Lifers with Christina Farr

Christina Farr
  • 4.7 (22)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Veteran journalist, investor, and Second Opinion Media founder Chrissy Farr talks with the CEOs and founders who've been in the trenches long enough to know that healthcare doesn't move at startup speed. These aren't the entrepreneurs chasing quick exits—they're the "lifers" who understand that building in healthcare requires endless pivots, regulatory navigation, and decade-long timelines. No hype, just honest conversations about what it really takes. Each episode explores healthcare innovation, startup strategy, medical technology and AI, health system transformation, and investment insights from operators who've navigated regulatory challenges, clinical trials, reimbursement complexities, and the unique dynamics of the healthcare industry.

  1. Why price transparency took a decade to crack | Heather Fernandez, Solv

    14H AGO

    Why price transparency took a decade to crack | Heather Fernandez, Solv

    In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Heather Fernandez, CEO of Solv and former Trulia executive, to dig into the question that has stumped healthcare for decades: why don't patients know what their doctor visit will cost? They discuss how Solv evolved from a marketplace for urgent care appointments into an AI-first operating system for on-demand healthcare,built on over 100 million real patient visits, and why AI is finally cracking the price transparency problem after more than a decade of trying. They also explore what it really means to "skip the landline" and rebuild workflows from scratch, how Solv's voice agent Maya is handling millions of after-hours calls no front desk team could staff, and more.—Thanks to Solv who facilitated this conversation. Solv is the AI-first operating system for on-demand healthcare, helping providers automate everything from patient access to insurance verification and payments.—LINKS: Solv: https://www.solvhealth.com/  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Heather:https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherfernandez https://x.com/heathermirj  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Lead In(00:58) Intro(02:24) Leveraging walking meetings to foster authentic collaboration (04:47) Heather's career from Capitol Hill to venture-backed PR(07:29) Deciding to join a room of misfits at Trulia (09:27) Managing family milestones alongside major tech exits (11:33) From real estate to a complex healthcare market (16:05) Projecting an Uber-like paradigm shift for medical pricing (19:23) Bottoms-up data ingestion to solve localized plan complexity (22:15) Transitioning Solv from consumer marketplace to AI-first OS (23:47) Mapping structural forces driving a sudden consumer health pull (25:21) Deploying automated voice agents to eliminate front-desk administrative drag (27:13) Forcing organizational transformation amidst high-profile tech layoffs (33:31) Applying a "skip the landline" mantra to legacy workflows (37:27) Navigating the three operational phases of AI adaptation (39:43) Reshaping the healthcare front door through tech investments(42:58) Challenging industry insiders who dismiss medical cost urgency (43:48) Calling for passionate tech outsiders to disrupt entrenched structures(45:37) Wrap

    47 min
  2. Behind Kalshi’s $22B rise: Betting on addiction with Dr. Rian Kabir

    MAY 12

    Behind Kalshi’s $22B rise: Betting on addiction with Dr. Rian Kabir

    In this special episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Rian Kabir, a psychiatrist and medical AI expert, to discuss the mental health implications of Kalshi's $22 billion valuation. They explore whether prediction markets constitute gambling, the addictive risks of frictionless betting apps, and what Rian is seeing in his own clinical practice. A timely conversation on the societal costs of a rapidly growing industry.—Join Christina for an upcoming webinar:* ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs * ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS * ⁠⁠6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3 —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS: Chrissy’s Tweet: https://x.com/chrissyfarr/status/2053457349075976665?s=20 Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Rian:https://x.com/RianKMD  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:24) Kalshi valuation sparks debate(02:04) Why app gambling hits hard(04:55) Addiction risk factors explained(06:26) Kalshi vs sports betting apps(08:18) Clinical fallout and suicide risk(10:05) Sponsor: Granola(10:44) Age limits and young brains(13:02) Juul parallels and VC ethics(15:17) Regulation incentives and society(17:17) Wrap

    19 min
  3. Building Maven Clinic when no one believed with CEO Kate Ryder

    MAY 5

    Building Maven Clinic when no one believed with CEO Kate Ryder

    In this episode of Lifers, Maven Clinic founder and CEO Kate Ryder joins host Christina Farr to discuss her journey building the first unicorn in the women's health category. Kate reflects on the "wartime" mentality of the early years, the challenges of scaling to a $500 million company, and the resilience needed to face investors who initially dismissed the space as a "niche" market. They explore the industry’s evolution, from overcoming Silicon Valley “trolls” to leading the transition of digital health from niche point solutions into massive, integrated platforms. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/d2c2adc9-b014-415e-91ab-75716d5784fd-008umkv4 —Join Christina for an upcoming webinar:* ⁠5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs * ⁠⁠6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS * ⁠⁠6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com  —LINKS: Maven Clinic: https://www.mavenclinic.com/ Sachin Jain on Lifers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvtakm7NMnI Sean Duffy and Stephanie Davis on Lifers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLRmtmcQjP4  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  —FOLLOW:Kate:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-ryder-87474933/ https://x.com/_KateRyder  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Lead In(00:58) Intro(02:09) Founder energy and motivation(02:41) Which growth stage hurts(06:42) Hiring for the stage(10:19) Storytelling as a superpower(17:12) Sponsor: Granola(18:05) Selling change without fear(21:16) ROI and aligned incentives(23:57) What carve outs mean(26:33) Point solutions to platforms(29:23) Women VCs and fundraising bias(36:17) How personal to get(38:47) Consumer health comes back(42:09) Gen Z parenthood and misinformation(47:12) Wrap

    50 min
  4. Dr. Oliver Kharraz on the decades-long journey to make scheduling a doctor's appointment easier

    APR 28

    Dr. Oliver Kharraz on the decades-long journey to make scheduling a doctor's appointment easier

    This week on Lifers, Christina Farr interviews Dr. Oliver Kharraz, the CEO of Zocdoc. They discuss the complexities of navigating the healthcare industry and the "culture shock" of modernizing medical scheduling. They explore Zocdoc’s evolution from a startup to a major platform, highlighting strategic shifts in their business model and the challenge of balancing growth with regulatory demands. They also discuss the future, examining how Voice AI and LLMs are poised to transform the "front office" and improve patient access to care. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/a4284c84-160f-4a64-8761-dfd8d8680064-008umkv4  —Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERSInterested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS: Zocdoc: https://www.zocdoc.com/ The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis - Citrini Research: https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gicChrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books—FOLLOW:Oliver: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kharraz/ https://x.com/oliver_kharraz Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:57) Intro(03:08) Healthcare culture shock(05:32) Zocdoc origin story(06:04) Hidden inventory insight(07:13) Early tech reality check(07:33) The Post-it note problem(09:03) New York first strategy(10:51) Why healthcare is harder(12:32) Startup mindset and IPO(15:22) Sponsor: Granola(16:01) Business model overhaul(19:06) Backlash and whale dinners(22:04) Regulatory green light(23:27) Lessons on transparency(25:09) Fair share friction(26:21) Transition pays off(27:43) Growth versus profit(29:18) Shopify for access(30:47) Voice AI front desk(34:27) Competing with startups(37:02) LLMs need transactions(42:16) Reserve capacity reality(44:41) Autonomous care limits(46:24) Optimism on AI jobs(50:22) Wrap

    52 min
  5. Dr. Farzad Mostashari, Aledade CEO, on why more doctors are going independent

    APR 21

    Dr. Farzad Mostashari, Aledade CEO, on why more doctors are going independent

    This week on Lifers, Christina Farr is joined by Farzad Mostashari, CEO of Aledade and former National Coordinator for Health IT, alongside co-host Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly Health. Farzad traces his journey from CDC to spearheading the nationwide rollout of electronic health records. They discuss why value-based care is the only viable path forward, how AI is finally making it possible to deliver population health insights at scale, and what the current administration is getting right (and wrong) on payment reform. Dive into the Granola notes from this episode: https://notes.granola.ai/t/5a6d9ee2-8592-4471-adec-2d66797d86fd-008umkv4— Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com—LINKS:  Syndromic surveillance piece: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/04/syndromic-surveillance-useful-to-track-pandemics-like-covid-19.html On the ACCESS MODEL: https://secondopinion.media/p/cms-unveils-major-new-outcomes-based-model-for-tech-enabled-care-what-digital-health-leaders-need-to  Aledade: https://aledade.com/ Anomaly: https://www.findanomaly.com/  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books —FOLLOW:Farzad:https://www.linkedin.com/in/farzad-mostashari-933210 Mike:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-desjadon-4a0a21a/ https://x.com/Mike_Desjadon Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(03:01) Disease hunter origins(04:50) Saving lives at scale(06:54) EHRs and incentives(09:22) Advice for AI builders(10:46) Payment reform bright spots(14:26) Sponsor: Granola(15:20) Deflation and CPT shakeup(17:47) Paying for outcomes(20:26) Aledade and ACCESS model(24:23) AI needs value models(25:58) Electronic health records copilot breakthrough(28:15) Rural care opportunity(30:26) Accountability drives adoption(32:58) Concierge care tradeoffs(34:43) Scaling primary care capacity(35:53) Doctors as entrepreneurs(38:13) Mission and policy moves(41:02) Rapid fire predictions(43:51) Bipartisan VBC

    46 min
  6. [Emergency Pod] Peptides - Part 2 with Dr. Jonathan Slotkin of Scrub Capital

    APR 18 ·  BONUS

    [Emergency Pod] Peptides - Part 2 with Dr. Jonathan Slotkin of Scrub Capital

    In this special episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Jonathan Slotkin (neurosurgeon, CMO, and co-founder of Scrub Capital) for a timely conversation on peptides and what the latest HHS announcements mean for patients and the longevity industry. Jon breaks down his own protocol, makes the case that the longevity conversation has too often left women out, and closes with a watch-out for investors: the potential descheduling of testosterone. —SPONSOR: Granola Granola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/lifers with code: LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Scrub Capital: https://scrubcapital.com/ Ashley Winter on Twitter: https://x.com/AshleyGWinter Peptide Reclassification: https://peptide-db.com/guides/fda-peptide-reclassification-2026 Testosterone/TRT expansion: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-step-forward-testosterone-therapy-men  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  —FOLLOW:Jon:https://www.linkedin.com/in/slotkinjr https://x.com/slotkinjr  Christina Farr:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:08) What are peptides(02:25) Safety and FDA nuance(04:53) Clinician survey tribes(07:15) Jon’s personal protocol(10:03) Women and hormone gaps(14:08) Sponsor: Granola(14:47) Why peptides are everywhere(17:11) Finding the right provider(20:47) Follow John and final nugget(21:49) Testosterone descheduling watch(22:31) Wrap

    24 min
  7. [Emergency Pod] Peptides - Part 1 with Sunita Mohanty of Ultralight

    APR 17 ·  BONUS

    [Emergency Pod] Peptides - Part 1 with Sunita Mohanty of Ultralight

    Christina Farr sits down with Sunita Mohanty, CEO and Co-founder of Ultralight, an AI-native operating system powering over 75 functional and longevity medicine clinics across the U.S. Sunita breaks down the regulatory whiplash driving a peptide black market, why the evidence base still hasn't caught up with patient demand, and why individual response varies so dramatically. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —SPONSOR: Granola Granola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://granola.ai/liferswith code: LIFERS Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Ultralight: https://www.ultralighthealth.com/  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books   —FOLLOW:Sunita: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunita-mohanty/ https://x.com/sunitasmohanty  Christina Farr:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Welcome to Lifers(00:22) Peptides everywhere(01:00) Meet Sunita Mohanty(01:58) Astrology to stacks(02:54) Gray areas and risks(05:16) Clinicians and compounding(06:36) Sponsor break Granola(07:15) Doctors self experimenting(08:35) Why peptides skew male(10:11) Prevention and policy(11:35) Wrap up and next steps

    13 min
  8. The case for a virtual-first healthcare system with Dr. Chris Gallagher, founder and Chief Strategy Officer and Dr. Blake Porter, Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Access TeleCare

    APR 13

    The case for a virtual-first healthcare system with Dr. Chris Gallagher, founder and Chief Strategy Officer and Dr. Blake Porter, Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Access TeleCare

    In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Chris Gallagher (founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Access TeleCare) and Dr. Blake Porter (Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Access TeleCare) to explore the state and future of virtual subspecialty care. The conversation centers on a second wave of telehealth growth, moving beyond the pandemic-era boom into harder-to-reach territory like high-risk pregnancy care, rural ICUs, and other subspecialties where trained clinicians are hard to find and can't simply be manufactured at scale. — Join Christina for an upcoming webinar: * 5/19 - What will AI do for employer healthcare and benefits with Garner Health - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/sQfWpwRzMqWE⁠⁠ * 5/21 - The case for building an AI native electronic health record system - ⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/RCVSNheSPePs⁠ ⁠⁠* 6/3 - Privacy, AI & the future of HIPAA with the former founding director of ONC - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/bzW4sh8WAPyS⁠⁠ ⁠* 6/23 - Not everyone can access the top 1% of physicians. Will AI change that? - ⁠⁠https://streamyard.com/watch/qY9td6fhiXK3⁠⁠ —Thanks to our sponsor Access TeleCare, the largest provider of acute specialty telemedicine, serving hospitals and health systems across the U.S.—LINKS: Access TeleCare: https://accesstelecare.com/  Second Opinion’s interview with Chris Clomp: https://secondopinion.media/p/the-big-interview-we-sit-down-with-rfk-jr-s-no-2-chris-klomp Charted: Where Inflation Has Hit the Hardest (2000–2025): https://www.visualcapitalist.com/chart-inflation-hit-the-hardest-by-category-2000-2025/  Chrissy Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr Chrissy Farr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfarr/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  —FOLLOW:Chris:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgallaghermd/  Blake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-porter-62b51367  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Preview(01:02) Intro(03:18) Telehealth growth and market reset(06:08) Virtual specialty care in women's health(08:41) Solving the subspecialist shortage(12:01) What virtual care really means(14:51) Care at home and remote monitoring(17:55) Rural Health Fund and Medicaid cuts(21:39) Reducing hospital transfers with telemedicine(23:49) Change management in healthcare(25:08) Trusting clinical change(26:32) Doctors in business roles(27:36) No margin no mission(31:02) Defining quality and sustainability(32:55) Making healthcare deflationary(38:39) Rural innovation ground zero(42:10) Picking the right vendors(44:25) Founding a virtual ICU(48:15) Selling into health systems(50:50) Wrap

    52 min
See All (62)

4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Veteran journalist, investor, and Second Opinion Media founder Chrissy Farr talks with the CEOs and founders who've been in the trenches long enough to know that healthcare doesn't move at startup speed. These aren't the entrepreneurs chasing quick exits—they're the "lifers" who understand that building in healthcare requires endless pivots, regulatory navigation, and decade-long timelines. No hype, just honest conversations about what it really takes. Each episode explores healthcare innovation, startup strategy, medical technology and AI, health system transformation, and investment insights from operators who've navigated regulatory challenges, clinical trials, reimbursement complexities, and the unique dynamics of the healthcare industry.

Information

You Might Also Like