1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,679 Hello, everyone. This is Scott King with the 2 00:00:01,679 --> 00:00:02,980 Becker's Healthcare Podcast. 3 00:00:03,439 --> 00:00:05,599 Thrilled today to be joined by Rachel Feynman, 4 00:00:05,599 --> 00:00:06,899 vice president innovation 5 00:00:07,519 --> 00:00:10,339 and managing director over at TGH 6 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:11,539 Ventures. 7 00:00:11,919 --> 00:00:14,265 Rachel, how are you doing today? I'm great, 8 00:00:14,265 --> 00:00:14,765 Scott. 9 00:00:15,224 --> 00:00:16,364 Having a good Friday. 10 00:00:16,984 --> 00:00:18,585 That's as it should be. We all need 11 00:00:18,585 --> 00:00:20,265 a a good Friday. It's starting to get 12 00:00:20,265 --> 00:00:22,184 cold here in Chicago, so I will I 13 00:00:22,184 --> 00:00:24,345 will take it. And, thanks so much for 14 00:00:24,345 --> 00:00:25,625 joining us. We have a lot of kinda 15 00:00:25,625 --> 00:00:27,619 big topics and and and trends going on 16 00:00:27,619 --> 00:00:29,539 in health care we're gonna dive into. But 17 00:00:29,539 --> 00:00:30,660 before we do that, I was wondering if 18 00:00:30,660 --> 00:00:32,500 you could just please tell us a little 19 00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:34,039 bit about yourself and your background. 20 00:00:34,420 --> 00:00:36,979 Sure. Happy to. So I'm coming up on 21 00:00:36,979 --> 00:00:39,159 five years here at Tampa General. 22 00:00:39,619 --> 00:00:40,280 I started 23 00:00:40,739 --> 00:00:41,239 here 24 00:00:41,575 --> 00:00:44,295 brand new with TGH Ventures, and it's been 25 00:00:44,295 --> 00:00:46,395 an exciting time to build up the fund, 26 00:00:47,174 --> 00:00:47,674 professionalize 27 00:00:47,975 --> 00:00:50,854 our innovation function here, and lead a team 28 00:00:50,854 --> 00:00:54,149 around this at TGH. And I think we've 29 00:00:54,149 --> 00:00:58,090 made a great impact building a portfolio of 30 00:00:58,549 --> 00:01:00,409 over a dozen direct investments 31 00:01:01,109 --> 00:01:03,590 at the at the hospital. And I kinda 32 00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:06,469 came into this a little bit uniquely as 33 00:01:06,469 --> 00:01:08,329 a former practicing attorney 34 00:01:08,915 --> 00:01:11,155 turned health care professional. It's been a great 35 00:01:11,155 --> 00:01:11,655 journey, 36 00:01:12,194 --> 00:01:14,275 though. Well, that that's really interesting background. Let 37 00:01:14,275 --> 00:01:16,275 me ask you about that kind of lens 38 00:01:16,275 --> 00:01:17,094 as an attorney, 39 00:01:17,474 --> 00:01:19,715 getting into a a health care leadership role. 40 00:01:19,715 --> 00:01:21,234 How do you think that's, I don't know, 41 00:01:21,234 --> 00:01:22,755 giving you an edge or just kinda giving 42 00:01:22,755 --> 00:01:24,569 you a different perspective in the industry? 43 00:01:25,290 --> 00:01:27,209 So while it may not be formally part 44 00:01:27,209 --> 00:01:29,209 of my title, I certainly feel like I, 45 00:01:29,209 --> 00:01:30,969 you know, I use it every day. One 46 00:01:30,969 --> 00:01:33,129 of the things I think as a an 47 00:01:33,129 --> 00:01:35,290 investor, whether in health care or in any 48 00:01:35,290 --> 00:01:35,790 other 49 00:01:36,250 --> 00:01:36,750 industry 50 00:01:37,495 --> 00:01:40,215 is and and an innovation generally, you really 51 00:01:40,215 --> 00:01:41,915 have to have an unending 52 00:01:42,375 --> 00:01:43,435 sense of curiosity 53 00:01:44,135 --> 00:01:46,935 because we really fly high across the entire 54 00:01:46,935 --> 00:01:49,334 organization. You know, one day we're diving deeper 55 00:01:49,334 --> 00:01:52,314 on utilization, around imaging on the inpatient side. 56 00:01:52,614 --> 00:01:54,739 The next day, we're focused on ambulatory 57 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:55,939 care navigation. 58 00:01:56,799 --> 00:01:59,520 And so, you know, we're not we're not 59 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:01,920 your expert in any one area. And so 60 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:03,939 we really need to make sure we have 61 00:02:04,239 --> 00:02:04,739 that 62 00:02:05,995 --> 00:02:08,395 ability to ask all of the questions, dive 63 00:02:08,395 --> 00:02:10,715 in deep where we need to. And, you 64 00:02:10,715 --> 00:02:12,335 know, I think I definitely 65 00:02:12,875 --> 00:02:15,915 bring that from my background as as an 66 00:02:15,915 --> 00:02:16,415 attorney. 67 00:02:17,194 --> 00:02:19,909 Not to mention looking at and negotiating deal 68 00:02:19,909 --> 00:02:23,030 documents, which is directly relevant to the work 69 00:02:23,030 --> 00:02:24,469 that I did in my many years as 70 00:02:24,469 --> 00:02:25,129 an attorney. 71 00:02:25,750 --> 00:02:27,189 Yeah. I think that's great. I think your 72 00:02:27,189 --> 00:02:29,349 background ties in perfectly, and we definitely need 73 00:02:29,349 --> 00:02:32,185 some curious and and creative people in health 74 00:02:32,185 --> 00:02:33,645 care with everything going on. 75 00:02:34,025 --> 00:02:36,685 So speaking of being curious, I'm curious, 76 00:02:36,985 --> 00:02:37,564 to ask 77 00:02:37,944 --> 00:02:40,205 and hear what are the things you're kinda 78 00:02:40,585 --> 00:02:41,085 monitoring 79 00:02:41,385 --> 00:02:43,325 in health care in related to, 80 00:02:44,025 --> 00:02:45,325 some opportunities and headwinds? 81 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,360 Well, I think like everyone else, we are 82 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:48,860 monitoring, 83 00:02:49,879 --> 00:02:50,620 the regulatory 84 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:51,580 environment 85 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:53,180 and the uncertainty 86 00:02:53,879 --> 00:02:56,300 around all of that. You know, that is 87 00:02:56,599 --> 00:02:59,625 something as we start to approach midterms, as 88 00:02:59,625 --> 00:03:02,604 we're coming cautiously out of the government shutdown, 89 00:03:03,305 --> 00:03:06,425 it is, you know, it remains something that 90 00:03:06,425 --> 00:03:09,165 is directly relevant to the work we do, 91 00:03:09,385 --> 00:03:12,425 where we place investments, partnerships that we land 92 00:03:12,425 --> 00:03:14,519 on, and how we think about about our 93 00:03:14,519 --> 00:03:16,379 growth. And, you know, 94 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,639 there there is only so much certainty to 95 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:21,560 be had right now, and, you know, and 96 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,120 that's driving a lot of of what it 97 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:25,659 is that that we do. 98 00:03:26,439 --> 00:03:28,599 You know, that that being said, while that 99 00:03:28,599 --> 00:03:29,099 may 100 00:03:29,645 --> 00:03:30,784 be a headwind, 101 00:03:31,245 --> 00:03:33,485 there's aspects of that that I think we 102 00:03:33,485 --> 00:03:36,465 can think about, from a tailwind perspective. 103 00:03:37,564 --> 00:03:39,724 And be as long as we're nimble and 104 00:03:39,724 --> 00:03:41,724 we're able to quickly react, I think we 105 00:03:41,724 --> 00:03:43,504 can end up on the right side of 106 00:03:43,724 --> 00:03:45,739 of any which way the regulatory 107 00:03:46,039 --> 00:03:48,379 winds may, you know, may blow. But, 108 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:50,620 without a doubt, opportunity 109 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,459 remains the explosive 110 00:03:52,759 --> 00:03:55,099 growth in tech and and AI 111 00:03:55,479 --> 00:03:57,099 and making sure that 112 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,459 we are leveraging 113 00:03:59,344 --> 00:04:00,084 this new, 114 00:04:00,864 --> 00:04:02,724 you know, new round of technology 115 00:04:03,104 --> 00:04:05,125 to support our team members, 116 00:04:05,584 --> 00:04:06,884 clinical and nonclinical, 117 00:04:07,424 --> 00:04:09,664 and continue to provide the best care we 118 00:04:09,664 --> 00:04:11,745 can to our patients by taking advantage of 119 00:04:11,745 --> 00:04:12,884 those accelerations 120 00:04:13,344 --> 00:04:14,485 in in technology. 121 00:04:15,530 --> 00:04:17,610 You mentioned growth. How are you thinking about 122 00:04:17,610 --> 00:04:19,949 adding growth and value to your organization? 123 00:04:20,810 --> 00:04:22,089 Well, I think this is a time at 124 00:04:22,089 --> 00:04:22,589 TGH, 125 00:04:22,889 --> 00:04:23,389 frankly, 126 00:04:23,769 --> 00:04:26,490 of a lot of growth overall. And so 127 00:04:26,490 --> 00:04:28,810 for our team, it's making sure that we're 128 00:04:28,810 --> 00:04:30,110 continuing to scale 129 00:04:30,524 --> 00:04:31,985 some of the really great, 130 00:04:33,805 --> 00:04:36,125 innovations that we've brought to bear over the 131 00:04:36,125 --> 00:04:38,285 last couple of years and make sure that 132 00:04:38,285 --> 00:04:40,305 we continue to drive those for, 133 00:04:41,245 --> 00:04:44,464 for for the organization's growth. We laid in 134 00:04:46,310 --> 00:04:48,009 a modern RTLS 135 00:04:49,029 --> 00:04:51,350 system at TGH last year. And so this 136 00:04:51,350 --> 00:04:53,850 year will be about really scaling that across 137 00:04:53,910 --> 00:04:54,650 the system. 138 00:04:55,270 --> 00:04:57,210 And that has been able to provide 139 00:04:57,589 --> 00:04:58,650 a lot of, 140 00:04:59,995 --> 00:05:02,475 a lot of efficiency gains for our team 141 00:05:02,475 --> 00:05:05,754 members and being able to locate equipment more 142 00:05:05,754 --> 00:05:08,414 easily. We're bringing it into the perioperative 143 00:05:08,794 --> 00:05:09,294 space, 144 00:05:09,995 --> 00:05:12,555 because we know that having our ORs run 145 00:05:12,555 --> 00:05:13,214 on time, 146 00:05:13,914 --> 00:05:14,399 impacts 147 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,519 everything for us. So being able to, you 148 00:05:17,519 --> 00:05:19,699 know, really help with the surgical tray 149 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,819 tracking and optimization in the OR space, 150 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:25,680 leveraging computer vision there and being able to 151 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,360 scale that as we build out a new 152 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:27,860 tower, 153 00:05:28,879 --> 00:05:29,379 with, 154 00:05:29,764 --> 00:05:31,064 you know, with new ORs. 155 00:05:31,524 --> 00:05:33,764 All of that really kind of thinking about 156 00:05:33,764 --> 00:05:34,824 how we scale 157 00:05:35,365 --> 00:05:37,145 innovation we've laid in 158 00:05:37,605 --> 00:05:40,085 to match the growth of the of the 159 00:05:40,085 --> 00:05:41,064 system overall. 160 00:05:41,939 --> 00:05:43,939 What do you think is one risk or 161 00:05:43,939 --> 00:05:44,439 investment 162 00:05:44,899 --> 00:05:46,199 worth making this year? 163 00:05:46,899 --> 00:05:48,579 So I thought a lot about this, and 164 00:05:48,579 --> 00:05:50,660 I think one of the things as we 165 00:05:50,660 --> 00:05:51,639 think about, 166 00:05:52,419 --> 00:05:55,160 you know, all of the challenges that academic 167 00:05:55,459 --> 00:05:58,214 health systems like TGH face. You know, we 168 00:05:58,214 --> 00:05:59,995 talked about regulatory uncertainty 169 00:06:00,375 --> 00:06:02,774 and some of those things. One of the 170 00:06:02,774 --> 00:06:04,795 things that we have 171 00:06:05,175 --> 00:06:06,634 that is always 172 00:06:07,095 --> 00:06:09,959 an investment worth making is in ourselves and 173 00:06:09,959 --> 00:06:10,459 our 174 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:11,579 brand and 175 00:06:11,879 --> 00:06:13,180 the value 176 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,339 that we bring to our patients. 177 00:06:15,879 --> 00:06:17,019 In our market, 178 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:19,500 and that is ever expanding, 179 00:06:20,199 --> 00:06:23,399 our brand means something very significant to our 180 00:06:23,399 --> 00:06:26,935 patients. So doubling down on consumer centric 181 00:06:27,634 --> 00:06:28,134 care 182 00:06:28,675 --> 00:06:31,235 that, you know, we we partner with others. 183 00:06:31,235 --> 00:06:33,954 We bring our brand forward. That brand that 184 00:06:33,954 --> 00:06:35,875 our patients can trust is something that I 185 00:06:35,875 --> 00:06:38,754 think is always an investment worth making, and 186 00:06:38,754 --> 00:06:40,889 we continue to do as, you know, as 187 00:06:40,889 --> 00:06:43,129 we grow here and and we think about 188 00:06:43,129 --> 00:06:43,949 new innovative 189 00:06:44,649 --> 00:06:47,069 models of delivering care to our patients 190 00:06:47,529 --> 00:06:48,990 while leveraging that, 191 00:06:49,610 --> 00:06:51,550 Tampa General brand that is, 192 00:06:52,089 --> 00:06:53,069 is well trusted 193 00:06:53,504 --> 00:06:56,865 and and and very valuable to us as 194 00:06:56,865 --> 00:06:57,685 care providers. 195 00:06:58,384 --> 00:06:59,504 And the last thing I wanted to ask 196 00:06:59,504 --> 00:07:00,944 you, Rachel, is where do you see the 197 00:07:00,944 --> 00:07:03,045 best opportunities for growth in the future? 198 00:07:03,905 --> 00:07:06,420 So I I think this coming back 199 00:07:06,900 --> 00:07:09,620 to the explosion of AI, you know, it 200 00:07:09,620 --> 00:07:10,759 just feels like 201 00:07:11,300 --> 00:07:12,040 you can't 202 00:07:12,580 --> 00:07:15,779 talk enough about where and how that is 203 00:07:15,779 --> 00:07:17,319 going to impact growth. 204 00:07:17,860 --> 00:07:18,584 I think 205 00:07:19,064 --> 00:07:20,845 for us, the best opportunities 206 00:07:21,225 --> 00:07:23,564 are to really thoughtfully layer in 207 00:07:24,185 --> 00:07:25,164 AI, whether 208 00:07:26,104 --> 00:07:26,685 it's agentic 209 00:07:27,305 --> 00:07:28,524 voice agents 210 00:07:29,064 --> 00:07:31,164 in our experience centers, 211 00:07:31,464 --> 00:07:33,404 or it is thinking about 212 00:07:33,819 --> 00:07:35,120 back office administrative 213 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:36,000 functions. 214 00:07:36,699 --> 00:07:38,939 I think this or or really on the 215 00:07:38,939 --> 00:07:40,080 front lines clinically 216 00:07:40,459 --> 00:07:42,480 as we roll out ambient listening 217 00:07:42,939 --> 00:07:43,819 and and other, 218 00:07:44,139 --> 00:07:47,415 other solutions that really help our our frontline 219 00:07:47,475 --> 00:07:49,654 team members and our our providers. 220 00:07:50,514 --> 00:07:52,194 I I think that's really where the best 221 00:07:52,194 --> 00:07:52,694 opportunity 222 00:07:53,555 --> 00:07:54,055 for, 223 00:07:55,235 --> 00:07:56,295 growth is, 224 00:07:56,754 --> 00:07:58,754 for us because we're gonna be able to 225 00:07:58,754 --> 00:08:01,759 do a lot more with less and put 226 00:08:01,759 --> 00:08:03,680 those resources where they need to be in 227 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:04,180 enhancing, 228 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:06,579 care for our patients. 229 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:08,720 Well, Rachel, thanks so much for joining us 230 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:09,839 on the podcast. I think it was a 231 00:08:09,839 --> 00:08:11,519 great conversation, and I look forward to working 232 00:08:11,519 --> 00:08:13,360 with you again soon. Thanks so much for 233 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,360 having me, and have a great weekend. You 234 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:15,860 too.