Lifers with Christina Farr

Joanna Strober, CEO of Midi Health, joins Chrissy Farr to talk about building one of the first scaled companies in women's midlife health, and why the category didn't produce a unicorn until this year despite an obvious market need. They cover Midi's "B2B for show, B2C for dough" strategy, how a 150-patient pilot turned a hormone-access company into a full primary care business, and what changed when Joanna posted a public apology to patients on LinkedIn after a patch shortage overwhelmed the company's support team.—SPONSOR: Baker Health🩺 This episode is brought to you by Baker Health. Evidence-based medicine and real holistic care, under one roof, with labs, results, and 24/7 live doctor chat all in one app.Download the Baker Health App: https://linktr.ee/baker_health Learn More: https://www.bakerhealth.com/ The only practice in NY & NJ where you can text your doctor directly and get same-day reservations.Make a Reservation: https://reservations.bakerhealth.com/medical?utm_source=lifers —LINKS: Midi Health: https://www.joinmidi.com/Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Joanna:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannastrober https://x.com/joannastrober Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Lead In(00:38) Intro(02:14) Joanna's founder journey(04:27) Lessons from Kurbo(06:23) Why women's health is hard(08:12) Midi's D2C brand bet(12:30) What Midi actually treats(14:36) Labs and diagnostics(15:51) Sponsor: Baker Health(17:06) GLP-1s and midlife weight(20:55) Funding and timing tailwinds(24:10) Founder advice: think bigger(26:43) AI to scale empathy(31:29) LinkedIn and trust building(35:42) Destigmatizing menopause(40:12) Organic marketing playbook(42:41) Expansion, AI, and research(45:22) Wrap

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. David Carmouche, Chief Medical and Chief Commercial Officer at Lumeris and newly appointed advisor to HHS and CMS, to explore one of healthcare's most urgent questions: can primary care be saved, and is AI the thing that finally does it? They discuss how decades of administrative burden, misaligned payment models, and the erosion of the longitudinal doctor-patient relationship turned primary care into an impossible job, and why AI represents the first real opportunity to reimagine it. They also explore the audacious vision of a single PCP managing 5,000 to 10,000 patients through autonomous AI, why the office visit needs to become the exception rather than the starting point, and what it will take to rebuild a system that actually works for patients and clinicians alike. —Lumeris is a physician-first healthcare transformation company advancing the future of primary care through Tom, its AI-powered Primary Care as a Service platform designed to function as a proactive member of the care team embedded directly in clinical workflows. Tom autonomously supports best next actions that help providers expand capacity, improve patient access, and reduce administrative burden while enabling more personalized, scalable care delivery. —LINKS:Lumeris: https://www.lumeris.com/ Bob Wachter episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6U1fX1JgVk Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:David:https://x.com/carmouchemd Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Lead In(00:45) Intro (01:27) Is primary care back?(03:13) Why primary care declined(07:03) Consumer convenience wins(08:20) Payment model problem(11:24) New payment experiments(15:25) AI sandboxes and scope(17:14) Physicians friend or foe(22:07) Limits safety and rigor(24:11) Privacy vs insight tradeoff(28:16) AI finds longitudinal patterns(30:05) Scaling panels to 5000(35:29) Wearables data control panel(40:18) Bridging consumer and EHR(43:34) Why you need a PCP(46:44) Longevity as primary care 2.0(47:46) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Chris Altchek, who went from investment banking to building Mic, a digital media company that reached 100 million readers, before co-founding Cadence, a health tech company now managing nearly 100,000 chronic disease patients per day. They dig into the hard lessons from media's platform-dependency collapse, what it really takes to build a sustainable business inside the US health system, and why Chris believes AI could make elite-level care accessible to far more Americans within a decade. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/02b3e52a-40ef-45e7-bc18-ac35b335e044-009c2hma —Join Christina for an upcoming webinar:* ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs * ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS * ⁠⁠6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3 —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS:Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Chris:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisaltchek https://x.com/caltchek Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Lead In(00:58) Intro(02:57) Early life and trading(05:22) Investor mindset lessons(09:22) Perseverance as founder(14:35) Mic Media lessons(18:53) Sponsor break(19:46) Cadence origin story(23:33) Business model and reimbursement(28:30) Data and remote monitoring(30:46) Winning health systems trust(35:16) CMS Access model strategy(39:25) Cutting inefficiency in care(42:31) Clinical AI that matters(45:27) Future of US healthcare(48:35) Wrap

In this special episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Rian Kabir, a psychiatrist and medical AI expert, to discuss the mental health implications of Kalshi's $22 billion valuation. They explore whether prediction markets constitute gambling, the addictive risks of frictionless betting apps, and what Rian is seeing in his own clinical practice. A timely conversation on the societal costs of a rapidly growing industry.—Join Christina for an upcoming webinar:* ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs * ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS * ⁠⁠6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3 —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS: Chrissy’s Tweet: https://x.com/chrissyfarr/status/2053457349075976665?s=20 Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Rian:https://x.com/RianKMD Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:24) Kalshi valuation sparks debate(02:04) Why app gambling hits hard(04:55) Addiction risk factors explained(06:26) Kalshi vs sports betting apps(08:18) Clinical fallout and suicide risk(10:05) Sponsor: Granola(10:44) Age limits and young brains(13:02) Juul parallels and VC ethics(15:17) Regulation incentives and society(17:17) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Christina Farr interviews Dr. Oliver Kharraz, the CEO of Zocdoc. They discuss the complexities of navigating the healthcare industry and the "culture shock" of modernizing medical scheduling. They explore Zocdoc’s evolution from a startup to a major platform, highlighting strategic shifts in their business model and the challenge of balancing growth with regulatory demands. They also discuss the future, examining how Voice AI and LLMs are poised to transform the "front office" and improve patient access to care. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/a4284c84-160f-4a64-8761-dfd8d8680064-008umkv4 —Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS: Zocdoc: https://www.zocdoc.com/ The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis - Citrini Research: https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gicChrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books—FOLLOW:Oliver: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kharraz/ https://x.com/oliver_kharraz Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:57) Intro(03:08) Healthcare culture shock(05:32) Zocdoc origin story(06:04) Hidden inventory insight(07:13) Early tech reality check(07:33) The Post-it note problem(09:03) New York first strategy(10:51) Why healthcare is harder(12:32) Startup mindset and IPO(15:22) Sponsor: Granola(16:01) Business model overhaul(19:06) Backlash and whale dinners(22:04) Regulatory green light(23:27) Lessons on transparency(25:09) Fair share friction(26:21) Transition pays off(27:43) Growth versus profit(29:18) Shopify for access(30:47) Voice AI front desk(34:27) Competing with startups(37:02) LLMs need transactions(42:16) Reserve capacity reality(44:41) Autonomous care limits(46:24) Optimism on AI jobs(50:22) Wrap

In this special episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Jonathan Slotkin (neurosurgeon, CMO, and co-founder of Scrub Capital) for a timely conversation on peptides and what the latest HHS announcements mean for patients and the longevity industry. Jon breaks down his own protocol, makes the case that the longevity conversation has too often left women out, and closes with a watch-out for investors: the potential descheduling of testosterone. —SPONSOR: Granola Granola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Scrub Capital: https://scrubcapital.com/ Ashley Winter on Twitter: https://x.com/AshleyGWinter Peptide Reclassification: https://peptide-db.com/guides/fda-peptide-reclassification-2026 Testosterone/TRT expansion: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-step-forward-testosterone-therapy-men Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Jon:https://www.linkedin.com/in/slotkinjr https://x.com/slotkinjr Christina Farr:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:08) What are peptides(02:25) Safety and FDA nuance(04:53) Clinician survey tribes(07:15) Jon’s personal protocol(10:03) Women and hormone gaps(14:08) Sponsor: Granola(14:47) Why peptides are everywhere(17:11) Finding the right provider(20:47) Follow John and final nugget(21:49) Testosterone descheduling watch(22:31) Wrap

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Chris Gallagher (founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Access TeleCare) and Dr. Blake Porter (Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Access TeleCare) to explore the state and future of virtual subspecialty care. The conversation centers on a second wave of telehealth growth, moving beyond the pandemic-era boom into harder-to-reach territory like high-risk pregnancy care, rural ICUs, and other subspecialties where trained clinicians are hard to find and can't simply be manufactured at scale. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —Thanks to our sponsor Access TeleCare, the largest provider of acute specialty telemedicine, serving hospitals and health systems across the U.S.—LINKS: Access TeleCare: https://accesstelecare.com/ Second Opinion’s interview with Chris Clomp: https://secondopinion.media/p/the-big-interview-we-sit-down-with-rfk-jr-s-no-2-chris-klomp Charted: Where Inflation Has Hit the Hardest (2000–2025): https://www.visualcapitalist.com/chart-inflation-hit-the-hardest-by-category-2000-2025/ Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Chris:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgallaghermd/ Blake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-porter-62b51367 Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Preview(01:02) Intro(03:18) Telehealth growth and market reset(06:08) Virtual specialty care in women's health(08:41) Solving the subspecialist shortage(12:01) What virtual care really means(14:51) Care at home and remote monitoring(17:55) Rural Health Fund and Medicaid cuts(21:39) Reducing hospital transfers with telemedicine(23:49) Change management in healthcare(25:08) Trusting clinical change(26:32) Doctors in business roles(27:36) No margin no mission(31:02) Defining quality and sustainability(32:55) Making healthcare deflationary(38:39) Rural innovation ground zero(42:10) Picking the right vendors(44:25) Founding a virtual ICU(48:15) Selling into health systems(50:50) Wrap

For this week's episode of Lifers, Chrissy recorded live with Terri Meier, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Revenue Cycle at UAMS, at the HFMA Revenue Cycle Conference in Dallas. Together they pull back the curtain on the $300 billion part of healthcare nobody wants to talk about. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/b25d9642-3266-4bd0-bfb8-d119f7c7f8c0-008umkv4 — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —Thanks to our sponsor Smarter Technologies, a leading AI-powered revenue management platform that combines proprietary clinical agents, human-in-the-loop AI agents, clinical ontology, and global financial and administrative services. The company enables healthcare organizations to automate the entirety of their administrative and financial workflows—helping optimize operational outcomes, reduce costs, and improve patient experiences. For more information, visit www.smartertech.com—LINKS: HFMA: https://www.hfma.org/ HFMA Revenue Cycle Conference 2026: https://www.hfma.org/revenue-cycle/hfma-revenue-cycle-conference-tackles-issues-big-and-small/ Second Opinion Rev Cycle piece: https://secondopinion.media/p/why-revenue-cycle-is-the-first-smash-hit-application-for-ai Smarter Technologies: https://www.smartertech.com/ Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Terri:https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-meier-chfp-crcr-lssgb-07a7a8a/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:03) Intro(02:17) Terri Meier and her 43-year career(04:13) Shifting focus back to the patient financial experience(07:15) Integrating revenue cycle into C-suite strategic dialogues(08:27) Navigating the battle of the bots in claims denials(12:28) Moving from manual tasks to AI orchestration and strategy(14:57) Creating new job descriptions for the innovative biller(16:59) Evaluating vendor signals and performance-based business models(19:03) Addressing financial headwinds in rural and safety net hospitals(21:59) Transforming the registration team into proactive pre-billers(23:57) The transparency gap in payer adjudication and revenue leakage(25:27) Navigating the rise of healthcare consumerism and patient liability(28:55) Closing the collection gap and verifying actual vendor ROI(32:15) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with emergency physician and entrepreneur Graham Walker to discuss why the medical profession is reaching a breaking point. Graham "sounds the alarm" on the moral injury and administrative blockades that have stripped doctors of their authority and turned patient care into a "factory". They explore the "raw deal" of declining reimbursements, the absurdity of "Big Fax," and Graham’s mission to use transparency to keep physicians from abandoning the bedside. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/6b1bd0b8-79df-457e-bf9a-ba6b403d50f4-008umkv4 — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Offcall: https://www.offcall.com/MDCalc: https://www.mdcalc.com/Acquired Podcast Episode on EPIC: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/epic-systems-mychart Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW:Graham:https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-walker-md/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview (00:46) Intro(02:03) Graham’s background(02:55) Driving physician leverage through salary and workload transparency(03:45) Why emergency physicians are naturally suited for entrepreneurship(06:11) Extracting a nine-year-old bullet from a patient's chest(09:45) Loss of physician authority as the root of burnout(13:53) Patient frustration with opaque pricing and high-deductible plans(15:38) Sponsor: Granola(16:30) Physician perspectives on trading pay cuts for system reform(19:00) The car insurance analogy for catastrophic healthcare coverage(22:31) Viewing healthcare as a public good versus a business(24:49) Redesigning systems to restore meaning and professional fulfillment(27:55) How Epic moved medicine from paper to factory billing(30:25) The brilliant business strategy and secret sauce of Epic(32:30) Addressing the hair-on-fire problem of geriatric patient complexity(35:54) Critiquing the technology industry's bias toward young healthy users(37:04) Empathy exercises and the mission to solve system inefficiency(38:46) Wrap

In this episode, Christina Farr sits down with Othman Laraki, co-founder and CEO of Color. They discuss the "tortuous" yet rewarding journey of building a generational healthcare company. Othman shares how Color successfully navigated three major pivots—evolving from a cancer genetics startup into a national COVID-19 infrastructure provider, and finally into a comprehensive virtual cancer clinic. They explore the critical differences between tech and healthcare, the evolution of risk in venture capital, and why long-term success in the industry requires a deep commitment to solving complex clinical problems. Check out the Granola Notes from this episode here: ⁠https://notes.granola.ai/t/d1e8a189-ddb1-4c4f-b92d-3d4d509e4937-008umkv4⁠. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: granola.ai/lifers with code LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Color: https://www.color.com/Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW:Othman:https://www.linkedin.com/in/othmanlaraki/ https://x.com/othman Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:58) Intro(01:21) Lessons from Figma and betting on the tortoise over the hair(02:45) Othman's transition from Google and Twitter to healthcare founder(05:07) Why simple features often become massively scalable business engines(06:52) Analyzing the shift from venture risk-taking to asset management(10:49) Playing the hard mode of healthcare for long-term impact(13:10) Why market structure dictates clock speed more than regulation(15:33) Navigating the conflicting financial incentives of health system CFOs(15:54) Sponsor: Granola(16:33) Navigating the conflicting financial incentives of health system CFOs (cont’d)(17:38) Surviving three pivots by aligning boards and team talent(20:37) Building infrastructure for the world's largest research study(23:51) Leaving money on the table to avoid ephemeral COVID traps(28:00) Launching a national virtual cancer clinic with the ACS(32:25) Focusing on the five high-spend pillars of patient identity(34:58) Closing the gap between clinical guidelines and early-stage screening(36:16) Removing friction to increase cancer screening rates by seventy percent(40:25) Mastering the diverse unit economics of different payer books(42:29) Preserving the nimbleness of private companies over going public(43:40) Wrap

In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr speaks with Dr. Zeke Emanuel about his new book, Eat Your Ice Cream, which offers a sustainable alternative to the aggressive trend of health optimization. Zeke breaks down six simple, long-term habits for longevity, emphasizing that consistency and enjoyment are more vital than perfection or expensive supplements. They discuss the future of healthcare, including the impact of miracle drugs like GLP-1s and the need for better wellness education within the medical community. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/ —LINKS: Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324117537 Zeke’s website: https://www.ezekielemanuel.com/ Zeke’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drezekielemanuel CMS Elevate: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/maha-elevate Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW:Zeke:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeke-emanuel-6ab78a1b0/ https://x.com/ZekeEmanuel Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:54) Intro(02:43) The inspiration behind the book (04:38) The importance of socialization and shared meals (07:51) Sustainability versus the short-term hustle (08:48) The truth about supplements and regulation (12:22) Sponsor: Arbiter(12:58) Research on psychedelics and mental health (14:52) Social determinants of health and environment (17:20) Diet essentials and the problem with ultra-processed foods (20:53) The science and practice of intermittent fasting (23:21) GLP-1 drugs as a breakthrough in healthcare (27:39) Building healthy food habits in children (30:21) Political policy and chronic illness (34:12) Four ways to prevent cognitive decline (37:52) Addressing the gap in medical education (42:05) Where to get the book(42:21) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Niyum Gandhi, CFO of Mass General Brigham, and Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly, discuss the financial pressures facing health systems today. They cover why hospital expenses are rising faster than revenue, what health systems actually look for when evaluating startups, and why collaboration matters more than finger-pointing. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠⁠—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: Mass General Bringham: https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en Anomaly: https://www.findanomaly.com/ Lifers: How money really flows in healthcare with Claimable CEO Warris Bokhari & Anomaly CEO Mike Desjadon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxuZ889ww-I Sachin Jain Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvtakm7NMnI Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW:Niyum:https://www.linkedin.com/in/niyum-gandhi/ https://x.com/niyumgandhi Mike:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-desjadon-4a0a21a/ https://x.com/Mike_Desjadon Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:24) Intro(02:28) How Niyum and Mike first met at Mount Sinai(05:55) Career path and the move to CFO of Mass General Brigham(11:53) Why choose a career in healthcare(15:19) Sponsor: Arbiter(15:50) Current financial state of American health systems(19:28) Addressing the revenue and expense trend gap(21:26) The role of AI and technology in productivity(26:07) Ambient documentation and physician burnout(29:58) Strategic partnerships versus point solution vendors(31:40) The evolution of healthcare startups and health systems(36:31) Advice for founders building in the industry(40:34) Wrap

This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sat down with Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN Health Plan. Sachin makes a compelling case for "radical common sense" in healthcare—the idea that we've normalized dysfunction for so long that simple, patient-centered solutions now feel revolutionary. He challenges the industry's toxic positivity and truth-telling problem, arguing that real change requires leaders to acknowledge what's broken in their own backyards, including calling out his own insurance industry publicly. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: •⁠ ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE •⁠ ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS •⁠ ⁠⁠6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3 —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: SCAN Health Plan: https://www.thescangroup.org/ LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sachinhjain1_the-revolution-healthcare-actually-needs-activity-7402346091767398400-CVnF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAWcjXgBb3Jw6dX16PD9lRJSsxfgqVAqZLw The Revolution Healthcare Actually Needs: Radical Common Sense (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/sachinjain/2025/12/03/radical-common-sense-a-leadership-philosophy-for-healthcare-system/ Health Insurance is Broken ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bty0M9ySA Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr —FOLLOW:Sachin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinhjain1/ Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro(02:27) Innovative solutions in healthcare(04:28) Challenges in healthcare communication(06:06) The broken culture of healthcare leadership(14:10) Mentorship and career advice(18:02) Sponsor: Arbiter(18:33) Concierge medicine and longevity(23:05) The system's shortcomings and individual choices(24:38) Medical anxiety and consumerism in healthcare(25:35) The role of primary care physicians(26:07) AI in healthcare: opportunities and limitations(29:48) Employer-sponsored health insurance issues(35:20) The cost crisis and technological challenges(40:13) The role of social media in healthcare leadership(44:49) Wrap