BackTable Innovation BackTable

In this episode of the BackTable Innovation Podcast, host Dr. Bryan Hartley interviews Dr. Stephen Pomeranz, founder and CEO of ProScan Imaging, co-founder of Medality (formerly MRI Online), and a pioneering radiologist in MRI technology. This is the second part of a two-episode series on ProScan.

---

SYNPOSIS

The doctors discuss the growth and evolution of ProScan Imaging, including Dr. Pomeranz’a personal journey to becoming an entrepreneur, as well as business strategies that have led to ProScan’s success. Dr. Pomeranz describes the business’s unique physician-owned structure, which allows physicians to team up and directly invest in tangible assets of technology and real estate. Additionally, a core principle of ProScan’s business has been an emphasis on service excellence, which has been made possible by recruitment of hospitality leaders.

Overall, this episode highlights the importance of high-quality patient care, learning from other industries, and the significance of finding mentors and the right business model for aspiring physician entrepreneurs.

---

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast
04:58 - Service Excellence and Scaling Up
12:09 - Technology Investment Opportunities for Physicians
21:37 - Teaching within the Private Practice Sphere
27:40 - Job Flexibility and Investment Opportunities Within ProScan
35:14 - Advice for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
38:19 - Future Endeavors for ProScan
43:18 - Episode Summary and Final Thoughts

---

RESOURCES

BackTable Innovation Episode 75- ProScan’s Path: Medical Expertise to Business Success Part 1:
https://www.backtable.com/shows/innovation/podcasts/75/proscans-path-medical-expertise-to-business-success-part-1-with-dr-stephen-j-pomeranz

ProScan Imaging:
https://proscan.com/

MRI Total Body Atlas by Stephen J. Pomeranz:
https://www.amazon.com/Total-Body-Atlas-Stephen-Pomeranz/dp/1882576063

Medality:
https://medality.com/

This episode of the Back Table Podcast features Dr. Stephen Pomeranz, a trailblazing radiologist who shares his journey from taking over a struggling medical practice to founding ProScan Imaging, one of the leading imaging centers in the country.

---

SYNPOSIS

Dr. Pomeranz discusses his early motivations for entering the field of radiology, his initial opportunity to learn about MRI in its early stages, and his unexpected but rewarding path to starting his own imaging company. He recounts obstacles of overcoming professional challenges, including dealing with resource limitations and navigating financial risks, during his mission to provide more patient-centered and efficient care.

Dr. Pomeranz also describes how he built networks based on his connections with radiologists all over the world, non-physician providers trained in radiology, and business partners. We end by discussing Dr. Pomerantz’s philanthropic efforts, his perspective on the integration of AI, and the importance of a growth mindset in transforming patient care.

---

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction
01:03 - Dr. Pomertanz’s Early Career and MRI Education
09:30 - Quality Patient Care with Independent Practice
13:22 - The Beginning and Expansion of ProScan
19:42 - Thoughts on the Future of Radiology
23:42 - Integrating Non-Physician Providers in Radiology
28:50 - Structured Training Within Radiology Practices
34:21 - Philanthropic Endeavors and Reflections

---

RESOURCES

ProScan Imaging:
https://proscan.com/

MRI Total Body Atlas by Stephen J. Pomeranz:
https://www.amazon.com/Total-Body-Atlas-Stephen-Pomeranz/dp/1882576063

In this episode, host Dr. Bryan Hartley takes us on a deep dive into the origin story and mission of Pulmera, a medtech company dedicated to transforming the field of bronchoscopic lung cancer diagnosis by retrofitting existing fluoroscopy machines into cone beam CT-like scanners. Dr. Hartley is a vascular and interventional radiologist and co-founded Pulmera, alongside interventional pulmonologist Dr. Harmeet Bedi at Stanford.

Pulmera is developing a novel approach to enhance physicians’ ability to diagnose lung nodules accurately through innovative technology. Dr. Hartley shares insights into the challenges of existing diagnostic methods, the inspiration behind Pulmera, and the technology’s potential to combine the best of 3D imaging and endoscopy techniques. Dr. Hartley discusses the benefits for both patients and physicians, such as improved diagnostic yields and patient outcomes, and introduces an investment opportunity for the BackTable community to be part of this revolutionary project. The episode also explores the broader implications of this technology across various medical specialties beyond pulmonology.

---

SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction
02:18 - Personal Journey: From Vanderbilt to Stanford Biodesign
06:11 - Pulmera’s Mission: Enhancing Diagnostic Accuracy in Lung Biopsies
15:02 - Introducing a Game-Changing Technology for Bronchoscopic Procedures
22:09 - Challenges and Breakthroughs in Portable CT Imaging
27:44 - Economic Impact of Enhanced Diagnostic Procedures
29:48 - Building a Team and Securing Funding for Innovation
31:30 - Understanding Investment Opportunities and Equity Financing

---

RESOURCES

Dr. Bryan Hartley’s email:
bryan.hartley@pulmera.com

Dr. Bryan Hartley’s cell:
423-432-0612

Pulmera:
http://www.pulmera.com/

Stanford Biodesign Fellowship:
https://biodesign.stanford.edu/programs/fellowships/innovation-fellowships.html

BackTable Innovation Episode #1 - Needs Driven Innovation with Dr. Todd Brinton (Stanford BioDesign):
https://www.backtable.com/shows/innovation/podcasts/1/needs-driven-innovation

BackTable Innovation Episode #30 - Host Stories with Dr. Bryan Hartley and Dr. Eric Gantwerker (Stanford BioDesign):
https://www.backtable.com/shows/innovation/podcasts/30/host-stories

BackTable VI Episode #422 - Pathology 101: Solid Advice for Percutaneous Biopsies with Dr. Andrew Sholl:
https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/422/pathology-101-solid-advice-for-percutaneous-biopsies

In this episode, Dr. Matthew Lungren discusses the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, sharing insights into large language models, deep learning, and machine learning in improving patient care, enhancing clinical workflows, and optimizing medical research.

Dr. Lungren is a pediatric diagnostic and interventional radiologist, and the Chief Data Science Officer at Microsoft Health and Life Sciences. He advocates for a future where AI acts as a tool for healthcare professionals, allowing them to devote more time to patient care rather than administrative tasks. Additionally, the discussion explores concerns such as AI’s impact on employment and interactions with insurance companies, while presenting resources for healthcare professionals to engage with and learn about AI technologies actively.

---

SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction
03:00 - The Journey to AI Expertise: Dr. Lungren’s Story
05:48 - Decoding AI: From Basics to Large Language Models
13:07 - AI’s Impact on Healthcare and Beyond
15:57 - Exploring AI’s Potential in Content Creation and Clinical Efficiency
20:22 - The Future of AI in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges
25:27 - Leveraging AI for Diagnostic Radiology and Beyond
27:42 - The Transformative Potential of Generative AI in Healthcare
33:40 - Addressing Concerns: AI’s Role in Insurance and Patient Advocacy
36:41 - Empowering Healthcare Professionals with AI: Practical Applications and Future Outlook

---

RESOURCES

Fundamentals of Machine Learning for Healthcare - Stanford University Coursera Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/fundamental-machine-learning-healthcare

Dr. Matt Lungren’s LinkedIn Learning Course on Generative AI:
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/an-introduction-to-how-generative-ai-will-transform-healthcare/introduction-to-generative-ai-in-healthcare

DeepLearning.AI Website (Professor Andrew Ng):
https://www.deeplearning.ai/

Fast.AI Website (Professor Jeremy Howard):
https://www.fast.ai/

Professor Jeremy Howard YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@howardjeremyp/featured

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMMS) Meeting:
https://www.himssconference.com/en/homepage.html

In this episode of the BackTable Podcast, host Dr. Aaron Fritts interviews guest Dr. Ramsey Al-Hakim about the inception and journey of Auxetics, a med-tech company innovating in the vein stent market. Dr. Al-Hakim is the co-founder of Auxetics and the Section Chief of the Division of Interventional Radiology at Scripps Hospital in San Diego, CA.

Dr. Al-Hakim covers the initial challenges of understanding the market and securing capital, the clinical significance of addressing stent-adjacent stenosis, and the process of developing a stent with a negative Poisson effect to counteract it. Dr. Al-Hakim highlights Auxetics' approach to combining cutting-edge interventional technologies with world-class imaging tools for enhanced procedural efficiency in venous interventions. The company’s progress through benchtop work, animal testing, and plans for first-in-human studies outside the U.S., aiming for commercialization within the next four to five years, is also outlined. Contributions from key figures in the vascular community and the role of mentorship and perseverance in navigating the complexities of medical device innovation are discussed as well.

---

CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS

Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company
https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/

Reflow Medical
https://www.reflowmedical.com/

---

SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction
03:11 - The Market and Problem Solving
12:13 - Journey of Creating a Stent
22:28 - Birth of Auxetics
26:53 - Learning Process and Support from the University
29:16 - Building the Dream Team
33:01 - Starting a Company
36:42 - Challenges and Triumphs of Fundraising
37:44 - Current Status and Future Plans
45:32 - Importance of Community and Mentorship

---

RESOURCES

Auxetics:
https://www.auxeticsinc.com

In-stent restenosis and stent compression following stenting for chronic iliofemoral venous obstruction:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34174500/

Venous Stenosis Animal Model Utilizing Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30717966/

The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture:
https://www.amazon.com/Messy-Middle-Finding-Through-Hardest/dp/0735218072

In this episode of the BackTable Podcast, host Dr. Aaron Fritts interviews guest Dr. John Qiao about exploration of physicians’ role in medical innovation, particularly among interventional radiologists.

Dr. Qiao shares insightful information about the origin of RadioClash and details his journey as an entrepreneur. Through this discussion, Dr. Qiao covers the challenges encountered during the startup phase, the invention of a single-probe electroporation device, and the future applications of this novel medical technology. The episode concludes with broader advice on how to manage the demands of professional work, entrepreneurship, and personal life.

---

SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction
02:39 - Dr. Qiao’s Journey into Medicine and Entrepreneurship
11:40 - Birth of Radioclash: A Unique Solution for Cancer Treatment
17:58 - Future of RadioClash: Targeting Metastatic Cancer
25:20 - Future of Electroporation Therapy
35:21 - Challenges of Building a Company
44:37 - Path to Market and Future Plans
47:28 - Balancing Clinical Practice and Entrepreneurship

---

RESOURCES

RadioClash website:
https://www.radioclash.co/

News Article on Dr. John Qiao:
https://voyagehouston.com/interview/meet-john-qiao-m-d-of-radioclash-ltd-co/

Radiation Therapy as a Modality to Create Abscopal Effects: Current and Future Practices:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7086111/

The Abscopal Effect: A Reemerging Field of Interest:
https://ascopost.com/issues/november-25-2018/the-abscopal-effect-a-reemerging-field-of-interest/

BackTable VI Episode #402 - Immunotherapy in HCC: Evolving Treatment Paradigms:
https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/402/immunotherapy-in-hcc-evolving-treatment-paradigms

Tavo and Pembrolizumab in Patients With Stage III/​IV Melanoma Progressing on Either Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab Treatment (Keynote-695):
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03132675

PANFIRE-3 Trial: Assessing Safety and Efficacy of Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) + Nivolumab + CpG for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer:
https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04612530

Radiofrequency Ablation for the Palliative Treatment of Bone Metastases: Outcomes from the Multicenter OsteoCool Tumor Ablation Post-Market Study (OPuS One Study) in 100 Patients:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33129427/

The improvement of irreversible electroporation therapy using saline-irrigated electrodes: a theoretical study (Northwestern study):
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21728392/

Irreversible electroporation reverses resistance to immune checkpoint blockade in pancreatic cancer:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-08782-1