Leslie Evans

This 👂 podcast episode and insight’s from a16z Bio + Health's Julie Yoo spoke so clearly to the fundamental challenge facing both 🩺 clinicians and 🏥 healthcare systems.  There is a huge disconnect between supply, in the availability of clinicians, and demand, in the increasing volume and complexity of healthcare needs. -     36% of physicians plan to reduce their hours next year according to the AMA -     48% of physicians reported feeling burned out in a 2024 Medscape survey At the same time, the demographic baby boomer bubble and steady increase in the prevalence of major chronic disease, which consumes up to 90% of healthcare expenditures according to some estimates, is driving demand. With this context, Yoo points to a major opportunity for AI adoption in healthcare in 2025. Yeah, a VC hyping a wave of new AI companies that will replace the decades of training and experience of clinicians, the skeptic would say.  But Yoo is thoughtful in pointing to the role AI can play, and is already playing, through solutions such as ambient, autonomous scribe solutions (of which local star Abridge is leading the pack) in not replacing, but freeing up productivity for clinicians. There is so much unstructured context in both the complexity of disease and treatment options and the social/emotional considerations that we shouldn't be looking for AI to *replace* clinicians. But companies are getting better at finding the structured, repetitive and time-consuming places where AI tools can *help* clinicians. Nearly two-thirds of doctors cited bureaucratic tasks as the leading contributor to burnout. Rigorously trained-AI driven solutions can be a force multiplier for clinicians, and I’ve seen several interviews where nurses and doctors go as far as to say some of these solutions are ”restoring their joy in practicing medicine”. Our health is precious; and we rightly want any technology engaging with it to be developed thoughtfully and thoroughly tested. This requires top AI talent and diverse and realistic training data. Pittsburgh’s strengths in both areas is why we are an emerging hub for data-driven healthcare. #AIinhealthcare #clinicianburnout #healthinnovation #digitalhealth

16

I always read Rock Health's digital health reports as they give a nice pulse feel for what is happening in the digital health funding space. Good to see funds raised in H1 2024 suggest funding in the sector seems to have stabilized at 2023 levels. Its no surprise the report emphasis the buzz around AI and healthcare. There have been clear winners in the AI healthcare space in the area of process and cost optimization and the R&D space. The impact of AI in care and treatment delivery is so far much more muted. One area I never though to look at AI was in its ability to bring together multiple healthcare pathways and digital point solutions into a more holistic seamless experience for the patient. There is a clear trend away from using stand alone digital health point solutions, and could AI address this challenge by facilitating the efficient integration of disparate processes and technology into unified care programs. I can see this happening with digital health products but this will be more tricky to do with physical care programs involving clinicians and HCPs. “AI is helping us combine multiple parts of the care journey, across all care experiences. In the future, benefits navigation, clinical guidance, and care delivery won’t be delivered by separate companies or point solutions within the healthcare ecosystem. They’ll be features that work in concert within products, and they’ll happen in under 90 seconds for a seamless patient experience.” – Glen Tullman, CEO, Transcarent and Managing Partner, 7wireVentures

11

When the Digital Health Awards categories came out this year, we were thrilled to see one called "Biggest Healthcare Savings Story". Oshi Health continues to demonstrate total cost of care savings: first in a clinical trial, then in 18 months of a value-based contract with a national payer and now with dozens of employers over multiple years. When you provide high-touch care that identifies root causes of #digestivehealth conditions and helps patients gain control of their condition, the cycle of repeated diagnostic testing and emergency room visits stops and total cost goes down. We are honored to be a finalist in this important category! #valuebasedcare #wholepersoncare

57

5 Comments

Thinking of starting a women's health company? Menopause curious? Looking to pivot into women's health? Join me and the incredible Jodi Neuhauser this Friday, 9/13 at 12pm ET for an informal, behind-the-scenes conversation on what inspired me to found Elektra Health, and what it's _really_ like to build in women's health. And if you haven't joined In Women's Health yet, do it now! From educational events to an industry newsletter to a community of top women's health experts, In Women's Health is the best way to connect with and learn from top leaders in the space.

87

6 Comments

We all have seen by now that AI holds the promise of reshaping healthcare delivery, and this goes particularly for marginalized communities. Its widespread adoption, however, necessitates careful navigation of potential biases and ethical concerns to ensure equitable outcomes for all! As we embrace AI's transformative potential, we must continue to actively address issues of access, transparency, and workforce readiness in order to promote a future where technology enhances, rather than hinders, health equity initiatives. #HealthEquity #Healthcare #AI

9

1 Comment

What I Learned from the HLTH Conference: Key Takeaways for the Future of Healthcare Attending the HLTH Conference was an eye-opener in many ways. Here are a few of my key takeaways that can reshape how we approach healthcare: Funding the Future: Sustainable funding models remain crucial. Whether through traditional routes like Medicaid (despite its fragmentation) or exploring alternative payment sources, it's clear that innovative payment models are essential to ensuring broad access to care. Outpatient SUD Treatment: 90% of substance use disorders (SUD) can be treated in outpatient settings. This shift could reduce healthcare costs and ease the burden on emergency rooms, where many addicts currently turn due to lack of primary care support. Technology and Wearables: The role of wearables and AI in healthcare is growing. Brainwave monitoring, biosensors in wearables for addiction management, and camera-based non-verbal emotion recognition are all promising advancements. Continued collaboration with tech leaders like Microsoft, Google, Samsung, and others is key to scaling these solutions. Workforce Challenges: By 2025, we could face a shortage of 3 million doctors, forcing healthcare to rethink delivery models. One solution? Empower patients to help each other—technology can facilitate this transformation. The Power of Partnerships: Engaging with partners, whether through foundations, tech companies, or local community-based programs, will be essential to overcoming healthcare’s biggest challenges. Collaboration is at the heart of progress. Looking forward to following up with the incredible individuals and organizations I met at HLTH and continuing to push forward in addressing some of healthcare's toughest issues! #HealthcareInnovation #HLTH2024 #WearableTech #AddictionRecovery #OutpatientCare #Partnerships #FutureOfHealthcare #DigitalHealth

5

***From Best Practices to Next Practices*** Digital Health is an Emerging Determinant of Health says OCED's first-ever chapter on Digital Health in their annual Health-at-a-Glance report. Digital health readiness is considered a determinant of health as it influences health data usage, healthcare service delivery, and health outcomes through digital transformation. Countries with higher digital health readiness have better responses to health crises, improved resource utilization, lower costs, and enhanced patient experiences. Perhaps the most important point is featured in the image below, where the HUMAN FACTORS live. We have over-invested the last decade in the technologies and data systems to support Digital Health, however, we have heavily under-invested in the capacity and literacy building, community collaboration, transparent governance, and systems thinking that is required to take advantage of said technology and data. I liken it to 100 years ago, in 1924 when the automobile first arrived. At that time 95% of the world was still operating the horse and buggy, it took 40-50 years later to harness the power of the automobile to transport goods and services to every community. It's time we realize our healthcare system is the HORSE and BUGGY of this century... Here is a link to the copy of the chapter: https://lnkd.in/gzJ-GQbp #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #HealthData #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcareTransformation #DataSecurity #Interoperability #PatientEngagement #AIinHealthcare #PublicHealthImpact #digitalreadiness #communityimpact

10

#AHIPDigital peeps in Nashville: Looking forward to seeing you at 2:30 today in Room 101 A. We're covering culture, and how to change it to be customer centric. We'll talk about all sorts of things from why NPS is not the right metric to what steps to take to create long-term, real culture change at an organization. Because as we all know, #EXDrivesCX. Period.

16

4 Comments

You have to admit that the headline "Digital health resilience leads to brilliance" by Rock Health is a bit cheesy but when you look at the amount raised and number of deals, the future sounds more optimistic in H1 of 2024 than in the H1 of 2023. If you look at the Leading Value Propositions and Clinical Indications table you can see a #1 Treatment of disease at $1.1B. In the Clinical Indications the top 4 investments are in #mentalhealth, #cardiovascular, #oncology and #weightmanagement & #obesity. The upcoming trend of Food-as-Medicine or Food Care shows strength with $200M investment in Foodsmart. "The digital health sector continues to demonstrate resilience and adaptability. Funding momentum (especially at the early stage) and the tapering of transition measures like unlabeled rounds hint that we might be returning to more “normal,” sustainable venture patterns." Read the whole report by clicking on the link below. #digitalhealth #mentalhealth #obesity #weightmanagement #AI #foodasmedicine https://lnkd.in/gPmX8dFn

4

The healthcare system is at a breaking point. (Corporatization is eating it up) Corporate and government-led systems prioritize profits and bureaucracy over patient outcomes. And it leaves independent physicians struggling to maintain their autonomy. But physicians are not powerless. WE remain to be the bridge between patients and an increasingly convoluted system. It’s time to leverage that position and reclaim our role as patient advocates. 📌 Check out the 5 key strategies to strengthen independent practices and restore influence: 1) Shared Ownership of Vendors 2) Building Alliances for Strength in Numbers 3) Educating the Public 4) Innovating Through Independence 5) Claiming a Seat at the Table This isn’t just a fight for physician autonomy—it’s a fight for better healthcare for all. Where do you see healthcare going from this point? How do we fight corporatization? 🤔 #healthcare #corporatization #healthcaresystem #physicians #sharedownership #patientcare

25

13 Comments

#CalTRC #HeatWave #DigitalHealth Prepare for the heat CA clinicians and health care providers—excellent video from last year with clinician led preparation and find toolkits here: https://lnkd.in/gCkKgEa2 Among the takeaways - Consider having patients in high risk categories utilize telehealth when there is extreme heat that places them at risk.

3

Thank you Arik Hill for the shout out and thank you to Shirley Wang and The Wall Street Journal for including our work at Lyssn, as well as my colleague Tim Althoff in her thoughtful piece on the use of and impacts of chatbots in mental health.  (Gift link in comments.) Properly validated and tested AI does indeed have a role in improving both access and quality in mental health, human services, and crisis intervention. And, as the article notes, there are both significant risks and growing opportunities to do both in a way that enhances patient outcomes while supporting clinicians on the front lines. At Lyssn, we use a research-led model of product development to ensure that our platform supports the use of evidence-based practices and minimizes risk, including bias.  Even in high-risk situations like crisis calls and 988, our NIMH-funded work with @protocall is demonstrating the platform’s safety and utility. We've been working on AI and mental health for over 15 years. Now, change is coming more rapidly. We believe that clinically-validated tools, including chatbots, will make a meaningful difference in the lives of people suffering from mental health challenges.

47

1 Comment

Just over 6 years ago, buried in Rock Health's 2017 year-end funding recap, we noted that public markets were shrinking, concluding with: "For now, at least, M&A is the new digital health IPO." https://lnkd.in/gHkdg9BU Six plus years later, the public market situation hasn't really changed. For a variety of regulatory and economic reasons, the stock market continues to shrink, and as a side effect of investor-friendly innovation (i.e., ETFs), it has become less efficient at allocating capital to new things. Meanwhile, however... PE appears to have stepped in to start filling the gap. 1. Getting Smaller Net equity issuance has been NEGATIVE in all but 10 of the last 109 quarters, with over $7T in public market net equity *retired* since the Fed started tracking data in 1996. (https://lnkd.in/gZUdr-Ya) There's been fewer IPOs and a lot more stock buy-backs + acquisitions. 2. Less Efficient (at allocating capital) Passively managed funds are great for public market investors but bad for capital market efficiency (because, well, they're "passive" allocators by definition). They'll soon represent about 25% of global AUM.(https://lnkd.in/g7uzPbSW) 3. PE Steps in Contrary to public market trends, however, "buy and hold" PE continues to grow. McKinsey recently reported that as of June 2023 PE AUM hit ~$13 trillion—roughly *double* the amount just 5 years earlier, in 2018, with a record $3.7 trillion in dry powder. (https://lnkd.in/g9z3XeqA) TL;DR: The sky is not falling, but the path to liquidity has evolved considerably in recent years. Some things remain the same, however: Having a plan and executing it well is, as a founder or as a venture investor, the best most sure path to creating valuable, profitable business. And working with folks who get what you do, are mission-aligned, and want to see you succeed makes the journey that much better.

75

4 Comments

Two companies in the Kidneyverse orbit are joining forces to leverage the power of human touch to unlock the "last mile" of social impact and cultural connection. SameSky Health is merging with GroundGame.Health, which closed a $17 million funding round led by 7wireVentures after the companies joined. The combined company will accelerate a shared mission to improve health and advance health equity by closing the loop around health-related social needs and gaps in care at scale. Together, their coverage spans all 50 states. [1] SameSky is a DaVita Venture Group portfolio company. We also shared an article in last week's Across the Kidneyverse written by an investor from 7WireVentures that (naturally) referenced GroundGame as a noteworthy examples of a digital health company embracing local communities and on-site services. Other examples mentioned included Live Chair and Waymark. [2, 3] Speaking of social determinants, you might have seen the Fierce Healthcare article sharing how Papa is looking to drive deeper support for insurance plans through new offerings focused on Star ratings and SDOH. The company is pitching Papa as a way for health plans to improve their Star ratings—by enlisting pals to drive members to annual wellness visits and preventive disease screenings. [4] Is it just me, or can we find some way to adapt and scale these programs for people, households and communities impacted by kidney disease? We have a home dialysis bill in the mix, a new FDA VR/AR Home as a Health Hub project, and a push for more last mile, in-home support. [5] How long before these trends come together and make a dent in US health/care? Let us know what you think! 👇🏼 Sources: [1] https://lnkd.in/gqKjfWSF [2] https://lnkd.in/gNFmJ8Pr [3] https://lnkd.in/gz_-PSaM [4] https://lnkd.in/g-Rj998A [5] https://lnkd.in/gh9gt8Cd

35

1 Comment

A discussion on the transformative role digital health can play in advancing health equity. #digitalhealth #healthequity #healthcaretransformation

2

AI in healthcare? LIVEMED Telehealth™’s framework on deploying AI effectively has guided the innovation of VIRTUALIS™ and is fuelling their rapid growth in US telemedicine. It is so refreshing to be supporting a company solving real issues in such an innovative but pragmatic way. #telemedicine #healthcare #virtualcare #healthtech

9

Healthcare is evolving, and Fullscript is leading the way! The current system too often prioritizes symptom management over root cause solutions, but Fullscript is proving that there’s a better way. 🌿💡 As an integrative pharmacist, I’ve always believed in treating the whole person—mind, body, and soul, and Fullscript’s platform offers exactly that. By empowering providers with tools that foster deeper connections and personalized care, Fullscript is paving the way for a healthcare system that is truly proactive and patient-centered. As providers, let’s continue working together to deliver healthcare that heals from the inside out. #HealthcareInnovation #WholePersonCare #FutureOfHealthcare

7