Digital Health Ross Matican Digital Health Ross Matican

Conquering Digital Health’s Steepest Slopes

As a medical school-bound undergrad, Sean Duffy, co-founder and CEO of Omada Health, didn’t initially consider entrepreneurship as a career path. Today, Sean leads a virtual-first care provider for chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and musculoskeletal disorders. Sean traces his journey from a "techie" upbringing to stints at Google and medical school, and how his early fascination with the potential of digital health ultimately led him to build Omada.

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Where There Is Waste There Is Opportunity

Almost a third of healthcare spending goes towards administrative costs, and it’s been noted that at least half of this administrative spending is wasteful.

In this episode we talk about waste in healthcare, and then pull back the curtain to talk about the building of digital health OG, Zocdoc.

From a founder separation to completely pivoting their business model, to losing 90% of revenue at the beginning of COVID, to doubling the number of providers on the platform last year, Founder and CEO Oliver Kharraz, M.D. is an open book.

Join hosts Halle Tecco and special guest-host Steve Kraus as we get an inside look into the strategic pivots, challenges, and innovations that have shaped Zocdoc.

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The Algorithms Fueling a Mental Health Crisis

In this episode, former Facebook product manager and internationally recognized whistleblower, Frances Haugen offers invaluable insights into how tech giants prioritizes profits over public safety, and the profound implications this has on mental health of young people.

We explore her brave journey, which took her from the inner workings of Meta to testifying before the world's parliaments, sparking a global conversation about the role and regulation of social media. Listen in as we shed light on the pressing issues of our digital era, and the steps we can take to safeguard vulnerable populations from social media's impacts.

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There’s a Way to Fix Healthcare, but Is There a Will?

In this episode, we dive into our dysfunctional healthcare system with guest Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive turned whistleblower, advocate for healthcare reform, New York Times best-seller, and documentary producer.

We discuss the role of private, for-profit health plans in the U.S. and how they’ve drained resources from the healthcare system while leaving Americans financially vulnerable and sick. We also touch upon Medicare Advantage (which is neither Medicare, nor an advantage), Medicare for All, “non-profit” hospital systems, and if we’ll ever break free from employment-based insurance.

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How Healthcare Shapes Elections

Does the US believe in public health? Do voters think about healthcare when voting? Are we really health citizens? If you're curious about the intricate connections between politics and healthcare in our country, this episode is a must-listen. Gain insights into what’s on voters’ minds, and discover the potential future of healthcare policies in the United States leading up to the 2024 election.

Jane Sarasohn-Kahn is a health economist, communicator, and trend weaver. Through her advising, writing and speaking, she focuses across the health/care ecosystem on consumers, health, technology, and policy."

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Investing in Women’s Health: Changing The Business of Our Bodies + Solving Inefficiencies

​There is a gap in America’s knowledge of women’s health. This is no surprise because it wasn’t until 1993 that Congress wrote an NIH inclusion policy into Federal law that encouraged women and minorities as subjects in clinical research. Much of what is considered ‘health standards’ are largely skewed towards men because of the years when women went unstudied. Even today, there remains gender inequality in healthcare as we face wide gaps in research and treatment ability for areas unique to women.

​By elevating the importance of women’s health, we can deliver better, more inclusive data and insights; more targeted, accessible solutions; and enable better care for women worldwide. Not only that, but we shine a light on the importance of funding and uplifting companies that center around changing the business of our bodies.

​In celebration of Women's Health Month, I joined Female Founder Collective for a panel discussion on solving women's health inefficiencies. I'm joined by Aagya Mathur (Aavia), Dr. Sophia Yen, MD, MPH (Pandia Health), and Alison Wyatt (Female Founder Collective).

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Sniffing Out Hope vs Hype in Digital Health

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Eric Topol, the godfather of digital health, to explore the progress and barriers to innovation in healthcare, the potential of AI in transforming the industry, and the challenges faced by startups and big tech companies. Dr. Topol shares his insights on open-source healthcare, evaluating new innovations, and the importance of algorithmic fairness. Tune in to gain deep insights into the future of medicine and the power of technology in reshaping healthcare.

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Mental Health & Entrepreneurship

As you probably know by now, May Mental Health Awareness Month. But what you might not know is that entrepreneurs are 50% more likely to report having a mental health condition, including being:

2X more likely to suffer from depression

2X more likely to have suicidal thoughts

3X more likely to suffer from substance abuse

6X more likely to have ADHD

10X more likely to suffer from bi-polar disorder

In this episode, successful founder and angel investor Andy Dunn talks about living with Bipolar I disorder.

Andy Dunn is an entrepreneur, author, investor, and father. Andy co-founded the menswear brand Bonobos, which sold for $310 million. Last year, he published a memoir called Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind, which detailed his up-until-then private journey with bipolar disorder.

Listen to this important episode as we normalize talking about mental health disorders in the startup community.

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Self-Care Is a Verb, Not a Noun

In 2008, disillusioned by the medical system, Dr. Lakshmin left her residency to join an extreme wellness commune that turned out to be a cult. She was seeking something outside of mainstream medicine that could help with the anguish she was feeling. She yearned for community, and for something outside of the hierarchical structure of medicine. But what she found was that the industrial wellness complex is just as flawed.

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