S4 Ep26: Understanding the Lifelong Benefits of Vision Health—featuring Kate Renwick-Espinosa

Research has shown that less than 10% of longevity is based on genetics and 90% hinges on your lifestyle choices.

But if you don’t have Bryan Johnson’s resources, how do you identify the gap between your chorological age versus your real age?

And more importantly, how do you use that information to design a plan that will truly move the needle on helping you live healthier, longer?

Melanie Goldey is CEO of Tally Health, a biotech company developing science-backed tools for consumers to increase health span and extend longevity. 

Melanie has an extensive background in technology and healthcare startups, and she is passionate about making longevity science accessible to consumers.

On this episode of HLTH Matters, Melanie joins host Dr. Gautam Gulati to discuss the future of diagnostic markers and testing to optimize for the extension of both lifespan and health span.

Melanie explains how Tally Health differs from prior iterations of real age measurement and describes how her team uses DNA methylation to develop personalized recommendations for its members.

Listen in to understand the benefits of Tally Helth’s pro-longevity supplements and learn how to enhance longevity with small improvements to your diet, fitness, sleep, mental health and habits!

Topics Covered

• How Tally Health is working to help consumers live healthier, longer
• The 3 components of Tally Health’s consumer longevity offering
• What differentiates Tally from prior iterations of real age measurement
• How Tally uses DNA methylation to develop personalized recommendations
• David Sinclair’s research on epigenetics and his information theory of aging
• How much of longevity is based on genetics vs. lifestyle choices
• How Melanie thinks about quick fixes vs. small lifestyle adjustments
• The benefits of Tally Health’s pro-longevity supplements 
• How machine learning can improve specificity of Tally’s recommendations
• The connections among diet, fitness, sleep, mental health and habits
• What we might learn from Bryan Johnson’s biohacking experiences
• Other markers Tally Health is studying (beyond DNA methylation)

Connect with Melanie Goldey

• Tally Health
• Melanie on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam Gulati

• HLTH
• Dr. Shepherd on X
• Dr. Shepherd on LinkedIn
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn

Resources

• Harvard Aging Lab
• David Sinclair’s Landmark Study on Longevity in Nature
• Bryan Johnson

In this groundbreaking era of healthcare, the opportunity to revolutionize cancer outcomes has never been more promising. With cutting-edge testing techniques, early detection strategies, and the power of AI, the landscape of cancer care is evolving to save lives and enhance patient well-being like never before.
 

In this episode of HLTH Matters, Dr. Gautam Gulati sits down with Dr. Megan Hall to discuss the future of cancer detection and prevention through early genetic testing. 

Dr. Megan Hall is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs at GRAIL. With a Ph.D. in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics she is dedicated to making early cancer detection and prevention accessible on a population scale.

As Dr. Hall says, “I was enamored of the mission to detect cancer early when it can be cured. That's a huge problem that we have to be frank have not made great headway on in the 50 years that we've been waging this war on cancer.” 

Now she shares how GRAIL's flagship product, Galleri, is using advanced technology, including DNA methylation analysis and artificial intelligence (AI), to detect and predict cancer in a non-invasive way. 

Listen in as we explore the potential cost savings and improved outcomes with early cancer detection, and GRAIL's efforts to make this transformative technology accessible to a broader population. 

Topics Covered

• The significance of early detection in cancer care
• The role of DNA methylation in cancer detection
• The importance of evaluating the accuracy of cancer screening and the power of positive predictive value
• The need for education across the cancer care continuum
• The potential for healthcare cost savings with early cancer detection
• The role of AI and machine learning in cancer detection
• GRAIL's focus on expanding access to cancer screening and its plans for future products

Connect with Dr. Megan Hall

• Dr. Hall on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Gautam Gulati & Dr. Jessica Shepherd 

• HLTH
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn
• Dr. Jessica Shepherd MD
• Dr. Shepherd on X

Resources 

• GRAIL
• Galleri Test - GRAIL

How can we transform healthcare delivery to better serve ALL people and communities? 

In today's episode, host Dr. Gautam Gulati welcomes special guest Dr. Marc Harrison, a Partner at General Catalyst and the Founding Partner of the new company owned by General Catalyst called Health Assurance Transformation Corporation, HATCo. 

Dr. Marc Harrison is a distinguished healthcare leader with a career dedicated to improving health equity. His journey spans from a pediatric intensivist to an entrepreneurial path. Dr. Harrison's latest venture, HATCo focuses on reshaping healthcare systems to embrace digital, value-based care while preserving local community identity.

Dr. Harrison walks listeners through how the pandemic exacerbated the fragility of the healthcare system, and why NOW is the time to address the social determinants of health and holistic patient care. He also discusses HATCo's unique approach, advisory services, and its ecosystem of partner health systems. 

Listen in to explore the challenges and opportunities in transitioning from a volume-based healthcare system to one that truly values patient outcomes and health equity and how HATCo's insights and innovative solutions could reshape the healthcare landscape.

Topics Covered

• The importance of addressing social determinants of health
• The shift from volume-based care to value-based care
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare system and the need for healthcare systems to become more resilient and adaptable
• The role of innovation and digital tools in healthcare transformation
• HATCo's mission to create a better healthcare system and improve public health outcomes
• The challenges and opportunities in modernizing healthcare delivery

Connect with Dr. Marc Harrison

• Dr. Marc Harrison on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Gautam Gulati & Dr. Jessica Shepherd 

• HLTH
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn
• Dr. Jessica Shepherd MD
• Dr. Shepherd on X

Resources 

• General Catalyst
• The Future of Health: A Bold Leap Forward | General Catalyst

How do you inspire a community to take ownership of their health?

If you ask Kristen Cerf, the secret lies in hiring staff from the community you serve and connecting people with the resources they need to improve their health.

Kristen is President and CEO of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, where she is responsible for ensuring access to quality care for Blue Shield Promise’s 530,000 Medi-Cal members in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

Under Kristen’s guidance, Blue Shield Promise has delivered several initiatives improving access to and availability of person-centered care to California's underinsured, low income and medically underserved populations.

On this episode of HLTH Matters, Kristen joins host Dr. Jessica Shepherd to discuss the future of grassroots efforts to promote health care in the community.

Kristen explains how Blue Shield Promise helps members navigate the complexities of the Medi-Cal system, leveraging community health advocates to build health literacy and improve patient outcomes.

Listen in for insight using data to provide support based on need and learn how Kristen’s team works with providers, community-based organizations and other nonprofits to better serve Blue Shield Promise members.

Topics Covered

• How being a nonprofit organization benefits Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
• Why a grassroots approach inspires communities to take ownership of their health
• How Blue Shield Promise helps members navigate the complexities of the Medi-Cal system
• How Blue Shield Promise’s community health advocates work with providers to improve outcomes
• Why so few grassroots community health programs exist in the US
• How Kristen’s team uses data to deliver support based on need
• How Kristen thinks about translating information obtained from Blue Shield Promise members into data 
• How Kristen’s team gets feedback from providers re: Blue Shield Promise patient outcomes
• Why Kristen sites the Blue Shield Promise street medicine program among her greatest accomplishments

Connect with Kristen Cerf

• Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
• Kristen on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam Gulati

• HLTH
• Dr. Shepherd on X
• Dr. Shepherd on LinkedIn
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn

Resources

• California Advancing & Innovating Medi-Cal
• California Primary Care Association Annual Conference
• Blue Shield Promise Community Health Centers

In a landscape where resources are scarce, the consequences ripple through healthcare, leading to physician burnout, a crumbling trust between patients and their caregivers, and misinformation and disinformation in the healthcare system. 

Today's guest, a former Chief Medical Officer at Salesforce, adeptly bridges clinical medicine, business, and digital health, making her a vital advocate in the fight against health misinformation.

Join hosts Dr. Gautam Gulati and Dr. Jessica Shepherd as they welcome Dr. Geeta Nayyar or Dr. G, a distinguished rheumatologist, and a recognized leader in health information technology. Her book, "Dead Wrong," delves into healthcare misinformation, drawing from her wealth of experience.

Tune in as Dr. Nayyar uncovers the historical roots of misinformation and disinformation in the healthcare realm, shedding light on the evolution of this pervasive issue and the need for regulation during this age of digital technology. Plus, the transformative role of artificial intelligence in the patient-physician relationship.

Topics Covered

• Dr. Nayyar discusses the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation in the digital age and its impact on healthcare
• The significance of trust in the patient-physician relationship and the challenges associated with building and maintaining trust in the healthcare system
• How AI is impacting the patient-physician relationship
• Why there needs to be standardization in healthcare practices to improve patient outcomes 
• How a lack of resources is leading to physician burnout and broken trust with patients.
• Dr. Nayyar provides insights into the historical context of misinformation and disinformation in healthcare
• The critical need for regulation in the healthcare industry in the era of digital technology to combat misinformation and disinformation

Connect with Dr. Geeta Nayyar (Dr. G)

• Dr. Geeta Nayyar
• Dr. G on Instagram
• Dr. G on X
• Dr. Geeta Nayyar on LinkedIn   

Connect with Dr. Gautam Gulati & Dr. Jessica Shepherd 

• HLTH
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn
• Dr. Jessica Shepherd MD
• Dr. Shepherd on X

Resources 

• 'DEAD WRONG'
•  by Dr. Geeta Nayyar

With the overturn of Roe v. Wade, inequities in access to reproductive, sexual health and abortion care have grown.

How might telemedicine solve this problem?

Kiki Freedman is CEO of Hey Jane, a digital health platform for women she cofounded while at Harvard Business School.

Prior to business school, Kiki was an early employee at Uber, where she led the company’s Kenya launch and spearheaded strategy and expansion for Uber Eats in the Middle East and Africa.

On this episode of HLTH Matters, Kiki joins host Dr. Gautam Gulati to explain her digital clinic addresses women’s most initial health needs.

Kiki walks us through the reproductive and sexual health services Hey Jane offers, describing how patients are paired with a clinician and what the platform does to maintain their privacy and anonymity.

Listen in for Kiki’s insight on working in a space that’s under attack and learn about her vision for achieving national protection for abortion access.

Topics Covered

• How Kiki’s experience with scaling Uber translates to Hey Jane
• Hey Jane’s role as a digital health clinic for women’s most intimate health needs
• How COVID and the overturn of Roe v. Wade affected Kiki’s business
• The other women’s health services Hey Jane offers (beyond abortion care)
• Kiki’s insight on inequities in access to reproductive and sexual health care
• How Hey Jane patients are paired with a clinician and support team 
• What Hey Jane does to maintain patient privacy and anonymity 
• How Hey Jane patients pay for services through insurance, nonprofit financial assistance and cash on a sliding scale
• How Kiki stays on top of legislation and forthcoming regulations
• How Hey Jane educates women about the telemedicine services it offers
• Kiki’s vision around achieving national protection for abortion access
• Recent approval of over-the-counter progestin-only birth control

Connect with Kiki Freedman

• Hey Jane
• Hey Jane Health on TikTok

Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam Gulati

• HLTH
• Dr. Shepherd on X
• Dr. Shepherd on LinkedIn
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn

Resources

• National Network of Abortion Funds
• Women’s Health Protection Act

About Bonny Morris:

Bonny Morris is currently the Senior Director for Patient Navigation at the American Cancer Society (ACS). Specifically, she is leading the development and implementation of ACS CARES, the first national cancer navigation support program. She’s also in charge of developing ACS LION, their new nonclinical navigation credentialing program, and the enterprise strategy for patient navigation at the American Cancer Society. 

Bonny uses her diverse skills to approach program development and research from different angles. As an epidemiologist, she focuses on designing and analyzing studies meticulously. Additionally, she embraces the perspective of a social and behavioral scientist, recognizing the impact of community-level social factors and individual-level factors on the cancer experience.

Things You’ll Learn:

• The American Cancer Society excels by smoothly combining research, patient support, and advocacy worldwide, focusing on the needs of people at risk or diagnosed with cancer, as well as their caregivers and families.
• The ACS has successfully influenced policymakers to recognize the importance of patient navigation, with a recent win in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
• The ACS CARES app, available on iOS and Android, offers personalized cancer support, including a 24/7 helpline and a volunteer component for peer support.
• The ACS CARES app has already surpassed first-quarter goals, reaching users with over 60 different cancer types and demonstrating its effectiveness in catering to a diverse range of people with unique needs.
• In January, a Spanish version of the ACS CARES app will be launched to support Spanish-speaking individuals facing cancer.
• Dr. Morris emphasizes the importance of collaboration, inviting partners to engage in conversations to optimize cancer care delivery, and keeping programs cutting edge and relevant to the population served.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow Bonny Morris on LinkedIn.
• Follow the American Cancer Society on LinkedIn and visit their website.
• Learn more about the ACS CARES App here.
• Download the ACS CARES App on the App Store here or on the Google Play Store here.

About Harlan Levine:

Harlan Levine, M.D., is president of health innovation and policy.  He also serves as the chair of the board of AccessHope™, a spinout company from the City of Hope that is focused on serving the employer market and making leading-edge cancer care available to all, regardless of geographical location.

Prior to the City of Hope, Dr. Levine held executive roles at UnitedHealth Group, Towers Watson, and Anthem Inc. He currently serves as a board member and secretary for BioScienceLA, as a member of the Keck Graduate Institute’s Board of Trustees, and as a board member for Vida Health, Active Life Scientific, and Reimagine Care.  He is on the advisory board for Innovaccer and Laguna Health. For 10 years, he has been a strategic advisor to the founder/chairman of the board of Quantum Health, and now chairs its external clinical advisory board.  In addition, he is a member of the Accessibility and Affordability Working Group for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and a senior fellow for Health Evolution Forum’s New Models of Care Delivery.

He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and licensed by the Medical Board of California. He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his medical degree from the University of California San Francisco. He interned at Mount Zion Hospital and Medical Center in San Francisco and completed his residency in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Health System in Los Angeles.

Things You’ll Learn:

• City of Hope's Distinctive Strategy: Integrating state-of-the-art research with patient-centric care. Their outreach to underrepresented markets and the introduction of a mobile van for prevention and screening empower communities with NCI-level care accessibility.
• Dr. Harlan emphasized how social determinants of health, including the cost of care, transportation challenges, and insufficient culturally relevant education, contribute to inequalities in cancer care.
• The importance of collaboration, policy adjustments, and the integration of community and academic oncologists. 
• The initiatives at City of Hope, including the affiliated company Access Hope, aim to provide expert opinions and cutting-edge cancer care to diverse populations.
• Gain an understanding of the obstacles that create barriers for patients to access the latest advancements in cancer treatment and assess the effects of limited networks on fair access to care.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow Harlan on LinkedIn.
• Follow City of Hope on LinkedIn.
• Visit the City of Hope website here.

Would you rather wait in line at the ER? Or have urgent care come to you?

There is a growing interest in the hospital-at-home model of care. But how do its outcomes compare to care delivered in a traditional setting?

Erin Denholm is Chief Nursing Officer of DispatchHealth, a company that brings the power of the hospital to the comfort of your home.

In her role, Erin works to develop and refine the organization's robust care coordination models, focusing on health equity, social determinants of health and virtual care strategies.

On this episode of HLTH Matters, Erin joins host Dr. Gautam Gulati to discuss the future of hospital-at-home care delivery models.

Erin describes the ecosystem of care DispatchHealth provides and explains why the hospital-at-home model boasts better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction than the traditional healthcare system.

Listen in for Erin’s insight on the cost of hospital-at-home care and learn how the DispatchHealth team identifies and closes gaps in social determinants of health for its patients.

Topics Covered

• What’s behind the growing interest in delivering care outside the traditional healthcare system
• The ecosystem of care DispatchHealth provides (including urgent care, diagnostics and risk population support)
• How patients are referred to DispatchHealth and what the patient journey looks like
• How DispatchHealth partners with hospitals and why it’s not a threat to a hospital’s business model
• Why the cost of hospital-at-home care is at least 20% lower than care delivered in hospitals
• Erin’s take on why hospital-at-home care boasts better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction
• How the DispatchHealth team closes gaps in terms of social determinants of health
• The role AI might play in keeping people out of the hospital system
• Highlights from the recent DispatchHealth study on the benefits of hospital-at-home care
• Satisfaction ratings among caregivers and family members whose loved ones receive hospital-at-home care

Connect with Erin Denholm

• DispatchHealth
• Erin on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam Gulati

• HLTH
• Dr. Shepherd on X
• Dr. Shepherd on LinkedIn
• Dr. Gulati on X
• Dr. Gulati on LinkedIn

Resources

• CMS Waiver Program
• Research by Dr. Bruce Leff
• DispatchHealth’s Advanced Care White Paper

About David Rhew:

Since August 2019, David has served as Chief Medical Officer & VP of Healthcare for Microsoft's Worldwide Commercial Business (WCB). David and his team's main goal is to demonstrate how a large-scale data-driven approach can lead to smarter decision-making, more proactive care, and improved health outcomes, as well as lower costs for patients and populations.

Additionally, David is an adjunct professor at the Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford University.

About Marcella Dalrymple:

Marcella is the Associate Director of Strategic Development and Business Partnerships at Duke AI Health. Her goal is to operationalize novel ideas by using big data to achieve the most meaningful results, leading to improved clinical practices.

Prior to that role, she was the Commercial Leadership Associate in the marketing sector for AstraZeneca and a project manager for Duke Clinical Research Institute.

About Michael Pencina:

Michael Pencina, PhD, is Duke Health's Chief Data Scientist and serves as Vice Dean for Data Science, Director of Duke AI Health, and Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at the Duke University School of Medicine. He develops and implements quantitative science strategies for the School of Medicine, co-chairs Duke Health’s Algorithm-Based Clinical Decision Support (ABCDS) Oversight Committee, and co-directs Duke’s Collaborative to Advance Clinical Health Equity (CACHE).

Things You’ll Learn:

• AI's potential to revolutionize healthcare requires a focus on responsible and trustworthy implementation.
• The collaboration between Microsoft and Duke Health aims to create a Center of Excellence for trustworthy AI.
• The four principles for trustworthy AI are: prioritize the human person, define use cases, anticipate consequences, and establish governance.
• Public mistrust of AI in healthcare highlights the need for community engagement and bidirectional communication.
• Automation in governance processes can streamline AI integration and reduce friction in workflows.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow David Rhew on LinkedIn.
• Follow Microsoft on LinkedIn and visit their website.
• Connect with and follow Marcella Dalrymple on LinkedIn.
• Connect with and follow Michael Pencina on LinkedIn.
• Follow Duke Health AI on LinkedIn and visit their website.