Healthcare Trailblazers

Dr. Tom Keane — the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology — brings a rare dual perspective: he writes the policy by day and lives with its consequences at the bedside. Our conversation covers the history of the ONC, the HITECH Act and the Cures Act, the three levers driving interoperability (TEFCA, standards, and information-blocking enforcement), the difference between data block...

Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of CMS, and Amy Gleason, Director of the U.S. DOGE Service, sit down with Mendel Erlenwein at CMS headquarters in Washington D.C. to reveal how they're tackling $140 billion in Medicare fraud — including shutting down 221 fake hospices in Los Angeles linked to Russia, China, and Cuba. In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, Dr. Oz and Amy Gleason discuss the &q...

In this episode of the Healthcare Trailblazers Podcast, we sit down with Ryan Eder, CEO of LainaHealth, to unpack a rare 20-year healthcare journey that spans hardware, software, computer vision, AI, military research, COVID pivots, and ultimately the creation of a nationwide virtual physical therapy practice. Ryan walks through how a senior design thesis turned into a decade-long R&D effort,...

Lt. Col. Jayme Hanson, former CFO overseeing half of the National Capital Region's military healthcare system, shares eye-opening insights about the Defense Health Agency (DHA), veteran suicide epidemic, and why moving military healthcare to private sector care could be a costly mistake. From combat medic to healthcare executive, Hanson exposes the hidden dynamics between politics, healthcare,...

Learn how you can scale your care team with AIhttps://link. CareCo.ai/rmvhvq Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti, founder and CEO of Velocity Health, joins host Mendel to discuss how his concierge precision medicine clinic is reimagining primary care. With experience from Kaiser, Harvard, Mayo Clinic, and as Chief Population Health Officer at a major health system, Sandeep explains why traditional insurance-ba...

The "NICU Graduate" celebration is one of the happiest moments for a family, but is it a false sense of security? In this episode, Mendel talks with Dr. Ross Sommers about the "NICU Cliff." We pour billions into saving babies born as small as 400 grams, only to send them home on oxygen and feeding tubes with almost zero support. Dr. Sommers reveals the heartbreaking reality of...

Learn how you can scale your care team with AIhttps://link. CareCo.ai/rmvhvq As we approach the December 31, 2025 deadline, the healthcare world is bracing for a massive shift. In this episode, Mendel sits down with policy expert Andrew Schwab (Platform Government Strategies) to break down the unprecedented "discharge petition" that just rocked the House of Representatives. We discuss:Th...

Send us a text Learn how you can scale your care team with AI: https://link. CareCo.ai/rmvhvq In this enlightening episode, I sit down with Chris Ellis, CEO of Thatch, following their impressive $40 million Series B funding round led by Index Ventures with strategic investment from ADP Ventures. Chris breaks down how Thatch is revolutionizing employee health benefits through Individual Coverage He...

Send us a text Learn how you can scale your care team with AI: https://link. CareCo.ai/rmvhvq In this episode I sit down with Steve Wardell, managing partner at Wardell Advisors LLC, for an eye-opening conversation that peels back the curtain on healthcare venture capital. Drawing parallels between HBO's Silicon Valley and the real digital health VC world, Wardell breaks down the psychology b...

Send us a text In this episode, CMMI Director Abe Sutton shares his unique journey from the private sector back to government service and reveals how he's rapidly transforming Medicare through innovative payment models. Sutton discusses the newly launched WISER (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) model, which leverages AI technology to reduce fraud and waste in Medicare, and the up...

Send us a text In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, we sit down with David Norris, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Affineon Health, for an in-depth conversation about tackling one of healthcare's most pressing challenges: provider burnout. With 2025 marking a pivotal year for AI adoption in healthcare, particularly around administrative burden relief and provider burnout solutions, Davi...

Send us a text In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, host speaks with Dr. Boris Vabson, head of Medicare Advantage policy at CMMI (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation). Dr. Vabson shares his fascinating journey from being born in the Soviet Union to becoming a Harvard health economist focused on dysfunctional healthcare systems. The conversation explores Medicare Advantage's e...

Send us a text In this episode we sit down with Alon Joffe, CEO of Israeli AI startup Eleos, for a fascinating deep dive into how behavioral health documentation is being revolutionized. What makes this conversation compelling is learning why Israel has become such a health tech powerhouse - with $1.2 billion in funding in 2024 alone and digital medical records dating back to the 1970s. Alon break...

Send us a text In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, host Mendel sits down with Gabby Lawrence, Senior Director of Clinical Solutioning at TytoCare. TytoCare offers the Home Smart Clinic - for accessible, high-quality primary care from home, with no compromises, featuring artificial-intelligence-powered features to enable its telehealth platform to perform diagnostic capabilities. Gabby, an...

Send us a text In this podcast episode, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) discusses critical healthcare policy issues, including his bipartisan proposal to fund community health centers through a nationwide sugary beverage tax. The Massachusetts Democrat shares pointed criticism of RFK Jr.'s approach to healthcare, arguing that while chronic disease is a genuine crisis, the current administ...

Send us a text In this insightful episode, we sit down with Dr. Meena Seshamani, who recently completed her tenure as Director of Medicare at CMS, for a candid conversation about the future of healthcare in America. Drawing from her extensive experience as both a practicing physician and healthcare leader, Dr. Seshamani breaks down complex topics including the distinctions between healthcare waste...

Send us a text This episode is sponsored by CareCo. In an industry desperate for efficiency, we're helping care teams manage 40% more patients while cutting costs by 28%. The math works. Learn more: careco.ai In this episode of the Healthcare Trailblazers podcast, Mendel and Josh Liu discuss the challenges and lessons learned in the healthcare startup space. They explore the importance of tar...

Send us a text In this episode of The Healthcare Trailblazers Podcast, we dive into the world of healthcare engagement with Dan Fox, Managing Director of Healthcare at Drips. Dan shares how his team is transforming patient communication by integrating proven strategies from performance marketing into healthcare—breaking down barriers created by compliance and outdated practices. Learn why direct m...

Send us a text Explore the groundbreaking insights into value-based care, chronic care management, and care coordination in this episode of The Healthcare Trailblazers Podcast. Our guest shares their firsthand experience building a successful care management program from scratch, tackling the barriers within the healthcare system, and driving real results for patients and providers. We dive deep i...

Send us a text In this episode of The Healthcare Trailblazers, we dive into the upcoming HIMSS 2025 Global Health Conference with Joanne Klinedinst, VP of Content and Programming. Joanne shares what makes this year’s event special, from cutting-edge programming on AI and cybersecurity to inspiring speakers like Simone Biles. Get an inside look at what goes into planning one of the healthcare indus...

Send us a text In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers , we dive into the complexities of modern healthcare with Dr. Anwar Jebran, Medical Director of Health Informatics at Oak Street Health. We discuss the balance between innovation and practicality, the role of AI in addressing physician burnout, and the challenges startups face in healthcare's profit-driven landscape. Plus, we explore h...

Send us a text In this episode of the Healthcare Trailblazers podcast, we dive into the groundbreaking technology behind Podimetrics' SmartMat, a device designed to prevent diabetic foot ulcers and ultimately save limbs. Join us as we talk with Gary Rothenberg, Medical Director at Podimetrics, about how this simple, easy-to-use mat is addressing alarming amputation rates among diabetic patien...

Send us a text In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers , we sit down with Pavani Munjuluri, CEO of Cognitive Health Technologies, to explore the challenges and hidden pitfalls of the AI-driven revenue cycle management (RCM) space. Pavani shares her unique insights on why overfunding can sometimes be a startup's biggest mistake and how her company survived in a highly competitive market dom...

Send us a text In today’s episode, we dive deep into the world of value-based care with Dr. TJ Reddington, founder and CEO of the Reddington Group. Known for his expertise in clinically integrated networks (CINs), Dr. Reddington shares insights into how healthcare systems can drastically reduce costs and improve patient care by adopting risk-based models. From his groundbreaking work at Christ Hos...

Send us a text Welcome to another episode of The Healthcare Trailblazers podcast!   In this episode, recorded in beautiful Orlando, Florida, we sit down with David Banks, Group CEO of AdventHealth, to discuss the transformative vision AdventHealth is bringing to healthcare. We explore how this leading health organization is rethinking primary care, reducing reliance on hospitals, and innovating wi...