00:00:00:

00:00:14: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Strategy & Insider podcast.

00:00:19: I'm Thomas, your host And today we're exploring a question that matters to every one of us How do we build a healthcare system?

00:00:27: That is not just smarter but more human And with a particular focus on cardiovascular care, we will take a look at how AI digital innovation and equity-first design are already reshaping the way CARE is delivered.

00:00:43: And ultimately The Future of Medicine itself.

00:00:46: Please join me in welcoming Dr.

00:00:48: Ami Bhatt who's Chief Medical Officer Ed Woop senior member and fellow of American College of Cardiology and the inaugural chair of US FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee.

00:01:01: Ami is a board certified Harvard and Yale trained cardiologist, digital health innovator who has spent her career building systems that make care safer more scalable even more equitable.

00:01:16: And most recently she was appointed as Chief Medical Officer at Woop which is leading wearable company best known for its woop wristband.

00:01:25: Before that, she held the role of Chief Innovation Officer at The American College Of Cardiology where she pioneered the idea of AI-enabled clinicians working with technology companies regulators and health systems to turn innovation into care that is equitable scalable cost effective.

00:01:45: She also served as the inaugural chair of US Food and Drug Administration, FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee where she advised on AI integration variables cyber security but also patient generated health data.

00:02:01: And Ami brings actually more than twenty years experience a clinician researcher an educator with over decade devoted specifically to telemedicine digital health.

00:02:12: Additionally, Amin is also a widely published author, a sought-after speaker and fellow podcaster.

00:02:19: So Ami's really champion for the next generation of healthcare!

00:02:23: And for me perfect guest to talk about the future of health.

00:02:27: Thank you so much for joining us today.

00:02:29: it's really a privilege.

00:02:32: Well, thank you for having me.

00:02:33: That was a very generous introduction and I must say congratulations right back to you For we've always known those of us who listen to you that You are one of the best health podcasts out there but To be actually named one of The Best in the world.

00:02:46: Congratulations

00:02:48: Thank you very much and really appreciate it.

00:02:51: This is only possible because of characters, great people like yourself bringing the breadth or depth in your knowledge into this show as said – really grateful to have you deep diving on what's on our mind when we talk about the future of health.

00:03:09: And probably starting a bit at the back in history absolutely build an extraordinary career spanning clinical cardiology, digital health innovation as well as FDA policy.

00:03:24: But every journey has to begin somewhere.

00:03:27: what was originally that drew you to medicine?

00:03:30: Was there kind of a specific person at the finding moment or perhaps in early experience That make you think this is actually What I meant?

00:03:39: Yeah, you know it's a great question and I think my answer to this has evolved over time.

00:03:44: When i first kind of started practicing...I did medicine and pediatrics training!

00:03:50: I thought to myself that I want really be a consummate global doctor ...and should take care anyone from a newborn to one hundred twelve year old who walks into the office .

00:04:00: And then I very quickly realized two things.

00:04:05: One was that cardiovascular care really just appealed to me.

00:04:11: I loved the fact, not only is a heart so central pun intended for everything we do but they were so many different aspects from valve disease and heart failure or arrhythmias.

00:04:26: then met young people with congenital heart diseases But inherently something was different when they were born.

00:04:38: What a challenge that is, and I think the challenge of having to think through physiology Is what has driven me throughout my career?

00:04:47: So i'd say That's number one!

00:04:49: I think Number two is...I'm A Builder And so..i only know this now.

00:04:53: This Was Something I Learned Later Which Is If There'S Not Really A Good Pathway for something to get done in healthcare.

00:04:59: I like to be one of the people who's building there.

00:05:01: and so, There was not grown-up congenital heart care or adult congenial heart disease.

00:05:06: we called it US.

00:05:07: that was really well established when i first began.

00:05:09: And So The Idea Of Building With Colleagues To Say How Do We Take Care These Individuals?

00:05:15: to virtual care, because these are young people who want to stay in their home and maybe not come to the clinic.

00:05:20: And how do you get them into community where they are?

00:05:23: So I thank my patients for my career every day.

00:05:26: but i think those were two of things a physiology that most certainly drove me...and then this idea of building!

00:05:34: The last thing came relatively recently which is there's another profession within twenty minutes really become part.

00:05:44: The way people will open up to you and say all the things that are happening, it is such a privilege.

00:05:53: And so I think that's what kept me going in healthcare even when times were hard—even through times like COVID.

00:05:59: So physiology being a builder...and that kind of intense human relationship…I would say that –that's the trifecta– that has kept doing this for my lifetime.

00:06:09: Hey, thanks for sharing that.

00:06:10: And building is probably also a keyword for my next pivot of the question because you co-founded, co-built so to say The Massachusetts General Hospital Elevate Leadership Program after what do have described as kind of a serendipitous encounter with change management expert Itan Shapira?

00:06:30: Yes!

00:06:31: That story.

00:06:31: to me it's really beautiful reminder of unexpected connections leading into something meaningful and new.

00:06:38: And beyond that moment, has there been another chance encounter or unexpected turn in your career?

00:06:45: That fundamentally shaped who you are today and how you think an act about your own leadership.

00:06:51: You know I was just actually commenting on LinkedIn this morning... There's a Harvard Business School professor.

00:06:57: he is the Dean of The Harvard Business school.

00:06:59: now He is Dina Shrikant.

00:07:01: that their his name and i must have been first- or second year attending And I was practicing in the hospital setting.

00:07:10: We had gone from a small office that felt very much like hometown office practice to being kind of larger building and more people, and I was trying to learn how to be young attending right?

00:07:21: How do run a practice?

00:07:22: How did build this

00:07:23: practice?".

00:07:25: He has course design thinking at Harvard Business School.

00:07:30: now could not take full time business school degree But I talked to him and said, hey do you think that i could maybe kind of come sit in?

00:07:41: And so he said absolutely.

00:07:43: So he signed me up to take his class... ...and it was a class on human design thinking.

00:07:48: how do you build around humans and the human experience.. ..and I will tell you this day what I learned in my class last year has really shaped approached and reapproached, and re-approach healthcare.

00:08:05: each time we saw a need for change.

00:08:07: Which is how do you put the human back in the middle of that design process?

00:08:12: And still be effective in getting the kind of progress that you'd need to get

00:08:16: right?".

00:08:17: So I would say that's one of those chance meetings That was incredible!

00:08:22: We were both donating at a charity event recently.

00:08:26: I told him, I said thank you for everything that i have ended up doing and he laughed.

00:08:31: And He said well Thank You For having been in there because it changed the way I think about The type of people who can come to my class.

00:08:37: so It was a really nice Meeting but at the same time?

00:08:53: in how I perform and how i function, and how I teach.

00:09:02: And it came from somewhere.

00:09:07: It's super fascinating that you're referencing That because also come to the conclusion During my career is more The sum of smaller decisions You take throughout your life Be it professional or private.

00:09:19: That makes up who are at end.

00:09:21: Its not big decision.

00:09:22: What were studying?

00:09:25: the smaller things that really shape you up, and I can hear this also from your commenting on what made who are today.

00:09:34: Recently we've watched one of our TED Talks where they had a very compelling case... The real longevity hack is not biohacking or investing into expensive supplements whatever right?

00:09:50: It's cardiac health.

00:09:51: it's living rather than just living longer.

00:09:55: On a more personal note, what daily habits or principles do you personally follow to take care of your own heart?

00:10:02: Your own well-being that you can leave with me but also all the listeners out there.

00:10:07: I will say that i have been on a journey To improve my sleep for maybe about six months now and it is... It is a real journey because You have to give some things up!

00:10:23: and layer some habits on others to help you prepare for sleep.

00:10:28: You have to prioritize it, until the people around.

00:10:30: that is a priority over all of other things that could be doing And part has been just learning myself which behaviors keep me healthier Which ones affect my sleep more?

00:10:41: So I will say That's something real focused not only thinking about women and hormones in those changes throughout life not only thinking about those people who are in high-power jobs, right?

00:10:57: People like yourself.

00:10:58: You know really working constantly to better the world make the world a better place.

00:11:02: but how much time do you spend thinking and understanding yourself and your own data and How YOU can be better so that you can then do better for others?

00:11:13: And So For Me?

00:11:14: I Can't Do Seven Things at Once.

00:11:16: i'm Not Good At It When it Comes To My Own Health I need to pick one and just live with it, so sleep is the one that i'm focused on.

00:11:24: Nice.

00:11:25: So I can very much relate to that.

00:11:27: rather a walk in the evening, not eating too late.

00:11:30: no alcohol has huge impact on sleep behaviors and how much RAM and deep sleep you get at it?

00:11:36: That's right!

00:11:37: And the consistency of time which go to bed... I mean amazing.

00:11:41: those little details maybe didn't think about before but there is window ideal for each.

00:11:46: us head needs hit pillow if u will then i have learned lot actually about sleep disordered breathing.

00:11:54: It's amazing, probably one billion people have sleep disordered breathing.

00:11:58: And it's not always the obvious person you think about.

00:12:03: I think that's the other thing, and this might be too much information for your crowd but i'll tell them anyway probably a few weeks away from just getting myself an overnight sleep test because there are couple signals here in their where even though as healthy is one can look.

00:12:18: It's probably not overkill For many of us who push ourselves As hard we do to try understand how To improve upon sleeping any way We Can.

00:12:28: And you know, what I really find now for me personally very encouraging and fascinating.

00:12:32: An insightful is obviously it's known that if you eat late drink a lot of alcohol go to bed without walking in getting fresh air has an impact on how you sleep.

00:12:44: but Now with the devices such as whoop and others You truly see your data?

00:12:57: get a confirmation for that.

00:12:58: That really helps me get going and exercise even harder on finding my rhythm, the consistency... So I really appreciate it!

00:13:06: I agree.

00:13:07: And i think the other thing is in you know in cardiovascular care in general The promise of data and AI Is not simply kind of earlier detection Of things right?

00:13:18: It's earlier action.

00:13:20: And action doesn't have to mean medication or intervention.

00:13:24: Action can be an intervention that you take, something that you change and I think of that individual agency both seeing data but being instructed in kind.

00:13:34: what can i do next almost learning yourself right?

00:13:38: What is my physiology?

00:13:40: ?What's the reality for me?

00:13:42: life?

00:13:43: ,and then how can level of power to that empowerment, or perhaps we have never been able to unlock before because continuous data was not available for us as individuals.

00:14:08: In one of your other recent keynotes you introduced something I found equally fascinating which is a concept that talks and considers.

00:14:18: the idea isn't about replacing clinicians with AI, it is about clinicians and algorithms working increasingly together because medical knowledge now exceeds what any single human brain can actually hold, facilitate or work.

00:14:37: Why this distinction between collaborative intelligence and artificial intelligence so critically?

00:14:44: Can you share a couple of examples from your cardiology practice where human judgment empathy or any context in decision-making made a difference rather than an algorithm could have done on its own.

00:14:58: No, that's right.

00:14:59: so I guess a few different things.

00:15:00: So one is you know first of all the fact that it's called artificial intelligence right?

00:15:05: Artifice itself It's a middle English word.

00:15:08: That means deceit and so people say why don't you trust AI as well.

00:15:13: Well, it's in the name.

00:15:15: But I also, this is the AI-enabled clinician campaign that we launched at The American College of Cardiology over the past two years.

00:15:23: And the idea is twofold.

00:15:25: One is yes it's collaborative if you learn to use the compute power which really what AI is right?

00:15:32: Compute Power You can then use your own clinical acumen with that compute power To make the right decision when needs be made.

00:15:42: So What happens?

00:15:44: technology absorbs some of the complexity, so that either we as patients or patients and clinicians together don't have to.

00:15:51: And so it gives clinicians a chance to get the information that is almost too much for us to take... Let me just give you real example.

00:16:01: if I had a patient sitting in front of me their over age sixty they have roughly three chronic diseases.

00:16:08: They have thirty minutes with me If were lucky right?

00:16:14: And during that time, they have their electronic health record.

00:16:18: They maybe have wearable technology.

00:16:20: They have there additional research that's kind of been done about the topic.

00:16:26: There are guidelines I'm supposed to be following and then you can have your own social needs or questions.

00:16:36: can appropriately gather all of that data, process it and be able to speak with the patient.

00:16:41: Yeah With a level of scientific rigor that exists right now.

00:16:44: however The compute power of AI Can pull a lot of that information And so those kind of algorithms are the most valuable because they then give the clinician time back To listen to the patient to incorporate what?

00:17:00: That patient is saying too explain it to them And then to reassure them as this is what we're going do next, you know I will hold your hand through the process.

00:17:09: So i think that's value it.

00:17:11: interesting though...I was speaking with a young woman type one diabetes just yesterday in her twenties and she has both chronic glucose monitor and wearable that she uses.

00:17:27: She told me there are so many times where the algorithm in what we call an AI coach, right?

00:17:35: But it's like a chatbot.

00:17:37: Where I have worked with and trained at that is able to help me understand hey when you're running in the morning about three-quarters of way through your glucose dipping why don't try half bar before go for

00:17:48: run.".

00:17:50: She said,"That's kind thing that would've thought only clinician can tell me.

00:17:56: but now empowered do some those mechanisms myself".

00:17:59: And if you push her further, she'll say no there is absolutely a role for the clinician and I to set my overarching course.

00:18:06: What am i doing?

00:18:07: How am I doing

00:18:08: it?".

00:18:08: If something's wrong ,I'm escalating immediately to them.

00:18:11: but for the smaller things .i do feel empowered.

00:18:14: so that where we are now which?

00:18:17: why call at AI enabled clinician.

00:18:20: I change this myself started with collaborative intelligence.

00:18:22: funny how your career and many of listeners same right leaders in their fields that used to say something with certainty, and I use to say AI must have a human.

00:18:32: A human eventually must have

00:18:33: AI.".

00:18:35: Now I'm changing that phrase from collaborative intelligence which I truly believe into AI-enabled clinician, which is can we set some of those technologies with very good follow up in monitoring such that we can understand where an algorithm or AI be valuable for empowered patient?

00:18:55: Where does it need to escalate to the clinician?

00:18:57: and then where can a clinician use AI?

00:18:59: To improve their use of time with their patient, improve the use of their own clinical acumen.

00:19:04: Now these are three different places where we're all working on.

00:19:07: how do you say I with that patient in the escalation process and then in a clinician-patient conversation?

00:19:13: And so what once called one thing collaborative intelligence is in fact Three different areas that need to be studied designed and monitored.

00:19:24: And if we look at healthcare globally, for most patients the hardest part of health care is not really treatment itself.

00:19:31: It's getting to it right?

00:19:33: Finding the right treatment that suits you in this very moment.

00:19:37: and what makes a concept so powerful that you're advocating.

00:19:43: The idea that care should begin where patients actually live Not behind hospital walls and I'm so much in favor of that.

00:19:50: We recently also published something around what we call the healthy living idea because on average globally only spending thirty minutes per year, per person at a doctor's place.

00:20:02: This is at max where bug fixing some sort of pain can be relieved but this not by health care as such keeping yourself healthy, prevented whatever can actually take place.

00:20:14: And you put this into practice already back in twenty thirteen launching a telecardiology clinic I mentioned before long before the covid pandemic made telehealth kind of mainstream.

00:20:25: yeah so you ran it for a decade.

00:20:27: You proved it worked.

00:20:29: yet today many promising digital health tools still kind off let's say stall after pilots

00:20:35: absolutely

00:20:36: based on your experience?

00:20:37: I mean, what does it actually take to scale virtual care beyond that pilot stage.

00:20:43: Is there any cultural shifts clinical buy-in community involved and What is the need to make it

00:20:48: flourish in The end?

00:20:49: yeah so let's say guess we can break That down a little bit.

00:20:52: you started with the question of equity And so Let's just we Can address kind Of global equity.

00:20:57: oftentimes Global Equity ends up being A downstream audit and that's not what It needs To be its Actually design requirement.

00:21:04: So upfront when we are thinking about a technology and how it will scale, if the technology cannot benefit across populations.

00:21:14: It will unlikely scale.

00:21:15: It would have a ceiling in.

00:21:16: the ceiling will come faster than one imagines.

00:21:19: And so I think that's the first thing is Is that design requirement for thinking?

00:21:23: About can i scale across multiple populations is essential.

00:21:26: When were building technologies?

00:21:28: If We do That Then How Do You Keep Something from just being a pilot.

00:21:32: So when I was at the FDA, and again, I do not speak for the FDA but one thing that struck me the most is the number of technologies get approval then cannot figure out how to scale.

00:21:47: That's kind.

00:21:48: four out five technologies fail on this scale.

00:21:52: The reason why they are designed it isn't whether an algorithm works if it gets approved CE mark whatever It's.

00:22:02: who was it designed for?

00:22:03: Does it work for them, where do you implement it?

00:22:08: and then who acts on its recommendations.

00:22:10: And so we spent a lot of time in the TAP program at the FDA At The American College Of Cardiology speaking with technology companies big and small designing for Where In The Care Paradigm does this fit?

00:22:24: now I would have told you, this is another lesson.

00:22:27: I would've told a few years ago that if the company figures out where it belongs in the care paradigm It will succeed.

00:22:34: The problem with our current care paradigm Is some countries rather broken And so its very hard to fix new technology into A mechanism of practice that was designed In the nineteen fifties.

00:22:48: All right, and that is where we're kind of falling apart again.

00:22:51: And that's partly why we see a combination Of the need of technology to be on the research field Technology to be in practice and design thinking and Care delivery but also technology to help the patient.

00:23:07: just Focus on health Right?

00:23:10: So that rode from everyday Health-to-Health care.

00:23:15: That's kind of the area where I focus now.

00:23:17: And the reason is, I think that technology has somewhat greater chances of success if we are designing anew with a patient wherever they are as first mile health care and so it's opportunity to build again in relatively blank space rather than try retrofit into system wasn't designed.

00:23:39: take some technologies.

00:23:43: questioning the status quo a lot in whatever you're doing.

00:23:47: And so, when being chair of digital health advisory committee at FDA because you reframed regulation as I think scaffolding for safe innovation rather than barrier to progress that many people perceive it is right?

00:24:03: So this is powerful metaphor and one challenges obviously how many innovators think about the FDA not only FDA but also EMA.

00:24:13: Can you bring that matter for a bit to life?

00:24:15: How can regulatory frameworks actually accelerate the scaling of digital health tools rather than hindering it.

00:24:23: The biggest problem for Digital Health Tool Scaling right now is there's no infrastructure for it to happen, and so if we think regulation as over-regulating or holding something very tight—or deregulating and just letting it go —neither one of those Either one of the technologies, whether the company thinks they want tight regulation and they can pass or weather.

00:24:44: The company says deregulate me let me grow without an infrastructure.

00:24:50: as to how will I grow?

00:24:52: Where is a patient population i'm treating?

00:24:55: who's using my technology How it being followed?

00:24:58: Without that infrastructure with guardrails the company Will not be able to succeed in growth And at same time we also won't get the technologies And I think that is the inherent reason That we need to reframe and you're right.

00:25:15: I've been saying this, i like scaffolding.

00:25:17: actually it was using The word infrastructure.

00:25:18: scaffolding sounds a little nicer But the scaffolding or infrastructure with guardrails Is essential Because then two things happen.

00:25:26: one is You can actually get To the patient because you see the steps necessary?

00:25:31: To reach that end of the tunnel and kind Of reached the patient so patients end up benefiting from technology sooner.

00:25:40: The second is that guardrail, you put around it.

00:25:44: You can call that regulation but the guardrails are as your moving forward not just in what design and deploy especially important with AI and drift now how we continuing to make sure patients receiving best care they receive from technology.

00:26:00: so I think really important when people do correctly.

00:26:05: Those are the companies that you're seeing, growing rapidly right now.

00:26:09: I'm not talking about unicorns who had a great idea and got money but steadily continuing to rise and do better

00:26:17: great angles that you're bringing into.

00:26:19: I want to bring in one more, the exploration of data.

00:26:22: into this there is smartwatches, smart rings home blood pressure monitors.

00:26:27: patients are generating more health data than ever before and recently came across.

00:26:32: actually thirty percent of any globally stored data is health related.

00:26:37: well i don't know.

00:26:38: only two three percent are going be used.

00:26:41: So there is the paradox that more data does not automatically mean better care.

00:26:46: That's

00:26:46: right,

00:26:46: so separating the noise from the signal that actually matters clinically remains one of the greatest challenges of our time and at The same time this data holds enormous potential for early intervention catching risk before they become crisis.

00:26:59: And you're like.

00:27:00: so where is the sweet spot in your perspective?

00:27:03: What actually works when it comes to turning all of this kind of consumer generated data into meaningful clinical decisions for the better off.

00:27:12: The person be still healthy or at the verge of getting sick,

00:27:16: I think that most important thing you know?

00:27:19: The real challenge is not choosing between speed and safety.

00:27:25: we make those seem like opposing directions.

00:27:28: It's creating models to achieve both, allow someone to get the answer they need and understand things at the same time that we know people are remaining safe.

00:27:40: This comes back this AI-enabled clinician or importance of healthcare professionals doctors being involved in development.

00:27:49: use data care for yourself when you're not directly under the auspices Right?

00:27:58: And I think when we're thinking about responsible deployment, the conversation comes down to clinical value.

00:28:05: Is that data you are offering telling us something actually will make a patient better?

00:28:11: and what is it?

00:28:12: better quality of life or outcomes right now?

00:28:16: Clinical Value if its just data doesn't have clinical value probably don't need spending time money emotional angst over Right?

00:28:26: As a patient or as an individual.

00:28:27: I think so clinical value, safety important for responsible deployment.

00:28:32: how are you checking what is happening to the people using your data?

00:28:35: equity goes back to the original question do You know that you can reach all sorts of People right?

00:28:42: and then accountability And i Think That last one Is Important.

00:28:46: Accountability matters, and that's through any level of any institution.

00:28:50: Whether you're a technology company whether your health system or the patients or individuals who are using a technology You have to understand your role in that ecosystem And each person has some accountability Of being an ecosystem.

00:29:05: so when we serious about responsible deployment if our conversation is clinical value safety equity, and then accountability for everybody who is touching in using the system.

00:29:17: Then we can actually create a safe way for these things to be able to

00:29:21: grow.".

00:29:32: And that brings us naturally to your new role.

00:29:34: so VOOP takes very distinctive approach when it comes to variables and data generation.

00:29:40: around that It's screenless by design.

00:29:43: instead of counting steps or pushing notifications it continuously tracks biometrics like heart rate variability sleep They de-strain to tell people how recovered their body is.

00:29:55: and you like now as chief medical officer.

00:29:58: How do you see a tool like this bridging the gap between consumer wellness?

00:30:04: And, The genuine kind of clinical value that you just referenced what convinced You As a cardiologist and clinician by heart Who has seen the hype cycles before That This Is the right place for you Now To make your next impact in health care.

00:30:21: Yeah, so I think for this we have to go back a moment why i became a clinician.

00:30:46: It was such a challenge every day with every patient, with new and unique physiology.

00:30:51: And then I came to thinking about digital health because I realized physiology is not episodic.

00:30:57: it doesn't happen when i see the patient once or twice or four times a year...it's happening constantly at home on their bodies!

00:31:07: every individual to only have their physiology followed when they're lying in an ICU bed, in a hospital.

00:31:12: Right?

00:31:12: Sure we can follow all the numbers there and that's some of the most interesting medicine but that's not where we want any individual to be.

00:31:19: And so The opportunity over the past few years at the American College Of Cardiology To start to work with companies who are going directly to the patient and see how much information We could gather from a patient in their daily life and obtain continuous data, I think that was what first made me start to think about.

00:31:42: That first mile of health care?

00:31:44: How do we really get out the patient where they

00:31:46: are?".

00:31:47: And then back in twenty thirteen when we kind started telemedicine for my practice... by the way.

00:31:52: fun fact.

00:31:53: People didn't really love that I was doing it.

00:31:54: They got a lot of opinions about how can it be caring for the patient when you're doing at distance, right?

00:32:00: It wasn't not ever seeing them or bringing in testing.

00:32:03: but people don't like change sometimes and so... That seems to echo throughout my career is going someplace where they say are we gonna do what's part?

00:32:18: But coming back to today, I found myself on stages again and again in my sub-stack.

00:32:24: In writing talking about what technology companies should do?

00:32:28: Talking about their responsibility was... Talking about accountability.. Talking how they work directly with patients.

00:32:36: And finally the moment came where i realized two things.

00:32:39: One is that i want a place that has prioritized physiology from beginning.

00:32:43: That's whoop!

00:32:45: The second one I needed to not tell people what to do.

00:32:51: And by the way, they average age of these people is younger than me.

00:33:07: But their average brain power so far exceeds

00:33:10: mine.".

00:33:10: The number of bright young individuals we have over a thousand employees right now who are here and who are so excited that the future of healthcare may really be primarily health?

00:33:26: That is probably the part that's most exciting.

00:33:29: And you know, Will Ahmed or our CEO my boss often says we're entering a new era where every person can have continuous twenty-four seven understanding of their health right?

00:33:40: and I think that is something that's knew...that We Can Take, We Can Empower People..and then i will address kind of The second Part which Is You Can Learn About Your Information.

00:33:55: You can see when you are trending in a good direction or a direction that you're trying to avoid.

00:34:01: You can learn about your own behaviors and how they may affect things, but for all of these companies—and I will say this kind of digital health with large there also needs to be an escalation plan that is even further than something you can manage yourself.

00:34:19: How do we set the escalation plan to ensure there's a clinician ready for receiving and helping with the next step?

00:34:30: That was the gap I started noticing towards my end of my practising career at Mass General, which I saw globally in ACC.

00:34:39: We talked about two things – one is access just accessing health care at all.

00:34:44: I think about thirty percent and if i'm wrong, apologize for getting to know the numbers that are eighteen days in...I think thirty percent of people who wear a woop actually don't have regular primary care.

00:34:54: we're encouraging everybody but there's just no access right?

00:34:58: And so thats one!

00:34:59: But second part is when you find something out..and its happening alot more with all sorts technologies today whether it's genomic testing or whole body imaging.

00:35:11: When you find something out and then there is a delay to accessing a knowledgeable person who can help you manage that, That's very difficult.

00:35:21: And what do the majority of individuals?

00:35:23: Do?

00:35:24: now they go to large language models.

00:35:27: I mean They used to just ask friends right either way we use Google in between.

00:35:32: But the point is people are going two other places Once that diagnosis happens, and I do think it's a technology company responsibility to make sure the data people see is meaningful.

00:35:44: To help them understand what works for themselves but then be able a

00:36:06: bunch of younger people that really want to change the world of health care into, really?

00:36:11: A Health World rather than a Sick Care and Taking Care World but more preventative twenty-four seven Health World.

00:36:18: This is really resonating a lot with me.

00:36:21: Can I probably move for a minute Into Women's Health because this also something That you're driving yourself personally But Also With Woop as a Device.

00:36:30: You Have Recently Called Women's Cardiovascular Care a cross-practancy, perimenopause and menopause.

00:36:38: The ultimate kind of stress test for AI because women's healthcare risk has historically slipped through the cracks off traditional models in AI systems often trained on incomplete data sets which risks widening the very gaps we're trying to close.

00:36:54: The US already has the highest maternal mortality rate I learned or any developed country with cardiovascular disease as a significant driver.

00:37:04: That said, what needs to change in data collection algorithm design clinical guidelines or policy so that AI serves all genders equally?

00:37:15: and how can the promise of continuous wearable monitoring help close those long standing gaps?

00:37:21: In women's health.

00:37:22: What's the contribution

00:37:23: there?

00:37:24: Yeah So I think we have to start with.

00:37:26: gender disparity is such a problem?

00:37:28: globally still It is.

00:37:30: And so there's a lot of work to do, I do think and i'll just kind of start with the global take which kind of humanity, our own economies as well as women's health.

00:37:57: And so that's first of all where we start.

00:38:00: but then moving to really thinking about the healthcare industry.

00:38:03: today I think as we are building new registries As we're thinking about patient-centered registries one thing to know is that Women Are Adopting AI at a rate faster than men and So thats actually very important.

00:38:19: I think the second thing is women today continue to be, The major household decision maker especially when it comes to healthcare.

00:38:29: And i think that's a very powerful statement because we are still largely fiscally driven When It Comes To Healthcare in certain countries.

00:38:37: Others Are Fortunate To Not Have That Challenge and so i Think Its Really Important To Recognize The Role Of Women In Improving Health With Large Because They Are The Leaders In These Communities And These Families.

00:38:50: Now, let's put that aside too and get to actual health care.

00:38:53: A few things.

00:38:53: one is I think as we're building registries as we are publishing papers with the administration of it if you will right?

00:39:01: As a journal editor or other thing We need to be very firm.

00:39:05: If your new registry...if Your New Trial was not equitable across genders Why?

00:39:12: In todays day & age there is absolutely no reason There Is No Excuse for It And That Research Should Not Be Published.

00:39:19: you should go figure out how to do it better.

00:39:21: But we have to put our foot down about those kind of things, and so that's number one is the entire community not just people doing their research although I expect that from them but even though they're publishing that research You know?

00:39:31: We said no!

00:39:33: Go back Do more work Come back again.

00:39:35: So step one is having a whole community.

00:39:37: The second thing really thinking about the pipeline medical students, nursing students and graduating women.

00:39:46: And multiple ethnicities especially you mentioned the United States of cardiovascular disease risk is so high making sure that we are supporting them in graduating them all the way through until they're practicing clinicians because those practice inclinations look like the populations oftentimes there underserved when you see somebody that you are more likely to understand them, culturally have a relationship.

00:40:10: Trusts them and then engage in the healthcare

00:40:12: system.".

00:40:13: And so I think number two is education is really important.

00:40:17: Then the last thing i'll say because you asked about wearables as women's membership here at Woop grew one hundred and eleven percent year over year right?

00:40:28: So it's just amazing how women are trying to understand their health better.

00:40:36: fastest growing groups, right?

00:40:37: Women over age sixty.

00:40:39: Women aged forty and older has most certainly increased.

00:40:42: but just note to self women under twenty up a hundred thirty one percent year-over-year.

00:40:49: Right this is I mean these are my daughters if you will.

00:40:52: so i think that the future generations of all ages looking for deeper understanding their health beyond fitness metrics They're looking for insights, insights that reflect how their bodies change over time and insights that support better everyday decisions.

00:41:09: And so I think there is great hope for us to be able to support women's health in a way we never have before by having continuous insights and empowering these female individuals.

00:41:25: that then also has a ripple effect into those families, in to these communities.

00:41:36: So I'm very hopeful.

00:41:38: And quite honestly there is kind of the sick care still male driven from past and it's still this... I consider health care women really being the trendsetters right.

00:41:48: so more disciplined generating data form a young age already onwards counting their cycle times, getting much more serious from a very young age.

00:41:59: So there is really kind of huge potential in driving health equity across the genders more in parity than what we used to have.

00:42:08: There's also thought-provoking tension at the heart of digital health.

00:42:12: The true bottleneck and AI adoption may not be technology itself but the trust in it.

00:42:20: And as we know, this is really a precious good especially health care.

00:42:24: you can't get more personal I assume takes much time to build and can be lost in single instance.

00:42:30: In that context you've also warned healthcare kind of sitting duck for cyber attacks... ...that were simply not taking cybersecurity seriously enough.

00:42:41: As we connect more devices, collect more patient data rely more heavily on AI driven decision support and you like.

00:42:49: How should the healthcare industry be thinking about protecting health care data as a vital infrastructure from your perspective?

00:42:57: Yeah.

00:42:57: so I think there's a few things i think let's break it down maybe for a moment.

00:43:02: When we think about data, people are often very worried about the significant.

00:43:07: Very sneaky cyber attack level things that you see in either on the news and occasion or in shows that watch right?

00:43:15: But interestingly what were finding is in health care systems throughout the US.

00:43:21: Ransomware attacks were our biggest problem, and that's us!

00:43:24: That's all of us clicking on an email, yeah?

00:43:27: Clicking a text... We are in fact the biggest problem.

00:43:30: so I think education ...of ALL OF US as individuals, patients or clinicians working at the hospital system administration.

00:43:40: Most companies have you do this to take these classes each year.

00:43:46: But I would tell you, please really pay attention to the cybersecurity ones when they give it to you because it is essential.

00:43:51: And we are in fact as just humans and individuals very much at risk.

00:44:06: That's number one, is just the common things being common are bigger risks rather than kind of odd and very structurally in-depth sneaky ways that things are happening.

00:44:16: So that's Number One.

00:44:17: Number Two Is More Of A Question About Privacy And How Do We Keep Our Data Safe?

00:44:24: because this is in fact our healthcare data.

00:44:26: Now, the number of times any one of us scrolls to the bottom of something on our phone and clicks accept all terms?

00:44:32: Because we just want to get the app as significant!

00:44:34: And so I don't know how to teach people to read that... ...and myself have been at risk sometimes doing it for personal things.. ..I'm very careful about it now over past few years as i've learned more about cybersecurity & privacy.

00:44:48: But when it comes to technology companies I think the key thing, I would tell individuals to ask as you're using a technology especially one that is collecting continuous data.

00:44:57: Is what is happening?

00:44:58: To That data and The company should have One sentence in response we do not sell Data.

00:45:05: there Should Not be Paragraphs.

00:45:07: There's You know.

00:45:07: there Should Be A clear Statement.

00:45:09: Someone Should be able to look you In the eye And Say Yes, we offer continuous data for you.

00:45:14: We do all of this stuff.

00:45:15: We help escalate your care but at the end they should be able to say the phrase with no qualifications to it – WE DO NOT SELL YOUR DATA!

00:45:24: And I would encourage all individuals just start really looking for that sentence from different technologies using healthcare otherwise.

00:45:32: Hey and with that…we have reached the end today's episode.

00:45:36: It goes so quickly.

00:45:38: Yeah, it does and really a heartfelt thank you for such a rich an inspiring conversation.

00:45:43: You really left a couple of very strong statements and thoughts with me.

00:45:49: your vision for healthcare systems that puts equity innovation And the human connection at its core is truly inspiring and energizing in exactly what to my understanding The industry needs.

00:46:02: Well, thank you so much.

00:46:03: I think at the end of day every time i listen to your podcast...I think about this right?

00:46:09: The technology may be new but the leadership questions are familiar and always comes back to who owns the outcome.

00:46:17: how do we manage risk And How Do We Make These Changes Stick In A Way That We See An Improvement in Outcomes.

00:46:25: And so I feel like we are one conversation among many great ones that you have had, but keep coming back to these same really important questions.

00:46:35: So thank you again for having me.

00:46:38: Hey and everyone who listens!

00:46:39: We appreciate your spending time with us today.

00:46:43: on other occasions as always.

00:46:45: We'd love to hear what resonated with you.

00:46:47: share your thoughts or feedback at any time.

00:46:50: If you haven't already, hit subscribe to the Strategy and Insider podcast so that never miss an episode as we continue exploring the future of health.

00:46:59: And as always until next time stay

00:47:08: curious.