Lifers with Christina Farr

Christina Farr
  • 4.9 (18)
  • 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. Othman Laraki, Color CEO, on surviving three major pivots

    12M AGO

    Othman Laraki, Color CEO, on surviving three major pivots

    In this episode, Christina Farr sits down with Othman Laraki, co-founder and CEO of Color. They discuss the "tortuous" yet rewarding journey of building a generational healthcare company. Othman shares how Color successfully navigated three major pivots—evolving from a cancer genetics startup into a national COVID-19 infrastructure provider, and finally into a comprehensive virtual cancer clinic. They explore the critical differences between tech and healthcare, the evolution of risk in venture capital, and why long-term success in the industry requires a deep commitment to solving complex clinical problems.—SPONSOR: GranolaGranola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings:Check out the Granola Notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/d1e8a189-ddb1-4c4f-b92d-3d4d509e4937-008umkv4.  Interested in sponsoring the show? lifers@a16zstudios.com —LINKS: Color: https://www.color.com/Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Othman:https://www.linkedin.com/in/othmanlaraki/ https://x.com/othman Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:58) Intro(01:21) Lessons from Figma and betting on the tortoise over the hair(02:45) Othman's transition from Google and Twitter to healthcare founder(05:07) Why simple features often become massively scalable business engines(06:52) Analyzing the shift from venture risk-taking to asset management(10:49) Playing the hard mode of healthcare for long-term impact(13:10) Why market structure dictates clock speed more than regulation(15:33) Navigating the conflicting financial incentives of health system CFOs(15:54) Sponsor: Granola(16:33) Navigating the conflicting financial incentives of health system CFOs (cont’d)(17:38) Surviving three pivots by aligning boards and team talent(20:37) Building infrastructure for the world's largest research study(23:51) Leaving money on the table to avoid ephemeral COVID traps(28:00) Launching a national virtual cancer clinic with the ACS(32:25) Focusing on the five high-spend pillars of patient identity(34:58) Closing the gap between clinical guidelines and early-stage screening(36:16) Removing friction to increase cancer screening rates by seventy percent(40:25) Mastering the diverse unit economics of different payer books(42:29) Preserving the nimbleness of private companies over going public(43:40) Wrap

    46 min
  2. Dr. Ari Hoffman on escaping the era of pagers and eFaxes

    FEB 24

    Dr. Ari Hoffman on escaping the era of pagers and eFaxes

    In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr examines the intricate intersection of clinical oversight and product strategy with Dr. Ari Hoffman, who oversees both domains at Collective Health. They discuss the only “because healthcare" realities that define the sector—from the friction of reconciling HIPAA regulations with modern mobile standards to the structural persistence of legacy technologies like the fax machine. They offer deep dives into the strategic role of Third Party Administrators (TPAs) and the "relentless optimism" required to navigate a market where complexity often serves as a regrettable moat for incumbents.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/.—LINKS: Collective Health: https://collectivehealth.com/  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Ari:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-hoffman-2b32b87/  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(01:02) Intro(01:56) Examining the shift from digital health into policy roles (02:42) Assessing political headwinds for the healthcare industry (03:27) How Medicaid cuts squeeze the commercial employer market (05:04) Reactions to the make health tech great again movement (06:33) The lack of clear standards for true interoperability (07:47) Direct primary care and the limits of shoppable health (10:32) Building Collective Health (12:23) Why healthcare innovation lags behind other tech sectors (14:25) Solving product friction caused by HIPAA and Apple standards (16:52) Leveraging complexity and the pipes of healthcare as a moat (18:15) Sponsor: Arbiter(18:46) Separating AI hype from foundational data quality use cases (22:18) Merging clinical risk tolerance with product design (23:08) Breaking down the role of third party administrators (26:04) The venture capital thesis on investing in a TPA (31:31) Advice for founders tackling the underbelly of healthcare (32:42) Using patient APIs to unblind the fragmented system(37:44) Wrap

    39 min
  3. Why longevity author Dr. Zeke Emanuel thinks you can eat the ice cream

    FEB 18

    Why longevity author Dr. Zeke Emanuel thinks you can eat the ice cream

    In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr speaks with Dr. Zeke Emanuel about his new book, Eat Your Ice Cream, which offers a sustainable alternative to the aggressive trend of health optimization. Zeke breaks down six simple, long-term habits for longevity, emphasizing that consistency and enjoyment are more vital than perfection or expensive supplements. They discuss the future of healthcare, including the impact of miracle drugs like GLP-1s and the need for better wellness education within the medical community.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/ —LINKS: Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324117537 Zeke’s website: https://www.ezekielemanuel.com/ Zeke’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drezekielemanuel CMS Elevate: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/maha-elevate  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Zeke:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeke-emanuel-6ab78a1b0/ https://x.com/ZekeEmanuel  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:54) Intro(02:43) The inspiration behind the book (04:38) The importance of socialization and shared meals (07:51) Sustainability versus the short-term hustle (08:48) The truth about supplements and regulation (12:22) Sponsor: Arbiter(12:58) Research on psychedelics and mental health (14:52) Social determinants of health and environment (17:20) Diet essentials and the problem with ultra-processed foods (20:53) The science and practice of intermittent fasting (23:21) GLP-1 drugs as a breakthrough in healthcare (27:39) Building healthy food habits in children (30:21) Political policy and chronic illness (34:12) Four ways to prevent cognitive decline (37:52) Addressing the gap in medical education (42:05) Where to get the book(42:21) Wrap

    44 min
  4. Dr. Robert Wachter on why healthcare is finally ready for its "giant leap" because of AI

    FEB 10

    Dr. Robert Wachter on why healthcare is finally ready for its "giant leap" because of AI

    In this episode of Lifers, Christina Farr sits down with Dr. Bob Wachter, Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF and author of the seminal book The Digital Doctor. After years of observing the "hope, hype, and harm" of health technology, Dr. Wachter discusses his new book, A Giant Leap, and why he has moved from a skeptic to a staunch optimist regarding AI's role in medicine. They dive into the high-stakes reality of autonomous AI, the "incumbency advantage" of companies like Epic, and why the primary care crisis makes AI integration an absolute necessity. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/.  —LINKS: Robert Wachter, MD’s website: https://www.robertwachtermd.com/ The Digital Doctor (book): https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Doctor-Hope-Medicines-Computer/dp/1260019608/ A Giant Leap (book): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F7G3216X Utah & Doctronic Partnership: https://commerce.utah.gov/2026/01/06/news-release-utah-and-doctronic-announce-groundbreaking-partnership-for-ai-prescription-medication-renewals/ (Study) 27h/day is needed to provide adult primary care: https://mhcc.maryland.gov/mhcc/pages/home/workgroups/documents/pcw/Revisit_Time_Needed_Provide_Adult_Prim_Care_032723.pdf Lifers episode with Niyum Gandhi: https://a16zstudios.slack.com/archives/C06U4ASHPR8/p1770108617302019 Bob’s Substack: https://substack.com/@robertwachter  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Bob:https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-wachter-3102b963/ https://x.com/Bob_Wachter  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview(00:42) Intro(01:04) Is AI truly different from previous healthcare technologies(02:43) Addressing the perception of AI as a crutch in medicine(04:46) The risks and realities of physician de-skilling(05:11) Moving from skepticism to optimism in digital health(05:51) Navigating AI implementation within fee-for-service payment models (07:01) How AI could potentially lower the cost of care(10:15) Advice for the next generation of doctors in the AI era(14:14) Sponsor: Arbiter(14:45) Comparing the safety of self-driving cars to AI in medicine(15:34) Analyzing Utah's pilot for autonomous medication renewals (26:04) Value-based care as an accelerator for AI adoption(28:18) The creative process and challenges of writing about AI(31:15) The growing threat of deep fakes in medical communication(31:57) Predicting the winners between startups and tech giants like Epic(34:58) Thoughts on the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health(38:40) Wrap

    42 min
  5. Niyum Gandhi, CFO of Mass General Brigham & Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly: Why hospitals are increasingly falling into the red

    FEB 3

    Niyum Gandhi, CFO of Mass General Brigham & Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly: Why hospitals are increasingly falling into the red

    This week on Lifers, Niyum Gandhi, CFO of Mass General Brigham, and Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly, discuss the financial pressures facing health systems today. They cover why hospital expenses are rising faster than revenue, what health systems actually look for when evaluating startups, and why collaboration matters more than finger-pointing.—SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: Mass General Bringham: https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en Anomaly: https://www.findanomaly.com/  Lifers: How money really flows in healthcare with Claimable CEO Warris Bokhari & Anomaly CEO Mike Desjadon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxuZ889ww-I Sachin Jain Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvtakm7NMnI  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Niyum:https://www.linkedin.com/in/niyum-gandhi/ https://x.com/niyumgandhi  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) Preview(01:24) Intro(02:28) How Niyum and Mike first met at Mount Sinai(05:55) Career path and the move to CFO of Mass General Brigham(11:53) Why choose a career in healthcare(15:19) Sponsor: Arbiter(15:50) Current financial state of American health systems(19:28) Addressing the revenue and expense trend gap(21:26) The role of AI and technology in productivity(26:07) Ambient documentation and physician burnout(29:58) Strategic partnerships versus point solution vendors(31:40) The evolution of healthcare startups and health systems(36:31) Advice for founders building in the industry(40:34) Wrap

    46 min
  6. Dr. Kameron Matthews & Inlightened President Shelli Pavone on saving primary care from collapse

    JAN 13

    Dr. Kameron Matthews & Inlightened President Shelli Pavone on saving primary care from collapse

    Dr. Kameron Matthews (Chief Health Officer, Impact Care) and Shelli Pavone (President & Co-Founder, Inlightened) join Chrissy Farr to tackle healthcare's biggest challenges: the Medicaid crisis, state licensing chaos, the death of primary care, and why Silicon Valley keeps getting it wrong. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Inlightened.Healthcare innovation doesn’t fail for lack of ideas; it fails when real clinical expertise is missing. Inlightened connects innovators with vetted, diverse healthcare professionals for paid research, advisory, and consulting work, helping companies build solutions grounded in reality. Healthcare professionals can sign up to share their expertise and get paid, and companies can directly access expert insights at getinlightened.com. —LINKS: Inlightened:https://www.linkedin.com/company/getinlightened/ https://www.facebook.com/getinlightened/ https://twitter.com/GetInlightened  Doctors getting multiple licenses: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/13/telemedicine-doctors-are-getting-licenses-in-all-50-states.html  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Kameron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameronmatthews/  Shelli:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelli-pavone-a729b2/ https://x.com/shellipavone Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:24) Health equity and policy landscape(03:15) Challenges in healthcare delivery(05:21) Medicaid and community health(08:49) Entrepreneurship and innovation in healthcare(12:35) Licensing and regulatory hurdles(19:28) Encouraging the next generation(23:46) The role of social media in healthcare(32:32) AI and the future of primary care(36:17) Rapid fire round(43:48) Wrap

    45 min
  7. Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN on why healthcare doesn’t need more toxic positivity

    JAN 6

    Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN on why healthcare doesn’t need more toxic positivity

    This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sat down with Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN Health Plan. Sachin makes a compelling case for "radical common sense" in healthcare—the idea that we've normalized dysfunction for so long that simple, patient-centered solutions now feel revolutionary. He challenges the industry's toxic positivity and truth-telling problem, arguing that real change requires leaders to acknowledge what's broken in their own backyards, including calling out his own insurance industry publicly. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS: SCAN Health Plan: https://www.thescangroup.org/ LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sachinhjain1_the-revolution-healthcare-actually-needs-activity-7402346091767398400-CVnF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAWcjXgBb3Jw6dX16PD9lRJSsxfgqVAqZLw The Revolution Healthcare Actually Needs: Radical Common Sense (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/sachinjain/2025/12/03/radical-common-sense-a-leadership-philosophy-for-healthcare-system/ Health Insurance is Broken ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bty0M9ySA  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Sachin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinhjain1/  Chrissy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr/ https://x.com/chrissyfarr  —TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro(02:27) Innovative solutions in healthcare(04:28) Challenges in healthcare communication(06:06) The broken culture of healthcare leadership(14:10) Mentorship and career advice(18:02) Sponsor: Arbiter(18:33) Concierge medicine and longevity(23:05) The system's shortcomings and individual choices(24:38) Medical anxiety and consumerism in healthcare(25:35) The role of primary care physicians(26:07) AI in healthcare: opportunities and limitations(29:48) Employer-sponsored health insurance issues(35:20) The cost crisis and technological challenges(40:13) The role of social media in healthcare leadership(44:49) Wrap

    46 min
  8. Warris Bokhari, CEO of Claimable & Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly: Making insurers answer to regulators (and patients)

    12/16/2025

    Warris Bokhari, CEO of Claimable & Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly: Making insurers answer to regulators (and patients)

    This week on Lifers, Christina Farr sat down with Mike Desjadon, CEO of Anomaly and Warris Bokhari CEO of Claimable. They discuss automating patient appeals, the challenges of the current payment model, and their approach to working directly with patients. They share insights on denial rates, what they've learned from claim files, and why they believe healthcare needs more direct challengers. —SPONSOR:This episode is brought to you by Arbiter. As Michelle says: "We don't need another instrument for the orchestra—we need to conduct the orchestra." Backed by one of the largest early funding rounds in health tech, Arbiter creates one real-time source of truth from fragmented healthcare systems, then routes referrals and handles prior auths so patients actually get to care. Learn more at https://www.arbiter.ai/. —LINKS:Anomaly: https://www.findanomaly.com/ Claimable: https://www.getclaimable.com/  Chrissy Farr’s Website: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/ Subscribe to the Second Opinion Newsletter: https://secondopinion.media/ Chrissy’s Book: The Storyteller's Advantage: https://www.chrissyfarr.com/books  Lifers with Christina Farr on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiferswithChristinaFarr  —FOLLOW:Warris:https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrisbokhari https://x.com/warrisbokhari  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(03:18) Warris’ journey from corporate to startup(07:36) The problem with healthcare payment models(08:57) Claimable's mission and approach(12:14) Challenges and strategies in healthcare advocacy(16:21) Real stories of healthcare denials(20:28) Complexities of surgery and healthcare incompetence(21:08) Sponsor: Arbiter(21:39) Impact of Claimable on the insurance market(23:37) Challenges and innovations in revenue cycle management(24:52) The role of venture capital in healthcare(27:19) Denial rates and revenue cycle management(33:04) The importance of being a challenger in healthcare(37:32) Wrap

    40 min
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4.9
out of 5
18 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.

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