Digital Health Heavyweights

Hosted by Norm Volsky

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136

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

This conversational podcast brings you exclusive interviews with all the Heavyweights in Digital Health. Hosted by Norm Volsky, a top industry headhunter, whose team helped scale companies including Livongo, Hinge Health, Lyra, Virta, Progyny and many more. This series will bring listeners insights into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies driving the digital health revolution. In each episode, Norm sits down with some of the most influential and innovative leaders in healthcare technology today from legendary founders who have built successful companies, venture capitalists who have led funding rounds, HR/Benefits leaders at forward thinking companies, Consultants and Brokers at the top benefits consulting firms, and other impactful visionaries challenging the status quo in healthcare. Listeners can learn from the industry greats who have created what we now know as health benefits, and who are changing the face of healthcare as we know it. Whether you're a healthcare professional, a tech enthusiast, a start-up founder, benefits aficionado, jobseeker in Digital Health, or simply curious about the future of healthcare, Digital Health Heavyweights has something for you.

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October 21, 2026Episode 3641 min

Episode 36: Chip Nash, Co-Founder and CEO of Crux

Medical innovation is moving faster than ever. But are employer healthcare benefits keeping up? In Episode 36 of Digital Health Heavyweights, Norm Volsky sits down with Chip Nash, Co-Founder and CEO of Crux, to explore why GLP-1 medications have exposed a much larger problem in employer-sponsored healthcare and how the next generation of breakthrough therapies could change the way employers fund, manage, and deliver benefits. With experience spanning Rally Health, Zephyr AI, and now Crux, Chip has spent his career tackling some of healthcare's most complex challenges. From building scalable digital health solutions to understanding the realities of provider workflows, he brings a unique perspective on why healthcare innovation often moves faster than the systems designed to support it. GLP-1 medications are just the beginning. As new treatments for obesity, cancer, Alzheimer's, and other conditions continue to emerge, employers will face increasingly difficult decisions about affordability, access, and how to support their workforce. Chip explains why traditional benefit and payment models aren't equipped to keep pace with these advances and how Crux is working to change that through a more flexible approach to healthcare financing. Rather than replacing existing clinical solutions, Crux is building the infrastructure to help employers and employees access innovative treatments while working alongside digital health partners. The conversation also explores how AI is transforming product development, why one-size-fits-all benefits strategies rarely work, and why greater collaboration across digital health could be essential to making healthcare more accessible. As Chip puts it: “We are not like heading there, we are sprinting toward there right now.” In this episode, you'll uncover: 💊 Why GLP-1 medications are exposing deeper challenges in employer healthcare financing 🚀 How breakthrough therapies could reshape the future of healthcare affordability and access 🔍 Why pricing transparency and better cost visibility matter for employers 💰 How combining employer and employee dollars could create more flexible benefit options 🤝 Why collaboration between digital health companies is critical to improving healthcare delivery 🧩 How Crux is building benefits infrastructure that supports existing clinical partners rather than replacing them 🤖 How AI is changing healthcare product development and accelerating innovation 🏢 Why employer healthcare strategies need to account for the unique needs of each workforce About Chip Nash: Chip Nash is the Co-Founder and CEO of Crux, a healthcare benefits infrastructure and transaction platform focused on creating more flexible ways for employers and employees to fund and access innovative treatments. Before founding Crux, Chip held leadership roles at Rally Health and Zephyr AI, gaining experience across digital health, healthcare technology, employer benefits, and AI-driven innovation. Through Crux, he is working to address the challenges surrounding GLP-1 access and build infrastructure that can support a broader range of healthcare benefits as new therapies emerge. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Chip Nash, Crux, and the Future of Employer Benefits 01:25 How an Accidental Start in Healthcare Led to Complex Problem-Solving 02:55 Lessons from Rally Health and Selling Capabilities Instead of Fear 06:14 Why Every Employer Needs a Different Healthcare Strategy 08:17 How AI Is Transforming Prototyping and Product Development 11:01 Lessons from Zephyr AI and the Challenges of Provider Software Adoption 14:06 Why GLP-1 Medications Inspired the Creation of Crux 16:55 Healthcare Pricing Transparency and Employer Cost Visibility 18:06 Why Breakthrough Therapies Require New Payment Models 20:17 Combining Employer and Employee Dollars for More Flexible Benefits 22:19 Why Digital Health Companies Need Greater Collaboration 23:23 How Crux Differs from Traditional GLP-1 Vendors and Marketplaces 25:28 Crux Partnerships with Flight, eMed, and Weight Watchers 28:54 Supporting Clinical Point Solutions Rather Than Replacing Them 32:21 Pharmacy Economics, Prior Authorization, and New Funding Models 36:44 Why Employers Are Ready to Challenge Hidden Healthcare Costs 39:15 The Unsustainable Economics of Employer-Sponsored Healthcare 41:42 Expanding Flexible Benefits Beyond Pharmacy and GLP-1s 45:21 Meditation, Walking, and Staying Healthy While Building a Company 46:40 Chip's Simple Chicken Recipe and Approach to Nutrition --- Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

October 14, 2026Episode 3536 min

Episode 35: Dr. Danny Seidman, Founder of DHS Advisors and Co-Founder of Kin Health

Are employers actually purchasing healthcare, or are they just purchasing health insurance? In Episode 35 of Digital Health Heavyweights, Norm Volsky sits down with Dr. Danny Seidman, Founder of DHS Advisors and Co-Founder of Kin Health, to explore why employers need to rethink how they purchase healthcare, manage their health plans, and take control of rising costs. With a background spanning engineering, medicine, and employer healthcare strategy, Danny brings a unique perspective to one of the biggest challenges facing self-insured employers: understanding where their healthcare dollars are actually going. From unnecessary spending on imaging to the influence of physician referral patterns, Danny explains how employers can uncover opportunities to improve care without sacrificing quality. He also discusses why advanced primary care, second opinions, centers of excellence, and direct contracting can play a meaningful role in building a more effective healthcare strategy. But improving healthcare isn't always about adding another vendor or solution. Sometimes, it starts with understanding what you already have, where employees are receiving care, and whether your current approach is actually meeting their needs. As Danny puts it: “I hope they’re purchasing healthcare and not purchasing health insurance.” Looking ahead, Danny shares his vision for a future where employers treat their health plans as businesses that need to be actively managed, potentially with a dedicated Chief Health Plan Officer leading the way. In this episode, you'll uncover: 🏢 Why employers should treat healthcare as a strategic asset rather than a fixed insurance expense 🔍 How greater transparency can reveal hidden opportunities to improve healthcare spending 🏥 Why imaging, second opinions, and centers of excellence can make a significant difference in cost and quality 🩺 How advanced primary care and smarter referral patterns can improve the employee healthcare experience 🧩 Why adding more vendors and point solutions doesn't always lead to better outcomes 🤝 How direct contracting and customized provider networks could give self-insured employers greater control 📊 What employers should be measuring to better understand their health plan's performance 🔮 Why Danny believes the Chief Health Plan Officer could become an important leadership role in employer healthcare About Dr. Danny Seidman: Dr. Danny Seidman is the Founder of DHS Advisors and Co-Founder of Kin Health. With experience in medicine, engineering, and healthcare strategy, Danny works to help employers better understand their healthcare spending, improve care delivery, and develop more effective health plan strategies. Through DHS Advisors, he helps organizations evaluate their healthcare programs and identify opportunities to improve quality and manage costs. He also co-founded Kin Health, a high-touch healthcare delivery model designed to bring care directly to patients in their homes and offices. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Danny Seidman and Employer Healthcare Strategy 01:10 From Mechanical Engineering to Medicine 02:12 Why Employers and Employees Experience Healthcare Differently 03:59 Why Danny Created DHS Advisors 05:32 Why Healthcare Spending Remains a Black Box 06:47 The Levers Employers Have Over Rising Healthcare Costs 07:16 Second Opinions and Centers of Excellence for High-Cost Care 09:03 Why Imaging Is One of the Clearest Savings Opportunities 11:42 How Health System Incentives Shape Referral Patterns 13:26 How Advanced Primary Care Amplifies Other Health Plan Strategies 14:53 When More Vendors and Point Solutions Create More Complexity 16:35 Why Employers Are Usually Trying to Do the Right Thing 17:29 Understanding Emergency Room Utilization More Intelligently 18:45 How Kin Health Built a High-Touch, Home-Based Care Model 20:09 Understanding Features Versus Benefits in Healthcare Delivery 21:05 What Employers Should Actually Measure in a Health Plan 22:24 Do Self-Insured Employers Really Need a Traditional Network? 23:19 Building Custom Networks and Lessons from Rosencare 24:53 Where Benefits Leaders Should Start Improving Their Strategy 26:03 Purchasing Healthcare Instead of Health Insurance 27:15 Genomics, Longevity, and Functional Medicine on the Horizon 29:04 Advice for Physicians Considering a Nontraditional Career Path 35:27 Trail Running, Family, and Managing Stress 37:00 Keeping Family Nutrition Simple 38:36 Closing Thoughts Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

October 7, 2026Episode 3450 min

Episode 34: Matt Harmon, Employee Benefits Consultant at Higginbotham

Join us for another episode of Digital Health Heavyweights hosted by Norm Volsky, where we sit down with Matt Harmon, a longtime employee benefits leader with nearly three decades of experience across the employer, consultant, and vendor sides of healthcare, to discuss why employers have more power to change healthcare than they may realize. Throughout his career, Matt has seen the benefits industry from nearly every angle. That experience has shaped a practical philosophy for creating sustainable change: understand where you are, know where you want to go, take action, measure the results, and never accept that rising healthcare costs are simply something employers have to live with. Matt and Norm explore why the traditional benefits playbook is becoming less effective, how employers can separate true partners from great marketers, and why choosing a familiar or popular vendor does not necessarily mean choosing the right one. Matt also breaks down the importance of aligned incentives, performance guarantees, transparency, and being willing to walk away from solutions that aren't producing meaningful results. The conversation also dives into one of the most overlooked pieces of benefits strategy: employee engagement. Matt explains why simply communicating that a benefit exists isn't enough, why employers should focus on helping people actually navigate and use their benefits, and how technology can create a more accessible and sustainable experience without requiring organizations to rebuild everything from scratch. “If you do nothing, and then you put in something that's half the solution, you're solving it 50% better than you were yesterday.” In this episode, you'll uncover: 🚫 Why “there's nothing we can do” may be one of the most damaging mindsets in employer healthcare 🎯 How employers can move from their current benefits strategy toward a clearly defined future state 💡 Why an imperfect solution today can be more valuable than waiting indefinitely for the perfect one 🤝 How to determine whether a healthcare vendor is truly aligned with your definition of success 📊 Why employers need to measure outcomes and be willing to change or remove solutions that aren't working 📣 Why communication alone doesn't create engagement or meaningful behavior change ⚖️ How misaligned incentives can influence the recommendations employers receive 🗺️ Why benefits leaders should think in multi year roadmaps instead of annual resets 🔍 The question Matt believes every employer should ask a potential partner: “Why you?” About Matt Harmon: Matt Harmon is an employee benefits leader with nearly three decades of experience spanning corporate benefits, consulting, and the vendor side of healthcare. His experience across the benefits ecosystem has given him a unique perspective on healthcare purchasing, vendor accountability, employee engagement, and what it takes to build benefits strategies that produce sustainable results over time. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Matt Harmon and His Benefits Perspective 01:45 How Finance and Problem Solving Led Matt to Employee Benefits 03:12 Four Realities Employers Need to Stop Ignoring 06:04 Why Matt Returned to Consulting 07:24 Finding a Customer First Model at Higginbotham 09:34 How Benefits Consulting Evolved from Playbooks to Outcomes 11:29 Lessons from Early Adoption of Verda and Hinge 16:19 The Advantage of Bending the Trend Early 17:52 Building a Sustainable Benefits Strategy 21:29 What Separates a True Partner from Good Marketing 23:30 The Risk of Choosing Vendors by Popularity 25:07 The Question Every Employer Should Ask: “Why You?” 26:55 Engagement, Optimization, and Root Causes 29:16 Why “There's Nothing We Can Do” Is the Wrong Answer 30:32 Addressing Perverse Incentives in Healthcare 32:00 What Employers Should Change Over the Next Five Years 33:38 Consultant Steering and Misaligned Incentives 34:37 Why Engagement Is About Teaching People to Fish 35:57 A Better Approach to Care Navigation 38:45 Using Technology to Modernize Benefits Sustainably 41:37 Why Benefits Leaders Need a Multi Year Plan 45:58 Cars, Systems, and Matt's Approach to Staying Healthy 47:02 Healthy Eating as a Family Test Kitchen 49:13 The Human Impact Behind Employee Benefits Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

September 30, 2026Episode 3344 min

Episode 33: Darrell Moon, CEO of Aspirational Healthcare

Join us for another episode of Digital Health Heavyweights hosted by Norm Volsky, where we sit down with Darrell Moon, CEO of Aspirational Healthcare and Orion, to explore how employers can rethink healthcare by aligning incentives, strengthening relationships, and giving people greater choice in their care. After decades working in hospital administration, Darrell began questioning whether the traditional healthcare system was truly designed around the people it was meant to serve. That realization ultimately led him upstream from treating illness toward preventing it, shaping a healthcare philosophy centered around relationships, coaching, direct primary care, and helping people pursue their broader goals in life. Throughout the episode, Darrell and Norm explore the NUCCA model in Alaska and what employers can learn from a relationship-based healthcare system built by asking people what they actually wanted from their care. Darrell breaks down the three pillars of aspirational healthcare: relationship, choice, and alignment, and explains why healthcare should be a “guest at the table” that helps people pursue their dreams and aspirations rather than becoming the center of their lives. The conversation also dives into direct primary care, employee coaching, nurse navigation, broker compensation, provider quality, and why employers should think differently about how they measure the value of their healthcare strategy. Darrell also shares how AI and technology can strengthen navigation, coordination, and personalized guidance while preserving human support for more complex healthcare decisions. “What we want is a guest at our table. We want healthcare to partner with us in life to help us reach our life's dreams, goals, and aspirations.” In this episode, you'll uncover: 🤝 Why relationships can be one of the most powerful foundations for a better healthcare experience 🧭 How relationship, choice, and alignment shape Darrell’s model for aspirational healthcare 🌱 Why moving upstream toward prevention and coaching can change how people interact with healthcare 🩺 How direct primary care can create a more accessible and personal front door to care 🎯 Why employers should connect healthcare strategy to employee loyalty and broader business goals ⚖️ How better aligned incentives can change relationships between employers, brokers, providers, and healthcare partners 📞 How nurse navigation and personalized guidance can help employees find appropriate, high-quality care 🤖 Where AI can strengthen healthcare navigation and coordination without removing the human element About Darrell Moon: Darrell Moon is the CEO of Aspirational Healthcare and Orion and has spent decades working across healthcare leadership, employer benefits, and healthcare strategy. His experiences in hospital administration ultimately led him to rethink how healthcare could better serve the people using it. His work focuses on creating healthcare models centered around prevention, relationships, choice, aligned incentives, and helping employers build healthcare strategies that create meaningful value for both their people and their organizations. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Darrell Moon and His Mission to Rethink Healthcare 01:27 What Drew Darrell Into Healthcare 02:30 When Hospital Leadership Began to Feel Misaligned with the Customer 02:50 Edward Deming and Customer-Focused Improvement 05:21 Building Orion and Aspirational Healthcare 07:10 Discovering the NUCCA Model in Alaska 09:07 Building Healthcare Around What Customers Actually Want 12:08 Treatment Teams and Relationship-Based Care 16:20 Why Relationships Still Matter More Than Technology Alone 18:14 Relationship, Choice, and Alignment 19:31 Measuring Healthcare Against Loyalty and Business Goals 22:25 Rethinking Broker Compensation and Incentives 24:26 Direct Primary Care as the Front Door to Healthcare 26:15 Moving Beyond Legacy Health System Funnels 27:11 Using Coaching to Move Healthcare Upstream 28:42 Personal Goals, the Dream Manager, and Employee Loyalty 30:06 White-Glove Care and 24/7 Nurse Navigation 31:05 Guiding Members Toward High-Quality, Appropriate Care 32:15 Darrell’s Personal Experience Navigating Specialty Care 34:07 Using AI to Find the Right Starting Point 35:02 AI, Data, and Ongoing Care Coordination 36:08 Why Better Experiences and Lower Costs Can Coexist 36:43 Lessons from NUCCA’s Customer-Owner Model 37:34 Why CEOs Can Be a Lever for Healthcare Change 39:08 Giving Benefits Leaders More Power at the Negotiating Table 40:44 Advice for Healthcare Entrepreneurs 41:21 Coaching, Personal Goals, and Managing Stress 43:47 Food, Balance, and Keeping Wellness Simple 44:47 Closing Remarks Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

September 16, 2026Episode 3253 min

Episode 32: Ali Diab, CEO & Co-Founder of Collective Health

Join us for another episode of Digital Health Heavyweights hosted by Norm Volsky, where we sit down with Ali Diab, CEO and Co-Founder of Collective Health, to discuss what it will take to make employer-sponsored healthcare more transparent, navigable, and aligned with the people actually paying for and using it. Ali shares how a personal healthcare crisis changed the trajectory of his career and ultimately led him to build Collective Health. After years working across technology and finance at Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, and Goldman Sachs, an experience navigating his own hospitalization and insurance challenges exposed him to just how confusing and opaque the healthcare system could be. That experience became the foundation for Collective Health and its mission to help employers and benefits leaders “defy the black box” of healthcare. Throughout the episode, Ali and Norm explore why employers may be among the most aligned buyers in healthcare, how organizations can control costs without sacrificing the employee experience, and why greater transparency is essential to making better healthcare decisions. Ali also explains how Collective Health helps simplify an increasingly fragmented benefits ecosystem through plan administration, care navigation, and technology designed to help members make the next best decision. The conversation also dives into healthcare pricing, trust, the growing pressure on benefits leaders, and artificial intelligence. Ali shares where he believes AI can create meaningful value through data aggregation, workflow execution, and support, while explaining why clinical diagnosis and treatment still require appropriate human oversight. "We describe it as a black box and our whole kind of modus operandi is to defy the black box." In this episode, you'll uncover: 🔍 Why greater transparency can give employers more control over their healthcare strategy 🏢 Why self-funded employers are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change in healthcare 🤝 How controlling healthcare costs and improving the employee experience can coexist 🧩 Why an increasingly fragmented benefits ecosystem requires better infrastructure and fewer handoffs 🧭 Why engagement isn't the end goal and helping members make the next best decision is what really matters 💡 How Collective Health is working to simplify plan administration and care navigation 📊 What healthcare price transparency reveals about the true cost of care 🤖 Where AI can create meaningful value in healthcare and where human oversight remains essential 🚀 Why challenging the status quo may sometimes be less risky than maintaining it About Ali Diab: Ali Diab is the CEO and Co-Founder of Collective Health, an independent healthcare platform helping self-funded employers simplify plan administration, navigate a growing ecosystem of healthcare solutions, and deliver a better benefits experience for their people. Before founding Collective Health, Ali built a career across technology and finance, with experience at Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, and Goldman Sachs. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome, Ali Diab, and Why Collective Health Matters 01:15 The Hospitalization That Led Ali Into Healthcare 02:57 Lessons from Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, and Goldman Sachs 05:45 Why Great Founders Can Recruit Without a Famous Brand 07:32 The Problem Collective Health Was Built to Solve 10:03 How Healthcare Consolidation Impacts Costs 12:11 From Monolithic Insurers to Specialized Healthcare 14:39 Why Employers Struggle to Understand Healthcare Spending 16:35 Balancing Cost Control with Employee Experience 18:31 Trust in Healthcare and Insurance 20:29 Why Employers Are Uniquely Aligned to Drive Change 23:38 Simplifying the Fragmented Benefits Ecosystem 25:03 Why Engagement Is a Means, Not the Goal 26:04 Building Better Care Navigation with CareNav 28:26 Why the Status Quo Can Be the Bigger Risk 31:30 The Growing Responsibility of Benefits Leaders 34:35 How Collective Health Is Using AI 37:02 Where AI Adds Value and Where Human Oversight Matters 41:30 Simplifying the Healthcare Experience 43:21 The Case for Healthcare Price Transparency 46:18 What a Knee Brace Reveals About Hidden Healthcare Costs 48:54 Understanding Distorted Healthcare Pricing 50:28 What Surprised Ali About Healthcare Innovation 52:22 Managing Stress and Staying Grounded 54:16 Nutrition, Smoothies, and Everyday Healthy Habits Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

September 1, 202648 min

Episode 31: Ron Gura Co-Founder CEO of Empathy

Most employers still treat grief like an awkward side note. Ron Gura is building the case that bereavement is one of the biggest overlooked moments in healthcare and benefits - and that the companies who show up well can turn a transaction into a lasting relationship. Ron, co-founder and CEO of Empathy, joins Norm Volsky to unpack how a deeply personal loss became the foundation for a platform now serving nearly 50 million people across the U.S., U.K., and Canada. What starts as a conversation about grief quickly becomes a blueprint for a new category of care: one that helps families navigate estate settlement, probate, funeral planning, account closures, and the emotional weight of loss without drowning in red tape. You’ll discover: -- Why Ron left high-growth worlds like eBay, WeWork, venture, and the Israeli Air Force to build in one of the most emotionally complex sectors possible -- How Empathy uses AI, care managers, and workflow design to save families hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars -- What employers and carriers miss when they treat bereavement as a narrow leave policy instead of a long-tail human need -- Why one in five employees experiences some form of loss each year, and why grief in the workplace is still so misunderstood -- How leaders can support grieving employees without guessing, avoiding, or saying the wrong thing -- What Empathy learned from working with major employers and insurers like New York Life, MetLife, Transamerica, and CarMax Ron also shares the leadership lessons he learned from elite organizations, why humility and unit economics matter in fast-scaling companies, and why the next wave of life-event benefits will go far beyond bereavement into disability, legacy planning, caregiving, and other moments that split life into before and after. If you care about digital health, employee benefits, future-of-work, or building products around real human pain points, this episode is essential listening. Ron Gura is the co-founder and CEO of Empathy, a technology company helping families navigate loss and life transitions. Before founding Empathy, he held leadership roles spanning the Israeli Air Force, eBay, WeWork, and venture capital. Tune in and learn a ton this episode! Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

August 18, 2026Episode 3044 min

Episode 30: Dr. Aaron Friedkin, Co-Founder of Manifest

Join us for another episode of Digital Health Heavyweights hosted by Norm Volsky, where we sit down with Dr. Aaron Friedkin, Co-Founder of Manifest, to discuss a different approach to solving one of healthcare's biggest challenges: making high-quality care more affordable without tearing down the systems already in place. Drawing from his background in computer science, radiology, and healthcare leadership, Aaron shares the story behind Manifest and the philosophy guiding its approach to healthcare transformation. Rather than pursuing disruption for disruption's sake, Manifest is focused on what Aaron describes as "evolution, not revolution," finding ways for employers, providers, and health plans to work within the existing healthcare ecosystem while creating better outcomes for everyone involved. The conversation explores how independent provider collaboration, smarter steerage, and thoughtful benefit design can help employers guide members toward high-quality, cost-effective care without requiring entirely new carrier relationships or contracts. Aaron also discusses the structural forces driving healthcare costs and why aligning incentives across providers, payers, and employers may be one of the most important opportunities for meaningful change. From the Manifest Provider Collective and employer-sponsored benefits to technology, healthcare infrastructure, and the future of the company, this conversation offers a practical look at how collaboration can create a more affordable and effective healthcare system. "We focus on evolution, not revolution." In this episode, you'll uncover: 🏥 Why solving healthcare's biggest challenges requires collaboration across the ecosystem 💡 How meaningful healthcare innovation can come from improving existing systems rather than replacing them 📊 How smarter provider steerage can help employers connect members with high-quality, cost-effective care 🤝 Why independent providers can play an important role in improving healthcare affordability and access 🧠 How Aaron's background in medicine and computer science influences his approach to solving complex healthcare problems 📈 How benefit design can encourage higher-value healthcare decisions 🚀 Where technology can reduce friction and improve efficiency without adding more complexity 🔮 Why better aligned incentives could be essential to creating sustainable change across healthcare About Dr. Aaron Friedkin: Dr. Aaron Friedkin is Co-Founder of Manifest, a healthcare company focused on bringing employers, providers, and health plans together to improve healthcare affordability and access. With a background spanning computer science, radiology, and healthcare leadership, Aaron brings both a clinical and systems-level perspective to addressing healthcare's most complex challenges. Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

August 12, 2026Episode 2948 min

Episode 29: Jonathan Bush & Ada Glover of Zus Health

Join us for another episode of Digital Health Heavyweights hosted by Norm Volsky, where we sit down with Jonathan Bush, Founder and CEO of Zus Health, and Ada Glover, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, to discuss what it will take to build a more connected healthcare system and why better data infrastructure may be the foundation for healthcare’s next wave of innovation. In this episode, Jonathan reflects on lessons learned from building athenahealth and how those experiences helped shape the vision behind Zus Health. Ada shares her perspective on building healthcare products and creating infrastructure that makes patient data more accessible, actionable, and useful at the point of care. The conversation explores one of healthcare’s persistent challenges: there is no shortage of data, yet getting complete, timely information into the hands of the people who need it remains incredibly difficult. Jonathan and Ada discuss why real-time data matters, how shared infrastructure can help healthcare organizations work together more effectively, and what becomes possible when builders can spend less time solving the same underlying data problems. They also explore the growing role of AI in healthcare and why its potential depends heavily on the quality, connectivity, and accessibility of the information behind it. From healthcare entrepreneurship and product development to interoperability and the future of digital health, this conversation looks beneath the applications we see every day at the infrastructure needed to power what comes next. In this episode, you'll uncover: 🏗️ Why modern healthcare innovation requires better underlying data infrastructure 🔗 How fragmented information continues to limit care delivery and technology development ⚡ Why timely, complete patient data can enable better clinical decision-making 🤖 How connected, trusted data can unlock more meaningful applications of AI in healthcare 💡 Why healthcare technology should reduce complexity for clinicians and builders rather than create more of it 🚀 How shared infrastructure can give healthcare innovators a stronger foundation to build upon 🤝 Why interoperability and collaboration remain essential to creating a more connected healthcare ecosystem 📊 The difference between having more healthcare data and having data that can actually drive action About Jonathan Bush & Ada Glover: Jonathan Bush is the Founder and CEO of Zus Health and previously co-founded athenahealth. His experience building and scaling healthcare technology companies has given him a unique perspective on the infrastructure, incentives, and technology needed to move healthcare forward. Ada Glover is the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Zus Health, where she helps lead the development of products and infrastructure designed to make healthcare data more connected, accessible, and actionable. Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

August 3, 2026Episode 2844 min

Episode 28: Ty Wang, CEO & Co-founder of Angle Health

In this episode of Digital Health Heavyweights, Norm Volsky sits down with Ty Wang, CEO and Co-founder of Angle Health, to discuss how modern technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping employer-sponsored healthcare. Together, they explore why healthcare must move beyond legacy systems, how first-principles thinking can unlock meaningful innovation, and what it takes to build a health plan designed for today's employers and employees. Ty shares how growing up in an immigrant family where healthcare access and literacy presented significant challenges inspired him to simplify one of the most complex industries in the world. He also reflects on how his experience serving in various foreign and domestic posts with the U.S. government and leading major deployments at Palantir Technologies influenced his systems-based approach to solving healthcare's biggest challenges. From AI-powered care navigation and healthcare infrastructure to transparency, affordability, and the future of employer health benefits, this conversation offers valuable insights into how technology can create a more connected, predictable, and accessible healthcare experience. "Healthcare systems should be designed from first principles rather than built upon legacy infrastructure." In this episode, you'll learn about: 🏥 Why healthcare needs to be redesigned from the ground up 🤖 How AI is improving care navigation and the member experience 📊 The role of transparency and predictability in employer-sponsored healthcare 💡 Why better infrastructure leads to better healthcare outcomes 🚀 How Angle Health is modernizing health benefits for small and medium-sized businesses Ty Wang is the CEO and Co-founder of Angle Health, an AI-native healthcare benefits platform focused on delivering modern, transparent, and affordable health plans for small and medium-sized businesses. Before founding Angle Health, Ty served in various foreign and domestic posts with the U.S. government and led major deployments at Palantir Technologies, experiences that shaped his systems-thinking approach to healthcare innovation. Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast

July 27, 2026Episode 2743 min

Episode 27: Nicholas Syhler & Laust Axelsen, Co-Founders of Embla

Join us for another episode of Digital Health Heavyweights hosted by Norm Volsky, where we sit down with Dr. Nicholas Syhler and Laust Axelsen, co-founders of Embla, to discuss how personalized obesity care is transforming the future of healthcare. In this episode, Nicholas and Laust share the founding story behind Embla and explain why obesity should be treated as a chronic disease rather than a lifestyle issue. By combining medical expertise, behavioral coaching, and GLP-1 medications, Embla is helping patients achieve sustainable health outcomes through a personalized, digital-first approach to care. The conversation explores the growing role of GLP-1 therapies in healthcare, why individualized treatment plans are essential for long-term success, and how employers can better support employee health while managing rising healthcare costs. Nicholas and Laust also discuss the importance of behavior change, measuring clinical and financial outcomes, and what the future of chronic disease management looks like in an increasingly digital healthcare landscape. "The future of obesity care isn't just about medication—it's about delivering personalized care that creates lasting behavior change and better health outcomes." Nicholas and Laust share several key principles employers and healthcare leaders should consider when evaluating obesity care and digital health solutions: - Personalized Obesity Care - GLP-1 Medication Management - Behavioral Coaching and Long-Term Health Outcomes - Digital-First Healthcare Delivery - Employer Benefits and Healthcare Cost Management - Chronic Disease Management Strategies - Clinical Outcomes and ROI Measurement - The Future of Personalized Healthcare Dr. Nicholas Syhler and Laust Axelsen are the co-founders of Embla, a digital health company dedicated to improving obesity care through personalized treatment plans that combine medical expertise, technology, and behavior change support. 💊 GLP-1 Therapies: Why personalized dosing and clinical guidance are critical to achieving sustainable outcomes. 🩺 Chronic Disease Management: Why obesity should be treated as a chronic condition rather than a lifestyle issue. 📱 Digital Health Innovation: How digital-first care models are making personalized healthcare more accessible and scalable. 📈 Employer Healthcare Strategy: How employers can support healthier populations while better managing rising GLP-1 costs. 🚀 The Future of Healthcare: How personalized medicine, behavioral coaching, and technology are reshaping chronic disease management. Follow, connect and subscribe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-health-heavyweights-podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DigitalHealthHeavyweights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalhealthheavyweights/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweightspodcast