Make It So with Dr. Robert Groves

Dr. Robert Groves
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Healthcare doesn’t need more talk. It needs action. What if we could reduce the cost of healthcare by a third of what we spend today — without lowering the quality of care? Dr. Robert Groves believes we can. And on Make It So, he’s done waiting for someone else to figure it out.

Episodes

  1. Sep 25

    Continuous Care, Digital Health, and the Future of AI in Medicine with Dr. Spencer Kubo

    In this episode we have the opportunity to learn from Dr. Spencer Kubo, a cardiologist and healthcare innovator whose career has spanned academic medicine, clinical research, medical device development, and digital health. Dr. Kubo began his career on the faculty at the University of Minnesota, where he conducted research, taught, cared for patients, and served as medical director of the heart failure and heart transplant program. He later transitioned to industry, working as a fractional chief medical officer for several startup companies developing innovative cardiovascular technologies, including cardiac support devices, transcatheter valve replacements, and leadless cardiac pacing. More recently, he has focused on digital health and the opportunity to use technology to improve the way we care for patients between visits. In this conversation, Dr. Kubo shares his perspective on the rigor and reliability of modern clinical research, the challenges of translating proven care processes into scalable solutions, and the potential of digital health to provide continuous support to patients when they are at home. He discusses his work helping heart failure patients after hospital discharge, using simple, bite-sized, asynchronous digital communication to improve engagement and dramatically reduce readmissions during this particularly vulnerable period. Dr. Kubo also explores the potential of artificial intelligence to identify subtle trends in patient data, improve diagnostics, analyze enormous volumes of clinical information, and augment—not replace—the expertise and human judgment of physicians. Finally, he shares his thoughts on what needs to change in healthcare, including creating incentives for prevention and behavioral health, and the importance of using technology to give physicians more time to build trust and meaningful relationships with their patients. Listen and learn from Dr. Spencer Kubo.

  2. Sep 11

    Trust, Technology, and the Future of AI with Dr. David Bray

    In this episode, Dr. David Bray, a technologist and former federal government executive who works with the Stimson Center, offers a thought-provoking perspective on how technology is reshaping healthcare, government, and society. Drawing on his experience at the intersection of technology, policy, and complex systems, David explores why our most difficult challenges are rarely technological at their core—and why meaningful progress requires us to rethink the systems, incentives, and relationships surrounding the tools we build. From data and privacy to artificial intelligence and national security, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how we can ensure technological progress remains aligned with human values. Listen and learn from Dr. David Bray.

  3. Aug 28

    From Critical Care to Venture Capital: Building, Rebuilding, and Innovating in Healthcare with Dr. Branden Rosenhan

    In this episode we have the opportunity to learn from Dr. Brandon Rosenhan, a physician, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist working at the intersection of medicine, innovation, and healthcare. Brandon began his career in pulmonary and critical care medicine before developing and co-founding PenBlade, a company focused on creating a safer surgical scalpel. After building and ultimately selling the company, he transitioned into venture capital and founded Med Mountain Ventures, where he invests in early-stage healthcare companies. In this conversation, Brandon shares what it takes to turn an idea into a real business, why building great teams is at the heart of his leadership philosophy, and how he made the transition from practicing medicine to investing in healthcare innovation. He also opens up about the hemorrhagic stroke he experienced in 2019, his long road to recovery, and how that experience changed his perspective on priorities, family, and life. Most importantly, Brandon discusses the future of healthcare, the role of AI and innovation, and why keeping the patient-physician relationship at the center should guide the industry forward. Listen and learn from Dr. Brandon Rosenhan.

  4. Aug 14

    AI in the Real World: Building the Future of Healthcare with Chris Van Buren

    In this episode we have the opportunity to learn from Chris Van Buren, an AI engineer who has spent his career building the systems and products that turn powerful AI models into real-world applications. Chris began working in AI and machine learning at Duke before joining Lenovo, where he quickly became focused on applying large language models to customer support and building agentic systems for major customers. He later co-founded a company focused on helping researchers navigate the enormous burden of writing NIH grants, building a product that was ultimately used by more than 30 research labs across multiple universities. Today, Chris is focused on using AI to help scientists and researchers plan studies more effectively, using organizational knowledge and past mistakes to identify potential problems before they become costly errors. In this conversation, Chris explains what agentic AI actually is, how AI agents use tools, memory, and context to accomplish complex tasks, and why the “harness” surrounding an AI model can be just as important as the model itself. He shares his perspective on the hype surrounding AI, the future of general-purpose versus domain-specific models, the growing importance of open-source AI, and how individuals and organizations should think about privacy and the information they share with AI systems. Most importantly, Chris explores where AI can have the greatest impact on healthcare—from reducing administrative burdens and improving the efficiency of scientific research to accelerating drug discovery and deepening our understanding of human biology. Listen and learn from Chris Van Buren.

  5. Jul 31

    Putting Patients First: AI, Medical Records, and the Future of Healthcare with Paul Battle

    In this episode we have the opportunity to learn from Paul Battle, a veteran technology executive, healthcare entrepreneur, and co-founder of Medome, an AI-powered platform designed to help patients take ownership of their health information and reduce the risk of medical misdiagnosis. After a successful 25-year career with IBM and Lenovo, Paul returned to healthcare following the loss of his late wife to breast cancer after a misdiagnosis—a deeply personal experience that inspired his mission to improve patient outcomes through technology. Together with physician and serial entrepreneur Dr. Stephen Charlap, he co-founded Medome to create a personalized health record that empowers patients with AI-driven insights, risk assessments, and decision support. In this conversation, Paul explains how Medome integrates medical records, lab results, wearable device data, and family history into a single, continuously updated health profile that helps patients advocate for themselves while supporting more informed clinical decisions. He also discusses the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, the importance of reducing diagnostic errors, protecting patient data, and shifting healthcare from a reactive model to one that is predictive, personalized, and proactive. Listen and learn from Paul Battle.

  6. Jul 17

    Healthcare, Capital, and the Future of Innovation with Nathan Bays

    In this episode we have the opportunity to learn from Nathan Bays, a healthcare investor, advisor, and strategist with a unique perspective at the intersection of healthcare delivery, policy, technology, and capital. Nathan began his career as a healthcare attorney before joining the Health Management Academy, where he worked closely with healthcare leaders and helped build a policy advisory business. He later spent eight years on Wall Street advising hospitals and health systems on mergers and acquisitions, including as a leader of hospital and health system M&A teams at Citi. Today, through his own advisory firm, Nathan works with CEOs, C-suites, and boards of large hospitals and health systems while investing in early-stage healthcare technology, services, and growth companies. He has made nearly 20 healthcare investments and serves on the boards of several companies, including Unite Us. In this conversation, Nathan shares his framework for evaluating healthcare companies and entrepreneurs, discusses the forces reshaping healthcare policy and financing, and explores the challenges facing hospitals, physicians, and health systems as healthcare costs continue to rise and the rate of growth in spending comes under increasing pressure. He also offers his perspective on value-based care, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, specialty pharmacy, cell and gene therapies, and the role technology can play in improving healthcare delivery. Finally, Nathan shares two creative ideas for making healthcare better: investing in health and financial literacy earlier in life and improving the way patients access and navigate the healthcare system. Listen and learn from Nathan Bays.

  7. Jul 3

    Incentives, Intelligence, trust, and the future of healthcare; the wisdom of Dr. Robert Pearl

    In this episode we have the opportunity to learn from one of the most successful and accomplished voices in healthcare. Dr. Robert Pearl is a Yale and Stanford trained surgeon who devoted his early career to the compassionate mission of offering his skills to people all over the world who suffered from cleft lip and palate regardless of their ability to pay. He went on to join Kaiser Permanente where he quickly rose to become the CEO, a post he held for 18 years. During his tenure he turned a company that was nearly bankrupt into a #1 in the nation quality leader. He did this while dramatically improving market share and physician satisfaction scores. He is now a clinical professor at the Stanford medical school where he also teaches strategy and technology in the Stanford graduate school of business. He is a regular contributor to Forbes and has written three books, most recently ChatGPTMD. Perhaps most impressive is that under his guidance, Kaiser members in Northern California became ~30% less likely to die of heart attack or stroke, 40% less likely to die from sepsis, and 50% less likely to die from HIV/AIDS than patients elsewhere. Listen and learn from Dr. Robert Pearl.

  8. Jun 19

    Law, Media, Business, and Economics with Healthcare Mogul Scott Becker

    In this episode of “Make It So,” Dr. Robert Groves has the privilege of sitting down with Scott Becker. Scott is a Harvard Law graduate and a Partner at McGuireWoods, and he has repeatedly been recognized as among the best healthcare attorneys in the US. But Scott didn’t stop there. In fact, he may be even better known nationally as the successful and respected founder and publisher of Becker’s Hospital Review and Becker’s Healthcare. Because of his broad success in law and media, and his passion and curiosity for all things healthcare, he has a uniquely holistic view of the healthcare landscape. So it’s no surprise that Scott is a sought-after keynote speaker, author, and thought leader. In this episode, we get a glimpse into his new book, “Building Great Businesses,” as well as a few of his thoughts on the troubled state of the US healthcare system. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from his decades of experience.

  9. Jun 5

    Easier, Faster, Better: AI Transforms Patient Engagement

    In our debut episode, host Dr. Robert Groves sits down with Kaushik Vaswanathan, CEO and co-founder of Promptwell, to explore why patient engagement remains healthcare’s holy grail — and how AI-driven outreach is finally moving the needle. From a near-medical-school pivot to 7x enrollment gains, Kaushik shares the story behind Promptwell’s technology, the power of relationship-building in healthcare sales, and what it really takes to get the right message to the right patient at the right time.

  • 9 Episodes

About

Healthcare doesn’t need more talk. It needs action. What if we could reduce the cost of healthcare by a third of what we spend today — without lowering the quality of care? Dr. Robert Groves believes we can. And on Make It So, he’s done waiting for someone else to figure it out.

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