Concept to Care

Ian Chiang, Partner at Flare Capital Partners

Ian Chiang is a Partner at Flare Capital Partners, a leading venture capital firm focused on early-stage healthcare technology and services companies. With extensive experience in digital health, Ian has been instrumental in guiding startups that are shaping the future of healthcare. His work with Flare Capital spans across AI, value-based care, and innovative specialty care models that aim to improve outcomes and reduce costs. In our conversation, Ian shares his insights on:
Current Health Tech Landscape: Ian discusses why this is a pivotal time for digital health, fueled by generative AI and the move towards sustainable healthcare solutions.
Generative AI and Scaling Specialty Care: Ian highlights how AI streamlines operations, improves documentation, and expands specialty care access in fields like oncology and cardiology, creating scalable, cost-effective care models.
Successful Startup Pitches and Cultural Alignment: Key elements Ian values in pitches include clarity, scalability, and profitability. He also stresses the importance of early cultural alignment between founders and investors to avoid tension.
Product-Market Fit: Ian offers advice on how startups can validate market demand, gather feedback, and use metrics to demonstrate strong product-market fit.
Advice for Product Managers: Ian provides guidance for PMs joining startups, emphasizing mission alignment, adaptability, and understanding company growth via the cap table.
Investment Principles: Ian’s criteria focus on long-term value, customer fit, operational efficiency, and team adaptability.
Transitioning to Venture Capital: Ian shares tips for PMs entering VC, including shifting from control to influence, recognizing patterns, and building a two-way learning relationship with founders.
In this episode of Concept to Care, Ian provides a comprehensive view into the venture capital perspective on healthcare innovation. His insights on product-market fit, cultural alignment with investors, and the evolving role of AI in healthcare are invaluable for founders, product managers, and healthcare leaders looking to drive impactful change in the industry.
—
Where to find Ian Chiang:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-chiang-mba/
email: ian@flarecapital.com
Flare Capital Partners: https://www.flarecapital.com/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
Flare Capital Partners: https://www.flarecapital.com/
Cigna CareAllies: https://www.careallies.com/
Flare Capital Expert Roundtable Series #10: Generative AI: Hype or Here to Stay?: https://www.flarecapital.com/insight/flare-capital-partners-expert-roundtable-series-generative-ai-hype-or-here-to-stay
Advancing clinical decision support: The role of artificial intelligence across six domains: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666990024000090
What is the magic number: https://www.scalevp.com/insights/from-0-to-1m-the-magic-number/
The physician we wish we can clone, Dr. Angela Fitch: https://www.flarecapital.com/people/angela-fitch-md
Best practices for crafting a seed round pitch deck: https://visible.vc/blog/seed-round-pitch-deck/
Term sheet 101: https://www.rho.co/blog/term-sheet
Ian’s favorite frameworks:
Jobs-to-be-done framework: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/theory/jobs-to-be-done/
Nonconsumption is your fiercest competition—and it’s winning: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/non-consumption-is-your-fiercest-competition-and-its-winning/
Disruptive Innovation Theory: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/theory/disruptive-innovation/#:~:text=Definition,upmarket%2C eventually displacing established competitors.
The innovators dilemma: https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Dilemma-Revolutionary-Change-Business/dp/0062060244
The innovators solution: https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Solution-Creating-Sustaining-Successful/dp/1422196577
What is value based care: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/key-concepts/value-based-care
What is the Quadruple Aim: https://www.strategiesforqualitycare.com/quadruple-aim
What is the Quintuple Aim: https://www.chesshealthsolutions.com/2023/08/01/the-quintuple-aim-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/#:~:text=The Quintuple Aim is an,system to establish health equity.
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-15-ian-chiang

Matthew Woo, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Product Officer at Summer Health

Matthew Woo is the Co-founder, President, and Chief Product Officer at Summer Health, where he heads the development of a tech-enabled, text-first pediatric care platform. Summer Health provides parents with fast, convenient access to pediatricians through text, offering responses within minutes. Matthew has been instrumental in integrating AI into their workflows, ensuring that busy parents can manage their children's health needs quickly and effectively while aiming to reduce potentially unnecessary emergency room visits or lengthy waiting room stays. In our conversation, Matthew shares his insights on:
AI Basics for Healthcare: Matthew walks us through the fundamentals of AI, offering a clear explanation of how AI is being applied in today’s healthcare landscape and what makes it such a powerful tool for clinicians.
Operationalizing AI in Healthcare: Insights into how Summer Health has deployed AI in low-risk, high-reward areas, the importance of rapid iteration, and how they ensure data privacy and security in their AI deployments.
AI Integration at Summer Health: Matthew details how AI has been integrated into clinical workflows at Summer Health, addressing inefficiencies and improving patient care through tools like medical note generation and patient history summarization.
Scaling AI and Key Metrics: Practical strategies for scaling AI across teams and the key metrics that Summer Health tracks to measure the success and impact of their AI initiatives.
Ethics and AI in Healthcare: How Summer Health ensures that AI tools are safe, fair, and bias-free, with clinicians involved in every critical decision made by AI.
Building an AI-First Culture: The steps Summer Health has taken to foster an AI-first culture, including training and empowering teams, aligning AI with strategic goals, and fostering a culture of experimentation and rapid iteration.
In this episode of Concept to Care, Matthew provides a deep dive into how AI is transforming healthcare at Summer Health. His insights on the practical application of AI, scaling its use, and building a culture that supports innovation and collaboration are invaluable for healthcare product leaders looking to leverage AI in their own organizations.
—
Where to find Matthew Woo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewedanwoo/
email: matthew@summerhealth.com
Summer Health: https://www.summerhealth.com/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
Summer Health: https://www.summerhealth.com/
Discount Code for Summer Health: “summertime”
Summer Health is hiring a VP of Engineering: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/summerhealth/4346cf78-0fae-4400-8c6e-6196ad3ec44e
Meetups: https://www.meetup.com/
Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/
WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/
Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace
Some history on AI: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/10/history-of-ai-artificial-intelligence/
AI hallucination: https://cloud.google.com/discover/what-are-ai-hallucinations
Transformer: A Novel Neural Network Architecture for Language Understanding: https://research.google/blog/transformer-a-novel-neural-network-architecture-for-language-understanding/
Open AI: https://openai.com/
Zero data retention API at Open AI: https://community.openai.com/t/zero-data-retention-information/702540
Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/
Abridge: https://www.abridge.com/
Nabla: https://www.nabla.com/
Strawberry AI model: https://www.wired.com/story/openai-o1-strawberry-problem-reasoning/
Matthews favorite product to help him unwind from his tech: https://www.boox.com/
Jeff Bezo’s Decision Making Framework: https://coda.io/@hales/jeff-bezos-make-fast-decisions
Voice notes app: https://voicenotes.com/

Ari Saft, Vice President of Product at Tia

Ari Saft is the Vice President of Product at Tia, where she leads the development of technology solutions that integrate virtual and in-person care for women’s health. With nearly five years at Tia, Ari has played a pivotal role in transforming the company’s product strategy to support its rapid growth from a single clinic to a multi-location operation. She brings a wealth of expertise in aligning product and operations, focusing on creating seamless healthcare experiences that prioritize both patient and provider needs. In our conversation, Ari shares her insights on:
Tia's Business Model and Vision: Ari discusses Tia’s evolution from a single clinic to a scalable, multi-location healthcare provider and how their mission to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care guides their product development.
The Challenges Behind the Product and Operations Relationship: Insights into the common friction points between product and operations teams as Tia scales and how to recognize the signs of a strained relationship.
Moving Towards a Productive Relationship Together: Practical strategies for aligning product and operations, rebuilding trust, and fostering collaboration to drive better outcomes for both teams.
Organizational Design and Culture: Ari's approach to structuring cross-functional teams and creating a culture that supports innovation, transparency, and continuous improvement at Tia.
Operational Hurdles with Moving from Custom-Built EMR to a Headless One: The decision to transition from a custom-built EMR to MedPlum, the challenges faced during this change, and how Tia managed the move to ensure agility and focus on their core value.
Tia's Future: Ari shares her vision for the future of Tia, including plans to expand their reach, refine their product offerings, and continue innovating to meet the evolving needs of women’s health.
In this episode of Concept to Care, Ari provides a deep dive into the challenges and successes of integrating product and operations in a rapidly growing healthcare company. Her insights on fostering collaboration, building scalable processes, and making data-driven decisions are invaluable for any product leader navigating the complexities of healthcare innovation.
—
Where to find Ari Saft:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-saft/
Tia: https://asktia.com/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
Tia: https://asktia.com/
Tia Discount: $50 off your annual membership when you use promo code “ari445” Become a Tia member here
Ari’s favorite prioritization framework, impact over effort: https://blog.logrocket.com/product-management/impact-effort-matrix-prioritization/
Medplum: https://www.medplum.com/
Explanation on “headless” architecture: https://alokai.com/blog/headless-architecture
Guru: https://www.getguru.com/
Ari’s favorite tools:
ChatGPT: https://openai.com/
Loom: https://www.loom.com/
FigJam: https://www.figma.com/figjam/
Confluence: https://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence
Quarterly OKR planning: https://www.leapsome.com/blog/okr-planning
Effective usage of tiger teams: https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/what-is-a-tiger-team
Safe-to-try mindset: https://kb.founderculture.net/public/posts/0uuqt9dd
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-13-ari-saft

Jennifer Rabiner, Chief Product Officer at Pearl Health

Jennifer Rabiner is the Chief Product Officer at Pearl Health, where she leads the development of innovative technology solutions that empower primary care practices to excel in value-based care models like ACO REACH. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, Jennifer has a rich background in both the health system and independent provider segments, as well as direct primary care. Before joining Pearl Health, Jennifer served as a product leader at Hint Health and athenahealth, focusing on value-based care. Her expertise also includes healthcare revenue cycle optimization and system implementation at Deloitte Consulting and Triage Consulting Group, as well as pharmaceutical reimbursement strategy at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. In addition to her role at Pearl Health, Jennifer is an advisor to several health tech startups, where she lends her extensive knowledge in product development and healthcare innovation. In our conversation, Jennifer shares insights on:
Transforming Healthcare Payment Models: Jennifer discusses the shift from fee-for-service to value-based care, highlighting the introduction of ACO REACH.
Company Growth: Pearl Health’s evolution from supporting small practices to partnering with larger physician groups and health systems, driving product innovation and integration.
Driving Engagement: Strategies to enhance engagement for both patients and providers, focusing on action-oriented and patient-centric design.
Key Features of Value-Based Care Products: The importance of patient risk stratification, real-time data, workflow integration, and goal setting.
Leveraging Diverse Data Sources: The role of claims, clinical data, and social determinants of health in supporting value-based care.
AI in Healthcare: The role of AI in enhancing clinical decision-making, supporting providers, and maintaining ethical and transparent practices.
Building in a Capitated Environment: Approaching product development with a dual thesis, focusing on outcomes, iterative development, and usability.
Integrating Customer Success: The strategic integration of customer success into product development for continuous evolution based on user feedback.
Future Plans for Pearl Health: Expanding the number of lives covered, entering new markets like Medicare Advantage, and scaling the platform for broader impact.
Jennifer’s insights highlight the strategic role of technology in healthcare and the importance of aligning product development with real-world provider and patient needs. Her approach underscores the transformative potential of data-driven, user-centered solutions in advancing value-based care and driving innovation across the healthcare landscape.
—
Where to find Jennifer Rabiner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferrabiner/
email: jennifer.rabiner@pearlhealth.com
Pearl Health: https://pearlhealth.com/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
Pearl Health: https://pearlhealth.com/
Keep up with Pearl Health by following their Blog: https://pearlhealth.com/blog/
Athenahealth: https://www.athenahealth.com/
Hint Health: https://www.hint.com/
Value Based Care Explained: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/key-concepts/value-based-care
ACO Reach Explained: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/aco-reach
Pearl Health’s EMR Integration partner, VIM: https://getvim.com/
Athenahealth Payer Solutions: https://www.athenahealth.com/who-we-serve/payers
One of Jennifer’s favorite books, Melissa Perri - Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value: https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Build-Trap-Effective-Management/dp/149197379X
Jennifer’s favorite productivity tool: https://clickup.com/
Denver’s StartUp Week, Outcomes Based Roadmap Presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/denver-startup-week-outcome-based-roadmaps/251218296
What is Direct Primary Care: https://www.elationhealth.com/resources/blogs/what-is-direct-primary-care
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-12-jennifer-rabiner

Lisa deBettencourt, Founder and CEO of Forge Harmonic

Lisa deBettencourt is a product design leader, Founder, and CEO of Forge Harmonic, an innovation and strategic design firm that collaborates with healthcare and life science organizations to envision and create solutions that transform the lives of people, care providers, and health systems. Lisa has been at the forefront of experience design and human-centered design since the pre-dot-com era. Before founding her own strategic design firm, she has worked in-house at notable companies, including Bose Corporation, Autodesk, and Confer Health, and many others. In our conversation, Lisa shares insights on:
The evolving terminology and roles within design, emphasizing skills over titles
The integration of design in healthcare, from care delivery settings to tech-based services
Common misconceptions about design, such as its perceived role as merely aesthetic enhancement
The critical role of design as facilitation, fostering collaboration and alignment
The importance of human-centered design and its impact on user experience
Identifying workflow inefficiencies in e-prescribing and improving patient-doctor interactions
Prototyping in practice management software and engaging stakeholders early in the process
Challenges in health tech design, including the complexity of the healthcare ecosystem and distance from end users
Forge Harmonic's mission to create innovative, human-centered products and services for healthcare
Her optimism about emerging trends in healthcare, such as the focus on patient experience and investment in femtech
Lisa’s insights highlight the strategic role of design in healthcare and the importance of addressing real user needs, underscoring the transformative potential of empathetic, human-centered design in driving innovation in healthcare.
—
Where to find Lisa deBettencourt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisadebettencourt/
X: https://x.com/ldebett
email: lisa@forgeharmonic.com
Forge Harmonic: https://www.forgeharmonic.com/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
Forge Harmonic: https://www.forgeharmonic.com/
Experience Design: https://www.clockwork.com/insights/what-is-experience-design/
Human-Centered Design: https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/blog/what-is-human-centered-design/
Design Thinking: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-design-thinking
Facilitation for Product Designers: https://medium.com/zalando-design/the-science-of-facilitation-a-guide-for-product-designers-f14bf77910c9
Conway’s Law: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/teamwork/what-is-conways-law-acmi
The Myths of UX Design/ Product Design/Whatever They Call It This Week: https://cwodtke.medium.com/the-myths-of-ux-design-product-design-whatever-they-call-it-this-week-ef37a39cac6b
Product Design Prototyping: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/prototyping
Some Resources for Product Designers: https://www.edorozco.com/product-design-resources/
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-11-lisa-debettencourt

Mike Gleichman, VP of Product at knownwell and Former Executive Director of Product at CVS Health

Mike Gleichman is the VP of Product at knownwell, a pioneering post-Series A company transforming healthcare with its weight-inclusive care model. Mike brings a unique blend of creativity and analytical thinking, with a background in quantitative economics from Tufts and jazz performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has honed his skills in product management through roles at athenahealth and CVS's Aetna. In our conversation, Mike talks about:
His journey from professional services to product management
His thoughts on product operations and effective use of OKRs
knownwell's comprehensive care model and strategies for addressing weight stigma
Achieving product-market fit and building a written culture
Feedback and user testing processes at knownwell
Strategic use of AI in their technology stack
The recent acquisition of Alfie to enhance clinical decision support
Balancing operational efficiency and user-centered design
Continuous adaptation to meet evolving patient needs
Mike’s insights underscore the necessity of integrating technology with empathetic care to drive healthcare innovation.
—
Where to find Mike Gleichman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegleichman/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
knownwell: https://www.knownwell.co/
Alfie: https://www.joinalfie.com/
athenahealth: https://www.athenahealth.com/
Cracking the PM Interview: https://www.crackingthepminterview.com/
Product Operations by Melissa Perri and Denise Tilles: https://www.productoperations.com/
Measure what Matters by John Doerr: https://www.whatmatters.com/
MoSCoW to define MVP: https://medium.com/@cjjharries/using-the-moscow-method-to-design-an-mvp-c683f3de48a7
Tradeoff decision between 2 MVPs or between non-MVP items: RICE Method: https://www.productplan.com/glossary/rice-scoring-model/
Software methodologies: Scrum: https://www.atlassian.com/agile/scrum
Gathering user insights: Datadog: https://www.datadoghq.com/
Dashboards: Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-10-mike-gliechman
Follow us and Subscribe wherever you get your podcast:
Apple Podcast - Concept to Care
Spotify - Concept to Care
Overcast - Concept to Care
Youtube - Concept to Care
Pocket Casts - Concept to Care

Sandy Huang, VP of Product at GoodRx and Former Head of Product at Amazon

On the latest episode of Concept to Care, Sandy Huang, a seasoned consumer tech product executive, shares insights on joining a health tech company like GoodRx and the skills and insights she brings from her customer-focused product management background. She discusses the challenges of setting the right user experience bar in health tech and the elements of an effective product strategy. Sandy also shares her experiences in identifying target markets, understanding customer needs, and conducting market research. Sandy Huang shares insights on product strategy, execution, and healthcare innovation. She emphasizes the importance of customer obsession, continuous research, and the balance between science and art in product management. Additionally, she highlights the significance of understanding user needs and leveraging core competencies in building product strategies.
Here's a sneak peek into the discussion:
Sandy’s transition from consumer tech to health tech and the unique insights she brings from companies like Amazon and Shutterfly
The importance of setting the right user experience bar in health tech and strategies to find the right balance
Key elements of an effective product strategy, including a well-defined North Star vision and clear, measurable goals
The necessity of balancing a North Star metric with supporting metrics to ensure holistic success
Innovative approaches to identifying target markets and understanding customer needs through cost-effective research methods
Strategies for effective execution and roadmapping of product strategies, with examples from her work at Amazon Visual Shopping
Communicating strategy effectively using structured documents like Amazon’s six-pagers, tailored for company size and stage
Bringing a customer-obsessed mindset to GoodRx, addressing friction points, and creating win-win solutions for multiple stakeholders
Exciting developments and the need for more research in women's health tech
—
Where to find Sandy Huang:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyhuangproduct/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
GoodRx: https://www.goodrx.com/
GoodRx Gold: https://www.goodrx.com/gold
Product Must-Haves versus Nice-to-Haves: https://medium.com/@vishallayog/must-haves-v-s-nice-to-haves-features-937cc1eb7178
Product Strategy: https://www.productplan.com/glossary/product-strategy/
Amazon Echo Show: https://press.aboutamazon.com/2023/9/amazon-unveils-next-generation-echo-show-8-all-new-echo-hub-and-new-echo-frames
Jive Collaboration Software: https://www.jivesoftware.com/
KPIs & Goal Setting: https://medium.com/@kaustubhkalita_31668/okr-and-kpi-striking-the-right-balance-for-goal-setting-ef8fd39dc06a
Types of user studies: https://www.userinterviews.com/ux-research-field-guide-module/user-research-methods
Amazon’s multi-modal search: https://searchengineland.com/amazon-new-search-functions-mobile-google-431967
Amazon 6-pagers: https://www.larksuite.com/en_us/blog/amazon-6-pager
How Product Discovery saves time and money: https://www.twentyideas.com/blog/how-product-discovery-saves-time-money
How GoodRx is a multi-sided marketplace: https://www.summithealth.io/insights/what-could-a-healthcare-marketplace-look-like-goodrx-is-trying-to-show-us
Product Dogfooding in software development: https://userpilot.com/blog/product-dogfooding/
Women + digital health: https://rockhealth.com/insights/building-comprehensive-women-digital-health-eight-sectors-serving-women-needs/
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-9-sandy-huang

Smita Nair, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Equip

Today on Concept to Care, we welcome Smita Nair, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Equip, a pioneering health tech company dedicated to treating eating disorders and related conditions such as anxiety, depression, and OCD. Equip offers virtual, family-based treatments accessible to patients of all ages across all 50 states, leveraging a comprehensive approach to ensure broad reach and effectiveness.
In this episode, we'll delve into the crucial role of clinical expertise in developing and scaling digital health solutions. Smita will share strategies for achieving impactful healthcare outcomes, focusing on aligning organizational tasks with broader company goals and the importance of tying every action to key organizational metrics.
We'll explore Smita's approach to product development and strategic roadmapping, including maintaining flexibility in plans while ensuring stakeholder alignment. She'll explain how to balance strategic planning with the need for agility, especially in the dynamic healthcare sector.
Additionally, Smita will discuss building high-performing teams, emphasizing clear role definitions, collective accountability, and fostering psychological safety. She'll offer advice on addressing cultural and operational misalignments with new hires and promoting a culture where feedback is seen as a tool for growth.
Here are all the highlights of our conversation:
Experience and alignment with Equip’s mission and model
Importance of clinical expertise in developing healthcare solutions
Aligning organizational tasks with broader company goals
Effective application of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
Balancing strategic planning with agility
Building high-performing teams
Clear role definitions and collective accountability
Promoting a culture where feedback is a tool for growth
Integrating empathy and lean startup methodologies into product development
—
Where to find Smita Nair
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairsmita/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
Equip’s Company Website: https://equip.health/
Equip is hiring: https://equip.health/join-us#jobs
Equip was highlighted on Time100 as one of the most influential places to work: https://time.com/collection/time100-companies-2023/6285207/equip/
Equip was highlighted by Fast Company as one of the top most innovative companies of 2024: https://www.fastcompany.com/91040027/equip-most-innovative-companies-2024
Feedback is a gift, how to give and receive feedback: https://buffer.com/resources/how-to-give-receive-feedback-work/
Asana’s guide for creating company wide Objectives and Key Results (OKRs): https://asana.com/resources/setting-okrs
Pingboard’s — How to set up OKRs across departments: https://pingboard.com/blog/how-to-set-up-consistent-okrs-across-departments-okr-template/
Mind The Product’s — How to build high performing product management teams: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/how-do-you-build-a-successful-product-team/
A guide for helping candidates evaluate start-ups before they join the company: https://humaninterest.com/learn/articles/33-questions-help-evaluate-startup-job-offer/
How to build flexible product roadmaps: https://www.chameleon.io/blog/product-roadmaps
Smita’s favorite methodology — Lean Start-up Methodology: https://theleanstartup.com/principles
The importance of 1 on 1s — a comprehensive guide to 1 on 1 meetings: https://www.small-improvements.com/resources/1-on-1-meetings/
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-8-smita-nair

Richa Gujarati, SVP of Product and GTM Strategy at HeartBeam | Former Apple Health

Today on Concept to Care, we're joined by Richa Gujarati, the Senior Vice President of Product and GTM Strategy at HeartBeam. HeartBeam is a cardiac technology company that has developed the first and only credit card-sized 3D-vector electrocardiogram platform for home use.
We'll explore the genesis of Richa’s career in product and go-to-market strategy, tracing her journey through renowned organizations such as Johns Hopkins, St. Jude Medical, iRhythm, and Apple Health. You’ll discover the critical role of evidence generation in successfully bringing a healthcare product to market and learn strategies to achieve it.
Richa will delve into the intersection of product development and go-to-market strategy, offering insights on recognizing when these elements are in sync and how to realign your organization if they are not. She will share her expertise on competing with industry giants and maintaining a competitive edge, as well as tips on selling to health systems.
Additionally, Richa will provide her unique perspectives on the evolving role of product management in the health tech industry and advice on becoming a successful product manager in this field.
Here are all the highlights of our conversation:
Richa’s career path in product and go-to-market strategy
Experience at Johns Hopkins, St. Jude Medical, iRhythm, and Apple Health
Importance of evidence generation in bringing a healthcare product to market
Strategies for successful evidence generation
Insights on the intersection of Product and GTM, recognizing when they are in sync, and realigning the organization when needed
Strategies for competing with industry giants in health tech
Tips on selling to health systems
Evolving role of product management in the health tech industry
Deep dive into the hardware product manager role
Advice on becoming a successful product manager in this field
—
Where to find Richa Gujarati:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richagujarati/
X: https://x.com/richaguj20
email: rgujarati@heartbeam.com
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
HeartBeam Company Website:: https://www.heartbeam.com/
HeartBeam press release appointing Richa for SVP of Product and GTM: https://ir.heartbeam.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/58/heartbeam-appoints-richa-gujarati-and-pooja-chatterjee-to
Apple Health Website:: https://www.apple.com/ios/health/
iRhythm Technologies Company Website: https://www.irhythmtech.com/
Press announcement that St. Jude Medical is getting acquired by Abbot: https://www.abbott.com/corpnewsroom/strategy-and-strength/st-jude-medical-is-now-abbott.html
Johns Hopkins Bioengineering Innovation and Design, Master of Science in Engineering: https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/engineering/full-time-residential-programs/degree-programs/biomedical-engineering/innovation-design-master-science-engineering/
Growth of the Evidence Base for Digital Health is Crucial for the Adoption: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/growth-evidence-base-digital-health-crucial-adoption-joseph-kvedar/
Understanding the Role of Clinical Champions and Their Impact on Clinician Behavior Change: The Need for Causal Pathway Mechanisms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10012807/
Richa’s favorite everyday tooling:
monday.com for task management and some roadmapping functionality: https://monday.com/
Miro for flow diagramming and user journey mapping: https://miro.com/
dragonboat.io: for organizing product portfolios: https://dragonboat.io/
Richa’s favorite books:
Blue Ocean Strategy by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne: https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/what-is-blue-ocean-strategy/
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries: https://theleanstartup.com/
If you’re a hardware PM looking to network — direct message Richa on LinkedIn or Twitter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richagujarati/
Twitter: https://x.com/richaguj20
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-7-richa-gujarati

Rik Renard, Director of Clinical Strategy at Awell and Co-Founder of CareOps

Today on Concept to Care, we're joined by Rik Renard.
Rik is the Director of Clinical Strategy at Awell, a low-code platform to design, orchestrate and improve care flows in days, rather than months. He's also the founding force behind CareOps, an initiative from Awell in partnership with the Health Tech Nerds community.
In this insightful conversation, we'll explore Rik's unique journey - from dedicated clinician nurse to health tech operator. We'll dive into how Awell intelligently designs care flows to reduce variability and improve outcomes across the care continuum.
Rik will share candid insights on implementing change in environments resistant to new methods, and how to leverage data to validate whether care flows are achieving the desired results.
Perhaps most exciting, we'll learn firsthand from Rik about the origins of CareOps - the vision behind it and where this movement is headed next.
Here are all the highlights of our conversation:
Rik's transformation from a clinician to a health tech startup operator and essential lessons for navigating a similar journey
A comprehensive exploration of the Awell platform, the market challenges it addresses, and the pivotal role of its low code platform to design, orchestrate, and improve care flows of top-tier care delivery organizations
Exploring the intricacies of crafting care flows and the importance of embracing a mindset of perpetual learning and refinement to ensure continual improvement in care delivery practices
Best practices in care flow implementation, with a detailed examination of the essential change management framework necessary for ensuring successful implementation
Examining the role of data in care flows, including considerations for design, measuring success over time, and implementing data-driven improvements
A story on the inception of CareOps, its mission, and forthcoming endeavors
—
Where to find Rik Renard:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rik-renard/
X: https://twitter.com/rikrenard
email: rik@awellhealth.com
CareOps Website: https://www.careops.org/
Awell Website: https://awellhealth.com/
—
Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com
Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com
—
Referenced:
CareOps: https://www.careops.org/
Awell: https://www.awellhealth.com/
Awell Developer Hub: https://developers.awellhealth.com/
Health Tech Nerds (HTN): https://www.healthtechnerds.com/
Hospitalogy: https://hospitalogy.com/
Healthcare Huddle: https://www.healthcarehuddle.com/
XPrimaryCare: https://www.xprimarycare.com/
Clinicians who VC: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/christinafarr_im-starting-a-community-for-clinicians-who-activity-7098361236970471424-Jved/
Using this McKinsey Framework (Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR)) to create sales enablement: https://www.stratechi.com/situation-complication-resolution-scr-framework/#:~:text=McKinsey %26 Company leverages the Situation,business environment and internal dynamics
Using the OODA Loop to help design care flows: https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/computer-science/the-ooda-loop
The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect: https://a.co/d/dpGyHha
The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations: https://a.co/d/1FCUl78
Medplum: https://www.medplum.com/
Tava Health: https://www.tavahealth.com/
People mentioned
Thomas Casteele, CEO of Awell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvdc/
Blake Madden, Founder and Creator of Hospitality: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakecmadden/
Jared Dashevsky, Resident Physician at Mount Sinai and Co-founder of Healthcare Huddle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jareddash/
Kenneth Qiu, MD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-qiu-md/
Chrissy Farr, Principal Investor, Health-Tech Lead at Omers Ventures: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/
Arjun Arun, Senior Director, Data Governance & Management: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunrarun/
What is the Medicare Shared Savings Program: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-for-service-providers/shared-savings-program-ssp-acos/about
Example on how to brainstorm with ChatGPT: https://zapier.com/blog/chatgpt-for-brainstorming/
—
Check out our website: https://www.concepttocare.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://concepttocare.substack.com/p/episode-6-rik-renard