Healthcare Uncensored

Rani Khetarpal
  • 5.0 (1)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS

Welcome to Healthcare Uncensored, the podcast where we are not afraid to ask the hard questions and unapologetically discuss what matters most in healthcare. Hosted by award-winning healthcare executive Rani Khetarpal, a leader with deep expertise across the healthcare spectrum, this show dives deep into the challenges, innovations, and opportunities shaping the industry today. From breaking down silos in healthcare delivery to highlighting entrepreneurial breakthroughs, Healthcare Uncensored explores the real stories and bold ideas that drive change, with a focus on outcomes that matter to patients and providers alike. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of patient care, curious about the latest healthcare innovations, or eager to connect the dots in a fragmented system, this podcast has something for you. Join us for unfiltered and edgy conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and change-makers who are working diligently on transforming healthcare. Tune in, subscribe, and get ready to hear about what matters most in healthcare!

Episodes

  1. MAR 26

    What Food, Cannabis, and AI Reveal About the Future of Healthcare with Dara Huang

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Dr. Dara Huang, physician-entrepreneur and Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of PerkyPet AI, to explore the connections between food, chronic disease, behavioral health, and emerging technology. From her clinical background in nephrology and internal medicine to her work in culinary medicine and cannabinoid-based therapies, Dara shares how her personal experiences and patient care journey shaped a more holistic view of health. She breaks down why prevention often starts outside the healthcare system—and how small, everyday behaviors play a much bigger role than we think. Rani and Dara also dive into innovation in healthcare, the challenges of stigma, and how Dara is now applying her experience to build an AI-powered platform focused on improving health and longevity for pets. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Dara’s personal experiences shaped her path in medicine and innovation Why prevention often starts outside traditional healthcare settings The role of food and nutrition in chronic disease and long-term health How culinary medicine translates into real patient care Dara’s approach to cannabinoid-based therapies and overcoming stigma Why healthcare innovation requires thinking beyond traditional systems How PerkyPet is using AI to support preventive care for pets The connection between human health, behavior, and pet wellness Dara’s perspective on where healthcare is headed in the next 12 months Connect with Dara Huang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dara-huang-md-mmsc-04a47710b/ Website: https://daramd.com/ PerkyPet: https://perkypet.org/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters: https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

  2. MAR 12

    Why Mental Health Is the Missing Piece in Cancer Care with Kyle Lavin

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Dr. Kyle Lavin, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Cerula Care, to talk about the role of mental health support in cancer care and why it should be more accessible to patients from the start of their journey. Kyle shares his personal and professional path into psychiatry, palliative care, and oncology, including the life experiences that shaped his work and led him to focus on improving access to behavioral health for people living with cancer. He also explains what palliative care psychiatry is, why palliative care is often misunderstood, and how these services can better support patients and families facing serious illness. Rani and Kyle also discuss the collaborative care model, the gaps in the current mental health system, and how Cerula Care is working to scale an evidence-based approach that helps cancer patients get the support they need. Meet the Guest: Kyle Lavin Kyle Lavin is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Cerula Care, an integrated behavioral health company focused on people living with cancer. He is one of fewer than 100 palliative care psychiatrists in the country and is deeply passionate about improving access to mental health support for patients facing serious illness. Kyle also serves as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Kyle’s personal journey led him into psychiatry and palliative careWhat palliative care psychiatry is and why it mattersWhy palliative care should begin earlier in the care journeyHow palliative care has evolved over timeWhy mental health support remains difficult for cancer patients to accessWhat the collaborative care model looks like in practiceHow Cerula Care is integrating behavioral health into oncology careWhat it takes to launch a healthcare startup and secure an early provider partnerWhere Kyle believes healthcare may be headed in the next 12 monthsConnect with Kyle Lavin & Cerula Care🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-lavin-857a4222🌐 Website: https://cerulacare.com/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    37 min

  3. 12/31/2025

    Beth Raboin on Virtual Staffing, Practice Efficiency & Scaling GMVA

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Beth Raboin, CEO and Founder of Global Medical Virtual Assistants (GMVA), to talk about how virtual staffing is helping medical practices address workforce shortages and improve operational efficiency. Beth shares her journey from being a Division I gymnast on full scholarship at the University of Florida to spending more than 22 years across surgical device, pharmaceutical, and specialty pharmacy industries. Along the way, she gained deep insight into how medical practices operate—and where administrative burden slows care delivery. That experience ultimately led her to launch GMVA and scale it from one client to a high-growth organization supporting healthcare teams nationwide. Rani and Beth also discuss the realities of entrepreneurship in healthcare, including long adoption cycles, early misjudgments, building the right team, knowing when to say no to clients, and balancing leadership with motherhood. Meet the Guest: Beth Raboin Beth Raboin is the CEO and Founder of Global Medical Virtual Assistants (GMVA). With more than 22 years of experience across surgical device, pharmaceutical, and specialty pharmacy industries, she blends strategic leadership with hands-on operational expertise. A former Division I gymnast on full scholarship at the University of Florida, Beth holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. Under her leadership, GMVA achieved 1,085.9% revenue growth over three years, ranking #368 on the Inc. 5000 list and #1 fastest-growing private company in Connecticut. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Beth transitioned from Division I athletics to healthcare entrepreneurshipWhy virtual staffing has become a cost-effective solution for medical practicesWhat GMVA does and how it supports front desk, authorizations, and revenue cycle workflowsWhy adoption in healthcare takes time—even when solutions are clearly neededLessons from Beth’s first year as a founder and landing early clientsThe growing pains of scaling fast and building the right internal teamWhy saying no to the wrong clients protects long-term successBeth’s perspective on leadership, motherhood, and redefining “balance”Where she believes healthcare is headed in the next 12 monthsConnect with Beth Raboin & GMVA 🌐 Website: https://gmva.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-lachance-950792365/📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/globalmedicalva📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/globalmedicalvas▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@globalmedicalvirtualassistants🔗 LinkedIn (Company): https://linkedin.com/company/globalmedicalva Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    31 min

  4. 12/18/2025

    Deepti Pandita on AI Governance and Clinical Informatics in Healthcare

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Dr. Deepti Pandita, VP of Clinical Informatics and Chief Medical Information Officer at UC Irvine Health, to talk about what it really takes to implement technology in healthcare—especially as AI moves from buzzword to everyday tool. Deepti shares her journey from training in India with almost no computer access to becoming one of the early board-certified clinical informaticists in the U.S. She breaks down how clinical informatics has evolved from “EMR enablement” to a broader discipline at the intersection of people, process, and technology—and why governance, workflow fit, and user trust matter more than the tool itself. Rani and Deepti also discuss real-world examples of AI in action—from ambient AI scribing that helps clinicians get time back, to health-system-built LLMs supporting discharge planning—and how data and design decisions can either widen or close health equity gaps. Meet the Guest: Deepti Pandita, MD Deepti Pandita, MD is the VP of Informatics and Chief Medical Information Officer at University of California Irvine Health, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at UCI. She leads AI governance at UCI and has implemented solutions to improve clinician proficiency using AI. Her organization is a founding member of CHAI (Coalition for Health AI), and she serves as a Board Member of the American Medical Informatics Association, is the immediate past Chair of the Medical Informatics Committee for the American College of Physicians, and Chair for HIMSS Physician Informatics. She is also a Physician Advisory Board member for Epic. Dr. Pandita has published on bridging digital disparities and most recently coauthored the American College of Physicians position paper on AI in healthcare. She was named one of Becker’s “Top 50 CMIOs to Know” in 2025. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Deepti went from “what is an icon?” to leading clinical informatics and AI governanceWhy clinical informatics is really the intersection of people, process, and technologyWhat changed between early EMR rollout challenges and today’s AI implementation realityHow governance helps prioritize what to build, buy, train, or fix inside a health systemHow ambient AI scribing is improving documentation burden and clinician wellnessHow a health-system-built LLM can support discharge readiness and operational efficiencyWhy equity work often starts with data—and the small details that make a big differenceDeepti’s take on agentic AI, AI oversight, and why AI should be normalized—not fearedWhere she believes healthcare will be in 12 months: lower burnout metrics for cliniciansConnect with Dr. Deepti Pandita🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepti-pandita-b361ab117/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    37 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    Tino Chow on Innovation, Branding & the Human Side of MedTech Adoption

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Tino Chow, Founder and CEO of Giant Shoulders, a strategic branding agency helping medtech startups and venture firms bring breakthrough technologies to market. A former military officer turned designer and entrepreneur, Tino blends operations, creativity, and commercial strategy to help innovators close the gap between invention and real-world adoption. His “three-headed monster” background—operations, design, and entrepreneurship—shapes a unique point of view on what innovation actually means in healthcare, and why execution and adoption often matter more than novel ideas. Rani and Tino dive deep into the realities of innovation, the role of branding in driving adoption, and why startups must learn to communicate not features—but trust, credibility, and the promise of partnership. They also explore how consumerism is shaping decision-making, the psychology behind choosing new technology, and the importance of champions inside organizations. This is a rich, insightful conversation for anyone building, funding, or implementing healthcare innovation. Meet the Guest: Tino Chow Tino Chow is the founder and CEO of Giant Shoulders, an award-winning branding agency that builds brands and sales tools for mission-driven companies and leaders. Combining a military operational background with formal design training, he brings clarity and creativity to complex challenges. A TED Fellow and adjunct at Brown University, Tino has coached more than 350 founders over the past six years and has deep experience shaping creative cultures in agencies and startups. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why implementation—not invention—is often the real driver of innovationHow branding and storytelling build trust in a risk-averse industryWhat startups must do to identify and empower internal championsWhy a company’s vision only matters if others can clearly understand itHow VCs and founders share similar challenges in positioning and credibilityWhere Tino believes healthcare is headed over the next 12 monthsConnect with Tino ChowWebsite - https://gs.agency/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinochow/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    35 min

  6. 11/20/2025

    Matthew Zachary on Cancer Culture, Patient Power & the Fight for Healthcare Justice

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal is joined by Matthew Zachary — a 30-year brain cancer survivor, cultural provocateur, and one of the most unfiltered patient voices in healthcare today. Matthew’s story is not a straight line. At 21, just as he was preparing for a career as a concert pianist, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. The experience dropped him into a healthcare system that didn’t know what to do with young adults — and he never forgot it. What followed was three decades of speaking out, building community, and demanding better. Matthew founded Stupid Cancer, the organization that put young adult cancer on the map, and more recently We The Patients, a bipartisan movement aimed at giving patients political power for the first time. Along the way, he’s launched award-winning podcasts, produced documentaries, and become an unexpected historian of the advocacy movements that shaped American cancer care. This conversation is equal parts personal, irreverent, and brutally honest — exactly what you’d expect from someone widely regarded as “the people’s voice in healthcare.” Meet the Guest: Matthew Zachary Matthew Zachary is a 30-year brain cancer survivor, filmmaker, pianist, and one of the most trusted voices in healthcare advocacy. He is the Founder of Stupid Cancer, the global leader in young adult cancer support, and Founder of We The Patients, the first bipartisan cancer rights movement focused on elevating patient power at the ballot box. Recognized for his irreverent, unfiltered style, Matthew is the host of Out of Patients — one of America’s top healthcare podcasts — and creator of the acclaimed documentary series Cancer Mavericks, celebrating 50 years of patient advocacy. His upcoming book, We The Patients (Wiley, 2026), blends history, memoir, and activism, including his personal “Uncle Jay” story, which shaped his views on survivorship and justice. Matthew’s work sits at the intersection of culture, policy, media, and patient empowerment, making him one of the most influential storytellers and advocates in modern healthcare. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How a brain cancer diagnosis at 21 reshaped Matthew’s life — and careerThe origins of Stupid Cancer and its global impact on young adultsThe personal “Uncle Jay” story that shaped his approach to advocacyWhy We The Patients aims to mobilize millions as a voter-powered movementThe making of Cancer Mavericks and why documenting advocacy history mattersHow Out of Patients became the “podfather” of healthcare podcastsThe systemic flaws of U.S. healthcare — and how patients can reclaim powerInsights into his upcoming book We The Patients (Wiley, 2026)A preview of MZ30 at Lincoln Center — Matthew’s 30-year survivorship event and piano performanceConnect with Matthew Zachary: Website: https://www.matthewzachary.comOut of Patients Podcast: https://www.outofpatients.comWe The Patients: https://www.wethepatients.usCancer Mavericks Documentary: https://cancermavericks.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewzachary/Substack: https://thematthewzachary.substack.com Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    47 min

  7. 09/25/2025

    Barbara Salami on Kindness, AI, and the Future of Healthcare Leadership

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Barbara Salami, Vice President and former executive at Moderna and Novo Nordisk, to explore how kindness, innovation, and leadership can transform healthcare organizations. Barbara shares her inspiring journey from Nigeria to the U.S., discussing the challenges of cultural transition, her path through diverse roles in pharma and tech, and the personal values that have guided her rise to senior leadership. Together, Rani and Barbara dive deep into what it truly means to lead with kindness in an industry where decisions can mean life or death. They also discuss how AI and digital transformation are reshaping the future of healthcare — and why leaders must balance efficiency with humanity to drive meaningful change. Meet the Guest: Barbara Salami Barbara Salami is a seasoned healthcare leader with over two decades of experience driving digital innovation, commercial excellence, and customer experience strategy. She currently serves as a Vice President and has held senior roles at some of the world’s most influential life sciences companies, including Moderna, Novo Nordisk, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Shire, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, and Aetna. At Moderna, Barbara served as VP of Digital for Commercial, where she built and scaled the company’s digital ecosystem to support its rapid global growth. Her work focused on simplifying complex systems, building AI-driven insights, and creating frictionless experiences for patients, providers, and partners. Passionate about STEM education, diversity, and inclusion, Barbara co-founded STEM Dragons, a program teaching coding fundamentals to K–8 students. She is a sought-after speaker on leadership, innovation, and the future of healthcare, and she actively mentors emerging leaders in the industry. Barbara holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University and an MBA from Penn State University. She is also a proud mother of three and an advocate for building compassionate, human-centered healthcare experiences. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Barbara’s journey from Nigeria to the U.S. and how it shaped her leadership style.Why kindness is a leadership superpower — and why it’s often misunderstood.The difference between kindness and empathy in driving team culture and success.How organizational friction forms and why removing it is so difficult.The evolving role of AI in healthcare and how it can balance efficiency with humanity.Why leaders must be bold enough to disrupt outdated systems to truly innovate.Barbara’s predictions for how healthcare will evolve over the next 12 months.Connect with Barbara Salami:https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasalami/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    30 min

  8. 09/11/2025

    Zak Eisenberg on Deals, Data & Disruption in Healthcare

    In this episode of Healthcare Uncensored, host Rani Khetarpal sits down with Zak Eisenberg, Partner at Merritt Healthcare Advisors, to demystify the world of healthcare investment banking and uncover what truly makes a company attractive in today’s market. From co-founding an edtech startup in college to advising on strategic transactions for ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals, Zak brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial grit and financial strategy to the conversation. Rani and Zak explore the ins and outs of mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and deal-making in a highly regulated, politically influenced industry. They also tackle the growing role of AI in healthcare, the shifting venture capital landscape, and what it really means to be a value-added partner—not just a banker. Meet the Guest: Zak Eisenberg Zak Eisenberg is a Partner at Merritt Healthcare Advisors, where he advises health system leaders, physicians, and investors on strategic transactions in ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals. With a background in venture capital, entrepreneurship, and private equity, Zak brings a uniquely cross-sector perspective to healthcare M&A. He specializes in deal origination, capital structuring, and strategic growth, bridging clinical operations with long-term value creation across the healthcare ecosystem. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Zak’s unconventional path from acting student to startup founder shaped his careerThe role and real function of investment banks in healthcare (hint: it's not just raising money)Why Merritt Healthcare Advisors focuses exclusively on the lower-to-middle marketKey indicators that make a healthcare company "investment ready"Why relationship-building is core to successful healthcare transactionsThe impact of AI on provider workflows, patient interaction, and diagnosticsWhat venture capital firms are really looking for in the current climateHow AI hype is creating noise—and where Zak sees real, sustainable valueConnect with Zak Eisenberg 🔗 https://merrittadvisory.com/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/rani-khetarpal/

    31 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Welcome to Healthcare Uncensored, the podcast where we are not afraid to ask the hard questions and unapologetically discuss what matters most in healthcare. Hosted by award-winning healthcare executive Rani Khetarpal, a leader with deep expertise across the healthcare spectrum, this show dives deep into the challenges, innovations, and opportunities shaping the industry today. From breaking down silos in healthcare delivery to highlighting entrepreneurial breakthroughs, Healthcare Uncensored explores the real stories and bold ideas that drive change, with a focus on outcomes that matter to patients and providers alike. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of patient care, curious about the latest healthcare innovations, or eager to connect the dots in a fragmented system, this podcast has something for you. Join us for unfiltered and edgy conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and change-makers who are working diligently on transforming healthcare. Tune in, subscribe, and get ready to hear about what matters most in healthcare!

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