🏋️ 45 tech titans of healthcare
Drumroll for the tech-forward doctors that are shaping the future of medicine.
Tomorrow's physician is not a contemporary Sisyphus, doomed to roll the boulder of clinical documentation and waiting room bottlenecks over and over to the top of a mountain, only to have it roll back down to the bottom at the end of each day.
Tomorrow's physician knows that technology will keep the rock at the top. And they are part of the change to make sure that happens, for the greater good of the practitioners and, therefore, the patients.
We call them "tech-savvy," "forward thinkers," "innovators," even "disruptors." In reality, they are physicians who care, they simply do so in ways that fundamentally reshape medicine as we know it.
So, without further ado, here are the 45 that we have selected:
What is the point exactly, you may ask…
💡 For digital health
Physicians are critical to the evolution of the space. You can’t take a good road trip without a tank full of gas. Well, it’s the same thing here. You can’t build coherent digital care products without the field expertise only clinicians can provide. Whether they are pioneering telemedicine technologies, reshaping access to care, leading digital health companies, they are the pillars for rethinking the standard of care and how patients access it in general.
🔬 For research
Of course, we need physicians in research. Research is the foundation for everything, including innovative models of care and changes in standards of care. These physicians leverage technology for innovation and effectiveness in data-driven developments, interdisciplinary collaborations, and patient care. They are at the forefront of the rapidly evolving field that is healthcare.
🧑 For people's understanding of care
We laymen would hardly know what a pangolin is (hint: not a pokemon) without the presence of physicians in our learning spaces. Whether in traditional or on social media, these physicians are expanding our understanding of the care we receive by democratizing access to health education and technology.
There are obviously intersections. You can switch around, we won't hold it against you. Most of these physicians end up participating in the dissemination of healthcare literacy. And, in a world where misinformation and disinformation are turning public spaces into asymmetrical dullards, this is all the more important.
🗺️ Mapping the space
At Nabla, we have been fortunate to meet all three types of physicians. They have been instrumental in the development of our products, but also in our vision of care as a whole. We believe they should be celebrated for what they bring to the space.
We also love a good mapping. Any excuse to map something, we are here for it.
These folks are known to work their magic primarily in the United States, although their nationalities span beyond the Stars and Stripes. Keep your eyes peeled for our next global mapping 👀
Given these considerations, we selected physicians that fit our three main categories:
Standard of Care Challenger 🚀
Clinical Innovator ⚡
Thought Steward 💭
These are fancy little periphrases that encapsulate what we explained above. Of course, they are not mutually exclusive; they represent interconnected funnels and what we have observed evolving in the field. The list includes 45 physicians, and is, as always, non-exhaustive.
🚀 Standard of Care Challengers
Harry Ritter: Alma's founder & CEO, connecting patients with in-network therapists and giving providers tools to manage their practices. Basically, he's the matchmaker of mental health, swiping right on better care.
Caesar Djavaherian: Chief Clinical Innovation Officer @ Carbon Health, cutting through healthcare bureaucracy with seamless product development. A MacGyver of healthcare, using tech to create epic patient-physician connections.
Daved Rosensweet: Menopause maestro and co-founder @ BRITE. Passionate about perfecting menopause treatment protocols and empowering other practices to do the same.
Ali Parsa: The disrupting force behind Babylon, who flipped the script on primary care by making "digital-first" the new norm and scaling a tech-powered healthcare platform with a stroke of brilliance.
Jeffrey Wessler: Heartbeat Health's CEO, leading the charge in telemedicine for cardiologists. A virtual care expert, guiding patients through clinical pathways and preventing heart attacks, one click at a time.
Sylvia Romm: Sonder Health's founder, bringing pediatric expertise to women's health and helping moms rock the motherhood game through lactation and nutrition care.
Kameron Matthews: Chief Health Officer @ Cityblock Health, revolutionizing value-based care. A healthcare disruptor, delivering tech-driven solutions for complex community needs.
Geeta Nayyar: Salesforce's Chief Medical Officer, ensuring data flows seamlessly in healthcare. The data whisperer really, empowering clinicians with insights to unleash high-quality care.
Greg Weidner: One Medical's VP for Care Model Design, making care delivery a human-centered work of art. A Picasso of healthcare, designing masterpieces with people, process, and technology.
Ijeoma Nnodim Opara: OparaSpeaks' Chief Visionary & Disruptor, transforming working and training environments into inclusive spaces. A superhero of equity, fighting for justice in healthcare and beyond.
Wendy Sue Swanson: Stanford's Digital Health Director, building innovative tools for prevention and health-ed, teaching the future of healthcare with digital solutions.
Hugh Harvey: Managing Director @ Hardian Health, he helps researchers, industry experts, and investors unlock the puzzle that is digital health like a cakewalk.
Fiona Pathiraja: Board member, philanthropist, and angel extraordinaire investing in deeptech and digital health to drive innovation and positive change in the space.
Melynda Barnes: Chief Medical Officer @ Ro, empathetic strategist, innovator, leader. Driving clinical excellence & organizational development.
Jay Parkinson: Nabla's own Chief Medical Officer and a pioneer of Virtual Primary Care. He's the healthcare tech trailblazer, bringing house calls to the iPhone era and changing the game - simple as that.
⚡ Clinical Innovators
Anobel Odisho: Genital and urinary cancer slayer. Master of robotic, laparoscopic & endoscopic magic. Partners with patients for decision-making, using educational tools to level up care. #SurgeonGoals.
Jordan Silberman: Behavioral scientist and data whiz @ Elevance Health. Evaluates digital health interventions with health econ and real-world evidence.
Sarah Zweifach: Tech-savvy doc @ Story Health, bridging the gap between clinical medicine and technology. Driving innovation to improve provider and patient experiences. Rx: Innovation & Empathy.
Eric Topol: Cardiologist, scientist, Twitter sleuth. Founder and director @ Scripps Translational Institute. Debunking medical myths and spreading truth in the Twittersphere. #FactsMatter.
Megan Mahoney: Pioneer in population health and primary care @ UCSF. Designing sustainable programs for healthier communities. Leading the charge in global healthcare innovation.
Ami Bhatt: Chief Innovation Officer @ Am. College of Cardiology & prof @ Harvard. Host of MedTech Insights podcast, discussing digital health and telemedicine with finesse and flair.
Archana Dubey: Physician-preneur creating transformative health solutions via GTM and partnerships. Value-based care advocate, reducing costs and improving outcomes.
Katie Deming: Cancer innovator and entrepreneur, changing the game with novel solutions. Founder of MAKEMERRY, bras for sensitive skin from radiation therapy. Supportive and stylish.
Nindhana Paranthaman: Executive Medical Director @ Exelixis. Diversifying clinical trials & training docs worldwide.
Vinod Dasa: Value-driven ortho surgeon @ LSU Health. Improving access and reducing disparities through research and innovation. Fixing bones & healthcare.
Arshya Vahabzadeh: Brain health warrior. Child, addiction & adult psychiatrist. CEO of Orbit Health, using tech for real-world impact. #Tech4Brains.
Neel Shah: Chief Medical Officer @ Maven Clinic, virtual health pioneer. Visiting scientist @ Harvard, NIH advisory board member. Champion of family health, one virtual visit at a time.
Brennan Spiegel: VR doc @ Cedars-Sinai, harnessing digital health for better lives and making tech magic in healthcare.
John Martin: Chief Medical Officer @ Butterfly Network, founder of Heart Health Foundation. Peer-reviewed prodigy and health innovator revolutionizing medical imaging.
Bob Wachter: Leading UCSF's Department of Medicine with expertise in health policy, quality, and IT. A healthcare innovator-in-chief, shaping the future of medicine through research and leadership.
💭 Thought Stewards
Puneet Seth: Managing Principal @ TELUS Health, a physician-techie-entrepreneur hybrid, making data work for global health.
Vin Gupta: USAF Med Reserve Corps Pulmonologist, Chief Medical Officer @ Amazon Pharmacy, and NBC News Analyst. He's got the Rx for improving population health, with a dose of unique cross-sectoral leadership.
Jennifer Joe: Global Medical Strategy and Population Health Director @ AstraZeneca. An innovation expert and speaker extraordinaire, shaping the future of healthcare education.
Paulius Mui: Resident Physician and healthtech expert, spreading startup wisdom through Substack. A healthtech Jedi, sharing insights on primary care and rocking the startup galaxy.
Daniel Kraft: Doc, scientist, inventor, innovator @ NextMed Health. Futurist, transforming healthcare through human-centric tech. A visionary on the pulse of the future.
Kenneth Qiu: Founder @ EuDoc Direct Primary Care. Family physician committed to delivering quality, accessible care for all individuals & communities. Also, Co-author of "Solving for X."
Cory Calendine: Orthopedic surgeon and international robotics rockstar. Savoring life to the bone, and fixing joints with a high-tech touch.
Nisha Mehta: Founder @ Physician Side Gig. Empowering docs with tools they missed in med school, and speaking up for physician empowerment.
Lisa Fitzpatrick: Physician founder @ Grapevine Health, former global health diplomat, and digital health communicator. Listening, intervening, and fighting for health equity in underserved communities.
Atul Butte: Mark & Priscilla's health wizard. Distinguished professor leading the Bakar Health Sciences Institute with computational magic.
Rafael Grossmann: Trauma and Acute Care Surgeon, advising on healthcare and tech convergence. A healthcare futurist, bridging the gap between cutting-edge tech and compassionate care.
Berci Mesko: Director @ The Medical Futurist Institute, health tracker, and sci-fi fanatic. Bridging the gap between future tech and healthcare, with a passion for tomorrow's possibilities.
Vineet Arora: Dean for Medical Education @ University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. A system-savvy leader using tech, learning theory, and IT to align frontline healthcare professionals for quality, safety, and value.
Maneesh Juneja: Digital health futurist with a bold vision for global health. Using AI and data to improve the lives of 8 billion people, one digital leap at a time.
Kellie Lease Stecher: OBGYN and co-Founder @ Patient Care Heroes, on a mission to create a safe haven for the medical community. When not delivering babies, she advocates for reproductive rights, gender and racial equity. Casual.
To 🌯 it up
And that's a wrap, dear friends! Another mapping concocted with love, crafted with care. The list is of course just a glimpse of the vast healthcare landscape, with categories that intersect and intertwine to infinity and beyond.
Take care of your docs and stay tuned for more healthcare adventures.
THH 🥪.