Hope, Power, and Healthcare

After years of hearing healthcare leaders ask, “What’s next?”, the conversation is officially changing. Healthcare innovation is evolving, but not in the way many founders expect. Fresh off AHIP 2026, Chris and Melissa discuss a growing reality across healthcare: buyers are becoming less interested in exciting new features, and more focused on measurable cost savings, operational efficiency, and p...

Every founder eventually faces the same question: How do you build faster without building the wrong thing? As organizations race to innovate in an increasingly technology-driven world, the challenge isn’t simply writing the code, it’s understanding the people, workflows, and problems that coding is meant to serve. On this episode of Hope, Power & Healthcare, our hosts Melissa and Chris explor...

Is healthcare finally being forced to become transparent? And is AI quietly rewriting how we work? In this week’s episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, hosts Chris Hemphill and Melissa Reilly dive into two massive shifts happening in the healthcare ecosystem right now, and why both could change the system faster than most people realize. With OptumRx moving toward a fee-based PBM model, are we wi...

What can you unlock when you stop gatekeeping yourself, and start showing up? In this week’s episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, hosts Melissa and Chris are back (and fired up) after a whirlwind week of conferences, conversations, and community-building moments that sparked new ideas, and a few healthy debates. From the Women Business Leaders Summit, to sustainability summits and AI forums, our...

Are we ready for AI-powered care plans? This week, the Hope, Power and Healthcare team introduced our new event format: STLTH Feedback. This was a live, unscripted deep dive where founders shared their innovation and received real-time input from industry insiders. Our first “patient zero” is Dr. Asha Zimmerman, a former transplant surgeon, turned founder of Primary Intelligence. This AI-powered p...

What does it actually mean to trust someone, especially when the stakes are high? In this episode of Hope, Power & Healthcare, our hosts Chris Hemphill and Melissa Reilly unpack a concept that sits at the center of every decision we make. Trust. From choosing who to build with, to navigating co-founder dynamics, to evaluating whether AI outputs deserve your confidence, this conversation moves...

What happens when someone who has spent their whole career inside healthcare, suddenly becomes the patient? In this moving episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, hosts Chris and Melissa sit down with healthcare veteran Terry Tuznik. Terry is a former Navy nurse, health IT leader and current consultant, who now finds herself navigating the healthcare system from the other side. After being unexpect...

After years of navigating trauma, ADHD, and financial instability, Natasha Barber decided to build the financial tool she always wished existed. In this episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, Chris and Melissa sit down with Natasha Barber, the founder and CEO of Pistachio Pay. Pistachio Pay is a trauma-informed financial wellness platform, designed specifically for neurodivergent individuals, or t...

Spring Health and Alma just merged? This is a moment we can’t ignore. This quick-hitter episode breaks down the implications of this merger, without the hype and without the headlines. Our hosts, Chris and Melissa, dive into what this consolidation really means for payers, providers, and most importantly, patients. They explore how modern EAPs, payer infrastructure, and direct-to-consumer mental h...

Behind every healthcare leader is a story. A story about why they chose their work, and why they stay. In this week’s episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, Chris and Melissa reflect on a powerful conversation with Ben Gonzalez, System Lead for Behavioral Health at Geisinger, whose recovery journey intersects with his art, photography, leadership, and purpose-driven healthcare innovation. Through...

You don’t need to change who you are to lead. You need a system that can grow and change with you. In this week’s episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, our hosts Melissa and Chris are joined by two special guests - Dr. Sarah Adler, Founder & CEO of Wave Life and Allison Holzer, Founder & CEO of Aha2Impact, for a thoughtful conversation about neurodivergent leadership, innovation under pre...

What does it take to move healthcare forward? Beyond hype, beyond panels, beyond pitch decks? In one of our last episodes from 2025, Chris and Melissa reflect on a week that spanned Ivy League campuses, founder wins, and uncomfortable truths about innovation, ethics, and the true power in healthcare. From judging early-stage research at Yale, to moderating a digital health marketplace panel at Dar...

The 2025 Conference Season is over, and our hosts are TIRED. In this episode, the indefatigable team of Chris Hemphill and Melissa Reilly are improvising their way through the chaos of event stacking and post-conference recovery. Chris and Melissa sit down, and talk about their time together at the “Super Bowl of mental health technology” - Behavioral Health Tech 2025, and their takeaways from the...

Have you missed us? Because we’ve missed YOU! In our Halloween episode, our hosts, Chris Hemphill (Johann Sebastian Bach) and Melissa Reilly (ChatGPT 5.0), are back to tackle collapsing systems, sky-high medical costs, and the wild world of AI-assisted software development. Chris and Melissa dive into the tough conversations affecting everyone, particularly the unsustainable nature of healthcare c...

Hope, Power and Karaoke? This week, our hosts come together, in the middle of conference season, to create their own Conference Survival and Thrival Guide. This episode is essential for innovators who are trying to make a dent in the world, and get their product seen and heard by the right people, especially at industry gatherings. Melissa gives some of her best tips and tricks on maximizing your...

Are you defining your elite capacity? This week, we are diving deep into the exhaustion crisis that’s plaguing achievers, leaders and innovators. Hosts Chris and Melissa welcome author, speaker, and Elite Energy Coach, Bree Bacon, to resupply our fam with personal strategies needed to keep showing up for yourselves. Bree introduces herself and her debut book, Your Elite Energy. Her guide to combat...

Dropping the gate, re-anchoring and recharging. We’re back for another one, as our hosts Melissa and Chris embrace the good chaos, flexibility and agility that defines both building innovation and navigating life. From the annual frenzy of open enrollment, to the importance of owning your expertise and the challenges of thoughtful AI deployment.  Our hosts tackle the reoccurring theme of “Don’t Ga...

Welcome back fam! After much traveling for both of our hosts, Chris and Melissa are back to dive into a massive week, spanning policy, cutting-edge predictive AI, and real-world innovation. This episode is all about the power healthcare leaders and innovators have to transform systems, starting with accountability and transparency. Chris details his incredible speaking opportunity, in Washington D...

Mental health tech paradox: AI chatbots advising suicide yet other rigorous digital tools lowering attempts by 58% This week, Chris and Melissa tackle one of the most difficult, yet vital, conversations in modern health innovation, recorded on World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10th). The two delve into the stark contrast between technology’s promises, and its unintended dangers in the mental...

Welcome to a deeply powerful, and impactful episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare. Join hosts Chris Hemphill and Melissa Reilly as they dive into the crucial intersection of clinician burnout and art and policy. This isn’t just a conversation; it’s a call to action to address the pervasive challenges facing healthcare professionals today. In this special episode, we’re honored to feature: Dr. Jona...

Debunking the 95% AI failure rate, diving into the MIT study for healthcare innovators, and new insights from SCAN. Join Chris and Melissa for yet another exciting episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare! This week, the hosts discuss an MIT study about the high failure rate of AI in business, offering a “No Hot Takes” approach, crucial for healthcare innovators. Melissa touches on her insights and n...

Forget demographics - discover the powerful secret to understanding healthcare behavior, and driving real change! This week, our hosts Melissa and Chris are joined by Ann Somers Hogg, Lead Healthcare Researcher at the Clayton Christensen Institute. Ann shares her unique journey in healthcare innovation and dives deep into the transformative power of the Jobs to be Done theory. They also discuss th...

Can AI replace your therapist in 10 years? Better yet, can AI replace YOU? In this week’s episode of Hope, Power and Healthcare, hosts Chris Hemphill and Melissa Reilly talk innovator summits, the future of “agentification”, and the 8 most critical tips for selling women’s health tech to payers. Melissa draws on her over 20 years of experience at major healthcare organizations like Evernorth, Cign...

Your pitch is broken - here’s how to fix it. In this episode, our hosts Chris and Melissa pull back the curtain on the art (and science) of pitching in healthcare. From metaphors that miss the mark, to crystal-clear pitches that spark interest, they break down what works, what doesn’t, and how to make your message stick. Chris announces his participation in an upcoming South by Southwest panel alo...

Is AI threatening your job AND your well-being? Find out how to thrive in the digital world. In this episode of Hope, Power and Health care, Melissa and Chris explore how we stay grounded in the rapidly evolving world. They take a deep dive into the revolutionary impact of Artificial Intelligence on our lives and our healthcare landscape, and explore the intriguing and sometimes alarming possibili...