In today’s episode, co-host Carrie Nixon talks with VEDA Data Solutions co-founder and CEO Meghan Gaffney about the impact of “peripheral” healthcare innovations, those platforms and technologies which were not initially designed for healthcare.  

Listen to discover:

• How a political entrepreneur and an astrophysicist saw an opportunity for healthcare innovation
• Why in-network and out-of-network physician coverage info is so cumbersome to find, use, and update—for all parties involved
• What spurred the “No Surprises” Act in Congress and how it changed VEDA Data Solutions’ business
• How COVID impacted data companies like VEDA Data
• How Meghan embraced her Silicon Valley outsider status to attract the right opportunities and employees 

If you’re wondering how your IP can be used in the healthcare sector, if you are a provider or  healthcare plan leader who wants to reduce the time lag of updating in-network data, or if you’re a female founder or Silicon-Valley outsider looking for ideas on fundraising and key partnerships, then you won’t want to miss this episode!

Quotables

“These amazing ideas come into the healthcare sector from a completely different industry and have a real role to play” Carrie Nixon on Ep15 of @DecodingHealth1 w/ @NixonGwiltLaw https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

“a high-paced game of telephone between providers & health plans every day…it can take weeks for patients to get updated info on where to seek care.” @meghangaffney Ep15 @DecodingHealth1 @NixonGwiltLaw https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

“Benefits to everyone down the line: patients get the info they need, providers get paid correctly and on time, and health plans are in compliance.” @megangaffney on Ep15 @DecodingHealth1 @NixonGwiltLaw https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

“...the way we care for almost 400M people with quality is to reduce the administrative cost as much as we can, and we can use data to do that.” @megangaffney of @veda_data on Ep15 @DecodingHealth1 @NixonGwiltLaw https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

Fundraising tips for women-led startups: “there is an advantage when the book wasn’t written for you, and that is that you don’t have to follow the rules because they weren’t made for you anyway.”  @megangaffney of @veda_data on Ep15 @DecodingHealth1 @NixonGwiltLaw https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

Recommended Resources

• Find out more about veda here
• Connect with Meghan on LinkedIn and follow veda on LinkedIn
• More on the No Surprises Act, which goes into effect on January 1, 2022

What you’ll get out of this episode

• Why Headspace and Ginger merged into Headspace Health (and how that partnership came to be)
• Why Russ ventured into the digital health space after success in more traditional tech startups like Bizo (acquired by LinkedIn)
• What Headspace Health is doing to improve adolescent mental health—and how it impacts society
• Why Headspace Health decided to target the employer market before payers and direct-to-consumer models—and how those markets are expanding
• What unexpected benefits you’ll get from a mentor if you’re open to it (and other founder advice!)

If you’re a startup founder, investor, mental health advocate, or want to learn more about selling to employers, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

Quotables

“As a society, we have to start thinking about our brain health much earlier” @glassruss of @headspace on Ep13 of @DecodingHealth1 w/ @NixonGwiltLaw #https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

“one of those mind-meld moments: clear cultural and mission alignment, fit between their wish/our need” @glassruss on @carebyginger @headspace merger on @DecodingHealth1 @NixonGwiltLaw #https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

“Often I’m thinking about a decision & it seems hard until I talk to a mentor. They make it so obvious.” @glassruss #startupadvice Ep13 of @DecodingHealth1 w/ @NixonGwiltLaw https://sliceofhealthcare.com/category/decoding-healthcare-innovation/ 

Recommended Resources

• Learn more about the recent $3B Ginger/HeadSpace merger here
• Follow Russ on Linkedin
• Ginger Partners with AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia to Bring Free On-Demand Mental Healthcare to 110,000 Medicaid Plan Enrollees
• [Video] 4X Growth in 5 Years: Why Investment in Mental and Behavioral Health is Exploding 
• Episode 11: Obvious Truths our Healthcare Policy Still Doesn’t Support: Mental Health as Standard Healthcare

Join the Conversation

Are you a digital health or health system innovator? Tell us what topics and people you’d like us to cover in future episodes:

– Website – LinkedIn – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube

Follow our daily updates on LinkedIn:

– Carrie – Rebecca

In this episode, you will discover: 

• How to make KOLs a part of your strategy 
• Why you need short, engaging videos 
• What to budget for marketing 

Key Takeaways: 

• The best way to utilize KOLs when reaching out to CIOS is to have them speak at your events. Part of your social media strategy should also be to boost your KOL’s profile and leverage the content they’re creating. 
• CIOs like videos because they’re short, easily digestible, and engaging. Make short case studies and make your websites and webinars engaging and digestible. Make sure to always demonstrate ROI. 
• 5-10% is the industry standard for allocating a budget for marketing. However, it still depends on what you have to work with or work around based on your company’s size, resources, and how many KOLs you have. 
• The main responsibility of a marketing team is to understand the company’s specific buyer, get to know how they tick, where they get their information from, and how they like to be marketed and sold to. 

“CIOs are humans, and we all have such short attention spans. So if you're going to try to get your information about your technology solution in front of them, you need to do it quickly, and you need to do it in an exciting and engaging way.” - Erin Erban

Resources: 

Tom Rice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-rice-626717/

Erin Dixon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erindixonmedia/

Get the 2023 Healthcare Technology Marketing Guide: Marketing and Selling to the Health System CIO : https://www.merrittgrp.com/2023-healthtech-marketing-guide/

Episode 36: Understanding Digital Health's ROI with Charm Economics Founder Adam Block, PhD

Learn more from Carrie and Rebecca: 

Healthcare Insights (a monthly deep dive into specific topics for innovators): https://nixongwiltlaw.com/healthcare-insights

Telehealth/Virtual Care Mgmt Update (a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter tracking legal and policy changes across the nation): https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/telehealth-virtual-care-update-6901900767960068096/ 

Website: https://nixongwiltlaw.com/ 

Carrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrienixon/ 

Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccagwilt/

NGL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nixon-gwilt-law/ 

In this episode you will discover: 

• What surprising channels influence health system CIOs most
• What KOLs are and why they should matter to you
• How to apply trends and statistics from this report to your marketing efforts

Key Takeaways: 

• 75% of buyers get their product info from events, and that’s why it’s important to show up. When choosing which to attend, keep in mind where you’re going to get the most ROI for what you’re going to spend. 
• 65% of buyers say a product’s regulatory status is only somewhat important to the purchasing decision. Don’t throw out the importance of compliance but invest in figuring out creative pathways to reimbursement. (For more on this, visit NixonGwiltLaw.com—that’s our special sauce!)
• According to statistics, CIOs trust media more than online media. Key opinion leaders are very important in reaching out to CIOs as they amplify the science associated with a company solution and lend a company a lot of credibility. 
• The best way you can apply these statistics is not by focusing on one and abandoning the rest of the media but by keeping balance and diversification in your marketing strategy. Lean more into what works and less on the ones that don’t, but don’t completely abandon a channel just because it’s not the best. 

“What we learned from the survey is that just because something isn't reimbursable, or in this regulatory framework, yet doesn't mean that buyers don't see its potential to make an impact.” - Erin Erban

“Our current recommendations to our clients, it's still about having a balance, and not going all-in on one or two channels - there needs to be diversification.” - Tom Rice

Resources: 

Tom Rice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-rice-626717/

Erin Erban on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erindixonmedia/

Get the 2023 Healthcare Technology Marketing Guide: Marketing and Selling to the Health System CIO : https://www.merrittgrp.com/2023-healthtech-marketing-guide/

Episode 36: Understanding Digital Health's ROI with Charm Economics Founder Adam Block, PhD

Learn more from Carrie and Rebecca: 

Healthcare Insights (a monthly deep dive into specific topics for innovators): https://nixongwiltlaw.com/healthcare-insights

Telehealth/Virtual Care Mgmt Update (a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter tracking legal and policy changes across the nation): https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/telehealth-virtual-care-update-6901900767960068096/ 

Website: https://nixongwiltlaw.com/ 

Carrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrienixon/ 

Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccagwilt/

NGL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nixon-gwilt-law/ 

Decoding Healthcare Innovation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/78064103/

Guest hosts Reema Taneja, Esq., and Kaitlyn O’Connor, Esq. of Nixon Gwilt Law sit in for a vacationing Carrie and Rebecca in this episode. These veterinary telehealth legal experts (and dog lovers!) talk to Mark Cushing, Founder and CEO of the Animal Policy Group, about the growing market for “TelePet,” which is telehealth for pets.

Listen to this episode to discover:

• How TelePet has evolved over time
• What challenges currently exist
• What need TelePet fills in veterinary care 
• What stakeholders can do to help expand access to TelePet services

About our Guest

Mark Cushing is the Founder & CEO of the Animal Policy Group. A long-time political strategist, government regulatory advisor, corporate executive and former litigator, Mark focuses his advocacy practice on providing high-level strategic advice and services to clients with needs at any level of government, and key trade/industry associations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Since 2004, Mark has specialized in animal health, animal welfare, veterinary and veterinary educational issues and accreditation, developing a cutting-edge practice across these sectors. He currently leads several industry coalitions and initiatives. Mark has guided successful accreditations for a growing list of veterinary colleges, and is co-founder of the Veterinary Virtual Care Association.

Mark has recently penned Pet Nation, a book that tells the inside story of how companion animals are transforming our homes, culture, and economy. Mark is a frequent speaker at veterinary medicine and other animal policy-related conferences.

About the Company

The Animal Policy Group monitors all 50 state Legislatures, Veterinary Medical Boards and Pharmacy Boards 365 days a year. Then they rely on relationships in each state, and industry partners, to implement effective plans for success.

Additional Resources

• Learn more about the Animal Policy Group
• Check out Mark’s book, Pet Nation: The Inside Story of How Companion Animals Are Transforming Our Homes, Culture, and Economy
• Watch Reema and Kaitlyn’s recent webinar on the Top 3 Legal Considerations for TelePet Startups

Join the Conversation

Are you a healthcare innovator? Tell us what topics and people you’d like us to cover in future episodes:

Decoding Healthcare Innovation on LinkedIn

Decoding Healthcare on Twitter

Follow our daily updates on LinkedIn:

Carrie

Rebecca

About Your Hosts

Carrie Nixon and Rebecca Gwilt are partners at Nixon Gwilt Law, a healthcare innovation law firm exclusively serving Providers, Digital Health Companies, and Life Science Businesses seeking to transform the way we receive and experience healthcare. Find out more at NixonGwiltLaw.com. 

In this episode, Carrie, Rebecca, and Zack discuss: 

• Why Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a proven treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) 
• Why only 5% of clinicians are licensed to prescribe buprenorphine and how this drives traffic to the black market 
• How telemedicine breaks down barriers and stigmas for clinicians and patients in the treatment of OUD, making them an ideal combination for addressing the opioid epidemic in the U.S

Key Takeaways: 

• What many people don’t know is that we already have working solutions for opioid addiction and have for a very long time. A widely accepted treatment called Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is highly effective at keeping people alive. 
• Breaking down barriers for clinicians as well as for patients is critical to the solution. Only 5% of clinicians are licensed to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used in medication-assisted treatment. Many people who seek treatment are forced to get medication through the black market. 
• There are two main problems that telemedicine solves in regards to getting a patient into a healthy long-term treatment: getting patients to opt-in and getting them to stick with treatment. 

“Telemedicine is great for allowing people to get treated privately, and do so in a way that fits into their schedule. It's also great at helping people stick with treatment.” - Zack Gray

Connect with Zack Gray: 

Website: https://ophelia.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zack-gray-58437936 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zarkgray 

Learn more from Carrie and Rebecca: 

Healthcare Insights (a monthly deep dive into specific topics for innovators): https://nixongwiltlaw.com/healthcare-insights

Telehealth/Virtual Care Mgmt Update (a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter tracking legal and policy changes across the nation): https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/telehealth-virtual-care-update-6901900767960068096/ 

Website: https://nixongwiltlaw.com/ 

Carrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrienixon/ 

Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccagwilt/

NGL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nixon-gwilt-law/ 

Decoding Healthcare Innovation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/decoding-healthcare-innovation/

In this episode, you will discover: 

• Starting with the unmet need 
• Improving mental health access 
• Human-centered design process

Key Takeaways: 

• Before you brainstorm an idea or conceptualize a product or service, consider first what problem, pain point, or unmet need you want to solve and build your organization or company around that. 
• Improving mental health access isn’t only about considering physical factors that hinder people from being able to access the support that they need, it’s also about considering psychological ease. A person with social anxiety, for example, may find it very difficult to talk to initiate a phone call. 
• Commit to having a human-centered design process where your team discovers pain points and unmet needs. Talk to people, do surveys, and do research. Don’t create a product based on assumptions. 

“Let's make sure there's a real problem. Let's go through all the different workflows, let's talk to people, let's really understand what are the true unmet needs - the true pain points,? Then, let's have fun.” - Pablo Pantaleoni

About LifeStance Health:
LifeStance Health is one of the nation’s largest providers of outpatient mental health care. The company provides comprehensive mental health care for children, adolescents, and adults experiencing a variety of mental health conditions—from anxiety to PTSD to schizophrenia. LifeStance employs approximately 6,100 clinicians across 33 states and approximately 600 centers in a range of disciplines, including psychotherapy (talk therapy) and psychiatry (medication management), which ensures patients have access to a team of providers with the specific expertise in their unique diagnosis. LifeStance is committed to expanding access to mental healthcare across the country and accepts most commercial insurance plans (this is extremely rare in mental healthcare) to increase affordability.

Resources:
Website: https://lifestance.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablopantaleoni/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PabloPanta

Episode 52: Practical Applications of AI in Healthcare with Joseph Zabinski, PhD of OM1

Episode 13: Startup, Merger, and Mental Health Advice from CEO of Headspace Health, Russ Glass

Episode 46: Expanding a DTx Business from the EU to the US with Petter Aasa of Vitala

Episode 53: Transitioning a Pediatrics Research Project to a Commercial Healthcare Business with Picterus CEO Tormod Thomsen

Learn more from Carrie and Rebecca: 
Healthcare Insights (a monthly deep dive into specific topics for innovators): https://nixongwiltlaw.com/healthcare-insights
Telehealth/Virtual Care Mgmt Update (a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter tracking legal and policy changes across the nation): https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/telehealth-virtual-care-update-6901900767960068096/ 
Website: https://nixongwiltlaw.com/  

Carrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrienixon/ 
Rebecca on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccagwilt/
NGL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nixon-gwilt-law/ 

In this episode you will discover: 

• The importance of business development in digital health startups 
• Transparency with your investors 
• Taking patient monitoring out of the hospital 
• The advantage of building a key opinion leader network 

Key Takeaways: 

• One common scenario in digital health startups is that they have a high technical and clinical competence, but they don’t have a plan for how the final product is going to be positioned in the market and how the company is going to be financed in the long term. 
• Bring in the right investors as early as you can and have a transparent conversation with your investors about how the journey of the company is likely going to be. Be open about the hurdles that clinical companies have to face in terms of regulations and other expenses. 
• The hospital systems end up spending a lot of resources following up, which ends up taking from the resources that could be spent on treating patients. That’s why any product or service that could take patient monitoring out of the hospital without compromising care will get a lot of traction everywhere. 
• Build the right key opinion leader network in order to really understand how to get the product into the market. It might take some investment of time, but it’ll be worth it. Know where the right places are to go, who the right people are to reach out to, and what is the best approach to get them to buy into your product. 

“Everything you can do to move services or patient monitoring out of the hospital without compromising care is something that is well getting a lot of traction everywhere.” - Tormod Thomsen

Resources: 

Website: https://www.picterus.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tormod-thomsen-a4b1509/ 

Learn more from Carrie and Rebecca: 

Healthcare Insights (a monthly deep dive into specific topics for innovators): https://nixongwiltlaw.com/healthcare-insights

Telehealth/Virtual Care Mgmt Update (a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter tracking legal and policy changes across the nation): https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/telehealth-virtual-care-update-6901900767960068096/ 

Website: https://nixongwiltlaw.com/ 

Carrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrienixon/ 

Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccagwilt/

NGL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nixon-gwilt-law/