottom Line: Aligning Finance and Care, Kate Musler, Chief Financial Officer @Highmark Health Plan
In this episode, I sit down with Kate Musler, Chief Financial Officer of Highmark Health Plan, to talk about the incredibly complex puzzle of modern healthcare—where affordability, access, and quality must all coexist. Kate walks us through her path into the field and what has kept her here: the challenge of finding real solutions in a system that impacts every one of us. We dig into the pressures of rising costs, the tough negotiations between payers and providers, and how Highmark approaches these conversations with patients at the center. Kate highlights the financial balancing act she oversees: keeping the organization stable and sustainable while ensuring people get the care they need when they need it. It’s a candid, eye-opening look at what it means to manage health insurance in a world where even small changes have massive ripple effects. We also dive into the shift toward value-based care, where providers are paid for outcomes instead of volume. Kate explains why this model is essential—not just for reducing unnecessary treatments and lowering costs, but for building healthier communities over the long term. But as she points out, transitioning to VBC isn’t easy; it requires visionary leadership, true partnership between payers and providers, and the financial flexibility to support those changes without sacrificing quality. We explore how technology, community programs, and reinvestment strategies are helping bridge the gap between financial responsibility and compassionate care. And through it all, Kate shares her hope that collaboration, transparency, and innovation will move healthcare toward a future where both patients and providers can thrive. About In March 2025, Kate Musler was promoted to the C-suite of Highmark Health Plan, the health insurance arm of Highmark Health. In this role, Kate is responsible for providing strategic financial leadership for the Highmark Health Plan. She is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining targeted efforts to ensure the economic stability and viability of the Highmark Health Plan, including the transformation necessary to operate as a successful integrated delivery and financing system. She first joined Highmark in 2019 as senior vice president of underwriting and swiftly moved up the ranks. During her tenure at Highmark, Kate has overseen various functions and ensured the financial stability of the health plan. In her previous role, she oversaw actuarial, underwriting, and provider network functions covering 7 million members. She was also responsible for efforts to create an advance payment program following the Change Healthcare cybersecurity breach that rocked the sector in 2024. Her areas of expertise include underwriting, actuarial services, medical cost analysis, networking contracting and operations, and regulatory advocacy. Support the show
Aug 4, 2025 · 1 hr 41 min
Paw-sitive Impact: Leading FidoCure’s Fight Against Pet Cancer, Christina Lopes, CEO
In my recent discussion with Christina Lopes, founder of FidoCure and fellow Young Global Leader, we examined a troubling but under-discussed reality: cancer incidence in companion animals is rising sharply. The trend mirrors human oncology—rooted in extended lifespans, environmental exposures, and improved detection—and raises critical questions for both veterinary and human medicine. The epidemiological data are compelling: 1 in 4 dogs will develop neoplasia during their lifetime. Nearly 50% of dogs over 10 years old receive a cancer diagnosis. An estimated 6 million canine cancer cases are identified annually in the U.S. Breed-specific predisposition is pronounced; purebred dogs are almost twice as likely as mixed breeds to develop certain cancers, with high-risk breeds showing onset as early as 5–7 years, compared to a median of 9 years in mixed breeds. Christina’s work at FidoCure is predicated on a big-data, precision-medicine model for veterinary oncology. By aggregating and analyzing genomic, clinical, and longitudinal health data from thousands of dogs, her team is building predictive algorithms capable of identifying at-risk individuals before symptomatic disease emerges. The vision is a transparent, owner-facing platform—one that transforms the “four-legged life course” into a navigable, data-informed journey that prioritizes prevention over reaction. From a translational science perspective, this work has profound implications. Comparative oncology—the study of naturally occurring cancers in animals to inform human health—benefits enormously from canine genomic data. Recent research underscores the potential: The largest canine tumor sequencing study to date (671 dogs, across over 20 tumor types) identified dozens of mutation hotspots that parallel human oncogenic drivers. Comparative genomic analyses have demonstrated high concordance in mutations such as TP53, PIK3CA, and BRAF, opening the door for cross-species therapeutic strategies. Clinical trials in dogs using targeted therapies (originally developed for humans) have yielded response patterns that closely predict human outcomes—accelerating drug validation timelines. Christina’s mission exemplifies a systems-level approach: build robust datasets in veterinary health, leverage machine learning to forecast disease risk, and allow those insights to cycle back into both animal and human oncology. In our conversation, it became clear that advancing predictive and preventive medicine in dogs is not a niche pursuit—it is an accelerant for innovation in global cancer care. About Christina Lopes is the CEO and co-founder of FidoCure, a platform that utilises artificial intelligence and genomic sequencing to deliver personalised treatments for pet dogs with cancer, while also accelerating the development of lifesaving cancer therapies for humans. Under her leadership, FidoCure has expanded to over 1,350 veterinary clinics worldwide and has treated nearly 6,000 dogs afflicted with cancer. In collaboration with the AI Health leadership at Stanford University, Christina has developed the world’s largest and most comprehensive canine cancer dataset, comprising over two billion data points collected from patients in real-world clinical settings. She has co-authored peer-reviewed research published in leading scientific journals, including Nature Precision Oncology. Support the show
Jul 15, 2025 · 37 min
Decoding Cancer : Dr. Edgar Engleman, Professor of Pathology, Stanford University
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Edgar Engleman, a pioneering Pathologist and physician-scientist at Stanford University whose work has shaped the very foundation of cancer immunotherapy. As we face rising global cancer rates, Dr. Engleman shares his insights into the evolving landscape of cancer research and what the numbers really mean—scientifically and socially. We dive deep into his groundbreaking research on erythropoietin (EPO) and its surprising implications in cancer biology, as well as his continued innovations in using the immune system to fight tumors. Dr. Engleman also opens up about his involvement with vee-vo Capital and offers candid thoughts on the role of venture capital in bridging science and real-world impact. No conversation about the future of medicine is complete without exploring AI. Dr. Engleman shares his perspective on how artificial intelligence is beginning to transform cancer detection and prediction, and how it might reshape diagnostics, treatment decisions, and even drug development. But what strikes me most is Dr. Engleman’s enduring optimism—rooted in decades of scientific rigor. Despite the challenges, he remains steadfast in his belief that with a science-backed, collaborative approach, curing cancer is not just a dream—it’s a destination. This episode is a masterclass in science, hope, and what it means to pursue truth in medicine. About Dr. Edgar G. Engleman, MD, PhD, is a renowned pathologist and physician-scientist who serves as Professor of Pathology and of Medicine (Immunology & Rheumatology) at Stanford University School of Medicine. He received his BA magna cum laude from Harvard in 1967 and his MD from Columbia University in 1971. Following postdoctoral training in biochemistry at the NIH and immunogenetics at Stanford, he joined the Stanford faculty in 1978 and earned tenure in 1990. Dr. Engleman founded the Stanford Blood Center in 1980 and continues to serve as its Medical Director. He also co-directs the Tumor Immunology & Immunotherapy Program at the Stanford Cancer Institute and is affiliated with several interdisciplinary research centers, including Bio-X, the Diabetes Research Center, and the Neurosciences Institute. Dr. Engleman’s research has made pioneering contributions to the field of cancer immunotherapy. His laboratory was the first to isolate and engineer dendritic cells to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, work that led to the development of Sipuleucel-T (Provenge), the first FDA-approved active immunotherapy for cancer. His recent work focuses on reprogramming tumor-associated myeloid cells to trigger T-cell responses against cancer, with these approaches now in clinical trials. Beyond oncology, his research explores immune mechanisms in metabolic diseases, neurodegeneration, and transplantation, influencing innovative strategies like radiation-based tolerance induction. Dr. Engleman has mentored over 150 trainees, published more than 300 scientific papers, and teaches a popular course on tumor immunology at Stanford. Support the show
Jun 16, 2025 · 48 min
Hacking Human Recovery: The Former Lawyer Who's Revolutionizing How We Sleep
In this compelling episode, I sit down with Matteo Franceschetti, the Italian-born Co-Founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, to explore how his journey from competitive ski racing to legal practice to clean-tech entrepreneurship led him to revolutionize the $500 million sleep optimization industry. Franceschetti shares his unique perspective on performance optimization, drawing powerful parallels between the recovery routines of elite athletes and the overlooked sleep needs of frontline healthcare workers. His company’s AI-powered platform is pushing boundaries by shifting the conversation from generic sleep hygiene to hyper-personalized, biometric-driven solutions designed for real-world impact. As a healthcare technology expert, I’ve long witnessed the gaps in digital health solutions when it comes to addressing burnout and well-being at scale. What struck me in this conversation is Franceschetti’s bold assertion: sleep is not just a wellness perk, it is a foundational form of preventive care. In a field where clinicians are constantly on call, managing life-or-death decisions, and working under relentless pressure, sleep should not be optional—it should be engineered and protected like any other critical health asset. We take a deeper dive into the data—statistics that are as concerning as they are compelling. One in three physicians report burnout. Healthcare workers sleeping less than seven hours per night face significantly higher rates of emotional exhaustion and clinical error. Franceschetti and I align on this point: the status quo isn’t just insufficient—it’s dangerous. Traditional wellness programs and sleep advice often ignore the deeply individualized nature of sleep, failing to account for how factors like genetics, shift work, stress hormones, and environmental disruption shape sleep architecture. Eight Sleep’s approach is different. By leveraging real-time bio-signals—like heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and temperature—their platform continuously adapts to the sleeper’s unique physiology, effectively becoming a dynamic sleep coach embedded in your bed. This is the kind of precision health tool that healthcare has been missing. From my vantage point in digital health innovation, Franceschetti’s work represents a promising shift toward preventive infrastructure rather than reactive treatment. As our system grapples with workforce shortages—only 70% of nurses remaining in practice, rising physician dropout rates—sleep tech could be a quiet but powerful lever. It’s not just about better rest; it’s about clinical accuracy, mental resilience, patient outcomes, and system-wide efficiency. We close the conversation by exploring how sleep optimization could become a strategic pillar in the healthcare system of the future. Franceschetti argues—and I agree—that investing in personalized sleep technology could yield downstream benefits: fewer medical errors, improved staff retention, better patient satisfaction scores, and lower long-term care costs. In an era where burnout threatens the very sustainability of care delivery, Eight Sleep’s technology isn’t just a consumer innovation—it’s a potential public health intervention. About Matteo Franceschetti is the Co-Founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, the sleep fitness company he established in 2014 in San Francisco. A native of Italy who was obsessed with performance from a young age as a competitive ski racer, tennis player, and car racer, Franceschetti transitioned from working in the top tier of the international legal world and founding two clean-tech companies before age 30 to revolutionizing sleep technology. Under his leadership, Eight Sleep has developed proprietary technology that uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning models to track bio signals during the night and optimize body recovery and rest while asleep, growing the company to a $500M valuation and recog Support the show
Jun 2, 2025 · 2 hr 5 min
The Neuroeconomics Edge: Decision Science for Better Health with Dr. Michael Platt
I’ve always been fascinated by the mystery behind our choices — why we hit snooze instead of going for a walk, why we reach for comfort food even when we know better, and why some people seem to have the willpower to make healthier decisions with ease. This week on HLTH Forward, I had the absolute privilege of diving deep into those questions with Dr. Michael Platt, a renowned neuroscientist who’s reshaping how we understand decision-making and the human brain. Dr. Platt holds joint appointments in neuroscience, psychology, and marketing at the University of Pennsylvania and leads the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative. His work isn’t just academic — it’s deeply human, grounded in the belief that understanding how our brains work can help us live healthier, more connected, and more intentional lives. We talked about what really goes on inside our brains when we face health choices — whether it's picking between a salad or fast food, deciding to work out or stay on the couch, or even choosing to trust a physician. Dr. Platt broke down how our brains weigh risks and rewards, and how subtle shifts in awareness and intention can lead to profound changes in behavior. Some of my favorite insights: A decision is a decision is a decision. Whether it’s about health, love, or leadership — the same brain circuits are at play. Intentionality is key. Slowing down gives your brain time to override impulsive behaviors and choose long-term rewards. Trust matters. The people and environments around us dramatically shape our health decisions. Habit > willpower. Make good decisions easier by reducing friction and turning them into routines. Healthier brains make healthier lives. Dr. Platt’s three keys? Move your body, connect with others, and keep your mind active. He also shared the story behind his neuroscience startup, Cogwear, which is bringing clinical-grade brain data to the real world — helping individuals, teams, and even couples better understand how they think, feel, and connect. What I loved most about this conversation was how practical it was. Dr. Platt doesn’t just study the brain — he gives us tools to work with it. If you’ve ever felt stuck in unhealthy patterns or wondered why you know better but don’t do better, this episode is for you. About Michael L. Platt is a neuroscientist, psychologist, and anthropologist whose work focuses on what makes us human. His mission is to use these insights to help us achieve our best selves—at work, at home, and in the community. His principal questions focus on the biological mechanisms that underlie decision-making in social environments, the grasp of which has broad-scale implications for improving human performance, mental health, and wellbeing in societies worldwide. He is the James S. Riepe University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, with appointments in the Perelman School of Medicine, the School of Arts & Sciences, and the Wharton School. Platt works at the intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. As the Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, Platt leads efforts to connect brain science and business. He is also the founder of Cogwear, a neurotechnology company developing wearable devices that provide clinical-grade cognitive feedback. Platt has authored over 170 peer-reviewed papers and over 60 review and opinion papers. His work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Klingenstein Foundation, the McDonnell Foundation, and the Department of Defense, among others. He has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, the Guardian, and National Geographic, as well as on ABC’s Good Morning America, NPR, CBC, BBC, MTV, and HBO Vice. Platt r Support the show
May 18, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
The Four-Day Formula : Dale's Vision for Modern Work Culture For Better Health, Dr. Dale Whelehan, Founder @ Four Day Work Week
In this episode I had the opportunity to interview a fascinating behavioral scientist and former CEO of Four Day Week Global about the concept of reduced working hours- Dr. Dale Whelehan. He explained how his interest in this field began when observing surgeons suffering from impaired decision-making and emotional regulation due to excessive working hours. What struck me most was his insight that today's workforce has fundamentally changed since the five-day workweek was introduced – we've shifted from physical, repetitive labor to highly cognitive work, yet human attention spans remain limited to about 3.5 hours of optimal performance daily. He emphasized that a four-day workweek isn't merely about cutting hours but redesigning work to eliminate unproductive time, with pilot studies across multiple countries showing reduced stress, better recovery, increased productivity, and improved business outcomes. During our conversation, I was particularly moved by his observations about the broader personal and societal impacts of reduced working time. People report sleeping more, exercising more, and having greater time for family, friends, and community engagement. Women especially report higher levels of wellbeing, helping close persistent gender gaps. He shared a compelling perspective on how work has become a "de facto religion" in our society as we worship productivity at the expense of human connection. When I asked about the future of healthcare, his response was thought-provoking: AI will transform knowledge requirements for healthcare professionals, creating an opportunity to refocus on interpersonal connections and compassionate care. He cautioned that we must address systemic issues of recruitment and retention rather than simply attracting healthcare workers from countries that need them most – a perspective that left me contemplating the global ethics of our current healthcare systems. About Dr. Dale Whelehan is a behaviour scientist with a diverse range of experience comprising human capital, culture, change management, workforce experience, performance consulting, organisational behaviour, and representation and rights. Having originally trained as a physiotherapist, Dale completed a PhD exploring the impact of fatigue and sleep deprivation in healthcare workers, particularly surgeons, and has published extensively in this field. More recently, Dale was a senior human capital consultant for Deloitte Ireland where he specialised in behavioural science implementation to enable large scale organisational change. Considered an expert in the field of wellbeing, Dale is passionate about the intrinsic role work plays in fatigue and performance - and how shorter working hours can bring about radical transformation for people's health and happiness. Support the show
May 5, 2025 · 47 min
Full Spectrum: Color's Bold Vision Against Cancer, CEO, Othman Laraki
In this episode I am in conversation with Othman Laraki, co-founder and CEO of Color. Othman shared his fascinating journey from tech to healthcare, driven by personal cancer experiences in his family. He and his mother are carriers of the BRCA2 gene mutation, which predisposes them to certain cancers. Color began as a cancer genetics company focused on making testing more affordable and accessible. Over time, they evolved into a full-spectrum cancer solution with a virtual cancer clinic model in partnership with the American Cancer Society. Their innovative approach brings healthcare to people where they are, rather than requiring patients to seek it out. Key highlights from our conversation: Color has served over 7 million people across the US and expects to reach 2 million through their virtual cancer clinic by the end of 2025 They're addressing the critical issue of early detection, as early-stage cancers now have survivorship rates in the high 90% range The company runs a 50-state medical group, combining testing with clinical services and logistics They've pioneered a novel AI approach combining OpenAI's frontier models with "large language expert" systems that transform clinical guidelines into programmatic frameworks Othman shared that cancer rates are increasing among younger populations, making preventive screening and early detection more crucial than ever. He emphasized how friction in healthcare disproportionately impacts less affluent populations, and how Color works to reduce these barriers. His three key takeaways for the future of healthcare: We need a "warp speed mindset" to tackle specific health challenges directly Employer-driven, vertical-focused solutions are showing real impact on outcomes and costs AI has the potential to transform healthcare more than any other industry by democratizing expertise Our discussion revealed how technology can make healthcare more accessible while maintaining human connection - Color has operated over 14,000 physical sites in communities across America, bringing services directly to people's lives. About Othman Laraki, Chief Executive Officer Othman Laraki a technology entrepreneur and investor and is CEO of Color Health. Othman was an early Product leader at Google, where he worked on performance infrastructure and client-side software, including the Google Chrome browser. After leaving Google, he co-founded MixerLabs, which was one of Twitter's first acquisitions. At Twitter, Othman was the Vice President of Product, helping create the company's first revenue products and grow the user base from 50 to 200 million users. After leaving Twitter, Othman co-founded Color Health, which he has been leading for the past ten years. Color is a platform for healthcare delivery, providing the technology, infrastructure, and logistics required to distribute large-scale health initiatives to diverse populations. Color works with employers, unions, and government agencies to provide equitable, accessible healthcare services. Color has served tens of millions of people across its programs and most recently has partnered with the American Cancer Society to provide a comprehensive cancer solution for large populations. Othman holds degrees in computer science and management from Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a long-time investor and advisor to leading companies such as Pinterest, AngelList, Slack, Instacart, Gitlab, and others. Support the show
Apr 22, 2025 · 30 min
The Jason Carter Interview: Boots on the Ground, Roots in the Community
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Jason Carter — grandson of President Jimmy Carter and a force in global health and justice in his own right. As we talk, Jason reflects on the unique balance of carrying a legacy while forging his own path. He shares how his work — from the Georgia Senate to chairing the Carter Center — is rooted in impact, not just identity. He’s thoughtful, grounded, and refreshingly open as he walks us through the shifts he sees in global public health, especially in a post-Covid world, where our interconnectedness is more real than ever. Throughout the conversation, Jason keeps bringing us back to what truly matters: people. Whether we’re talking about eradicating Guinea worm in Uganda or building trust with communities in Mali, he makes it clear that real change comes from deep relationships, not surface-level aid. We dive into how the Carter Center’s “boots and roots” approach — building long-term, locally led partnerships — is creating powerful, sustainable change. He opens up about the role of trust, technology, and even business in shaping the future of health equity, reminding us that solutions don’t just live in labs — they live in people. And as we wrap, the energy is still buzzing. Jason drops insights about purpose, legacy, and the surprising value of simplicity — stories that make you pause, reflect, and rethink what it means to make a difference. This isn’t just a conversation; it’s a moment. One that, as the Japanese phrase goes — ichigo ichie — happens only once in a lifetime. About Jason Carter is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Georgia State Senate from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he gained prominence as a candidate for governor of Georgia in 2014, where he challenged incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Carter is also the grandson of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Throughout his career, he has focused on issues such as education, healthcare, and economic equality. Known for his advocacy for working families and his commitment to public service, Carter has also worked as a civil rights attorney and a community leader. Support the show
Apr 16, 2025 · 8 min
The Hidden Costs: How Global Tariffs Affect Our Social Lives, Smriti Kirubanandan a.k.a Simi
I'm diving into a fascinating topic this episode: how global tariff increases affect our wallets and social connections. With global tariff rates up 57% since 2021, households are spending 7-11% more on consumer goods, leading to a 14% decrease in social spending for every 5% increase in essential goods pricing. The health implications are significant - reduced social interaction correlates with increased depression, chronic stress, and loneliness. I'll share compelling data from countries worldwide showing how economic pressures are forcing people to cut back on social activities. The good news is communities are developing creative solutions that I'm excited to explore. I'll highlight three approaches: resource-sharing systems like tool libraries and childcare exchanges that reduce costs while building relationships; rediscovering free social activities with park usage up 42% in tariff-affected areas; and consistency over frequency in social interactions. I'll share stories from communities worldwide who've found that navigating economic challenges together often creates stronger bonds than before. The episode will conclude with practical suggestions for maintaining social connections despite financial constraints, emphasizing that meaningful connections don't require significant spending. About Support the show

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