The Heart of Healthcare | A Digital Health Podcast

​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).Learn more about the Female Founder Collective.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.Follow Dr. Eric Topol on TwitterFollow Halle Tecco on TwitterVisit the Heart of Healthcare website for transcripts and episode details.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The majority of bankruptcies in the US are due to medical debt. This only deepens inequity and the healthcare affordability crisis in our country. The stress and sigma that comes with medical debt forces people to avoid necessary care, only worsening outcomes.We need to shift the narrative about medical debt from personal failure to systems failure. In this episode we talk to the CEO of RIP Medical Debt, Allison Sesso. Her non-profit organization buys medical debt at a deep discount, and then wipes it out entirely for millions of Americans.Learn more about RIP Medical DebtSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andy Dunn, successful founder and angel investor, talks about living with Bipolar I disorder. He discusses the stigma and challenges of mental health in the startup community. They explore the mindset of entrepreneurs and the importance of prioritizing mental health. The hosts reflect on criticism and hope for free expression in sharing their experiences. They also discuss the addictive nature of work and the magic of disclosure.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month. Asian Americans represents only 6.8% of the US, yet make up a significant portion of the medical profession, comprising 22% of medical school graduates and 17% of active physicians. While Americans of Asian and Pacific Island descent have made many contributions to our healthcare system, they are facing increased discrimination at work and in their communities.In this episode, Dr. Esther Choo discusses the racism faced by AAPI healthcare workers, and what we can do about it.Follow Dr. Esther Choo on Twitter.Follow host Halle Tecco on Twitter.Visit The Heart of Healthcare website for episode recaps.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.Dr. Pooja Lakshmin is a board certified psychiatrist focusing on women’s mental health, a New York Times contributor, the founder of Gemma, and the author of the new book Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness.Follow Dr. Pooja Lakshmin on InstagramFollow host Halle Tecco on InstagramVisit the Heart of Healthcare website for episode recaps and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new study published in JAMA found that more Black doctors means better outcomes for Black patients. Yet the percentage of med students from underrepresented groups is increasing at a paltry rate… and has actually decreased for Black men since 1978.In this episode, LaShyra "Lash" Nolen talks about the future of medical education and care. Lash is a medical student, Fulbright scholar, science communicator, and the Founder of non-profit We Got Us. She currently serves as the first Black woman to become class president of the Harvard Medical School.Read the study in JAMA. Follow guest Lash Nolan on Twitter.Follow host Halle Tecco on Twitter.Visit the Heart of Healthcare website for episode recaps and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

IVF has come a long way since the first IVF baby was born in 1978. Thirty years ago, your chances of bringing home a baby with each IVF try was 5%. Today, that number is around one third. While this is an impressive improvement, the fact is, the majority of patients will not go home with a baby after an invasive, emotional, and expensive round of IVF. There’s still much progress to be made.In this special episode, I share a piece I wrote for Fortune Magazine on what's wrong with fertility care, and what we need to do to fix it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Women are the power users and the power brokers of healthcare. And as the de facto “Chief Medical Officers” of their families — making healthcare decisions for their partners, children, and parents — women control an estimated 80% of all U.S. healthcare dollars.Yet our healthcare system is failing women. The majority report experiencing gender discrimination from their providers, and feel that their concerns are taken less seriously because they’re women. It’s no surprise, then, that the healthcare system has a “loyalty crisis” with its most powerful customer, with over half of women reporting not trusting the U.S. healthcare system.In this episode, Tia Co-founder & CEO Carolyn Witte talks about trailblazing a new paradigm for women’s healthcare that treats women as whole people vs. parts or life stages.Follow guest Carolyn Witte on Twitter.Follow host Halle Tecco on Twitter.Visit the Heart of Healthcare website for episode recaps and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The healthcare industry has made significant strides in the past 50 years… or has it? In this episode, we sit down with Adrian Aoun, CEO of Forward, an AI-based healthcare system, who is simply not impressed with the lethargic pace of progress. We discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can help us achieve exponential improvements to human health and how ChatGPT is the worst of the new world.Follow guest Adrian Aoun on Twitter.Follow host Halle Tecco on Twitter.Visit the Heart of Healthcare website for episode recaps and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.