Scope Forward

Praveen Suthrum
  • 5.0 (4)
  • MEDICINE

No one in the medical field is free from the impact of COVID-19, including gastroenterologists. But the pandemic has only accelerated trends that started years ago. In this podcast, Praveen Suthrum interviews leaders in the gastroenterology space. Each episode will take you through different perspectives and help you ask the right questions. Praveen is the President of NextServices and author of Private Equity in Gastroenterology and Scope Forward (both Amazon #1 new releases).

  1. “300,000 patients treated with digital gut-brain therapy and growing.” - Alex Noumidis, CEO of Nerva

    JAN 17

    “300,000 patients treated with digital gut-brain therapy and growing.” - Alex Noumidis, CEO of Nerva

    In this episode of The Scope Forward Show, Praveen Suthrum speaks with Alex Noumidis, Co-founder and CEO of Nerva, a digital therapeutic platform for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and other disorders of gut-brain interaction. They discuss the origins of Nerva, the science of psychophysiology, digital health adoption in GI, and the challenges of bringing behavioral therapies into mainstream gastroenterology. The conversation dives deep into the power of gut-directed hypnotherapy, its clinical validation, the bottlenecks in scaling access to GI psychology, and what it takes to build a product that patients actually use. They've seen 300,000 patients and plan to expand to all GI conditions. Recorded between Australia and Mumbai, this global conversation also reflects on the evolving landscape of GI care.* 🔹 Key Insights from the Interview 03:08 - Personal Experience Sparked the IdeaAlex’s misdiagnosis with IBS and later discovery of celiac disease gave him a personal window into the patient journey. That experience, combined with limited access to GI psychologists, led to the creation of Nerva a digital solution to scale gut-directed hypnotherapy. 04:16 Low Supply, High DemandThere are only 400 GI psychologists in the US, for tens of millions of patients. This scarcity makes traditional referral-based behavioral therapy unscalable, underscoring the need for digital solutions. 05:31 - What is Psychophysiology?Psychophysiology is the study of how the mind influences the body—how thoughts and emotions can affect physical symptoms. Nerva is grounded in this field, using it to treat functional GI disorders digitally. 06:56 - Evidence Behind Gut-Directed HypnotherapyNerva’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Peters, conducted a landmark RCT at Monash University comparing gut-directed hypnotherapy to the low FODMAP diet. Both were equally effective—except hypnotherapy didn’t require dietary changes. This gave clinical backing to Nerva’s model. 11:13 - Nerva’s Impact and PositionWhile other digital competitors (like Mahana and Bold Health) have shut down, Nerva remains the only at-scale digital brain-gut therapy platform for IBS. They've already helped over 300,000 patients, mostly in the US, and are now expanding into other functional GI conditions. 18:38 - Adherence = EfficacyAlex highlights a critical learning: “Efficacy is partially adherence.” Many digital products fail because patients stop using them. Nerva focused deeply on engagement and user experience, ensuring that people stick with the program, thus improving outcomes. 25:06 - The Biopsychosocial Model in IBSGI is shifting from a diagnosis of exclusion to a diagnosis of inclusion, using Rome Criteria. Treatments now span:* Diet (FODMAP)* Medications (Linzess, etc.)* Behavioral (CBT, hypnotherapy)Nerva fits squarely in this new behavioral frontier. 40:14 - Barriers to Clinical AdoptionDespite strong evidence, GI providers are slow to adopt brain-gut therapies. Reasons include:* Lack of nearby GI psychologists* Long waitlists* Clinical guidelines placing behavioral therapies late in the treatment pathway.* Skepticism or unfamiliarity among providers 47:11 - Future of GI Behavioral HealthThere’s a growing push—backed by AGA’s 2025 quality indicators—to recognize and reimburse digital brain-gut therapies. But for this to happen at scale, digital platforms must prove clinical efficacy, economic value, and user adherence. Nerva’s model appears well positioned. *#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift #gut-brain axis

    51 min
  2. Cheryl Sew Hoy: Why GI Can’t Ignore the Microbiome Revolution Any Longer

    09/06/2025

    Cheryl Sew Hoy: Why GI Can’t Ignore the Microbiome Revolution Any Longer

    In this episode of The Scope Forward Show, Praveen Suthrum speaks with Cheryl Sew Hoy, Founder & CEO of Tiny Health, a microbiome testing company that’s redefining preventive care from pregnancy through infancy. Cheryl shares why the first 1,000 days are critical for lifelong gut health, how restoring beneficial microbes matters more than chasing pathogens, and why over 80,000 families are already turning to Tiny Health for answers. Functional medicine has embraced the microbiome faster than GI — but Cheryl makes the case that gastroenterologists are uniquely positioned to lead this revolution. The question is: will the GI community step up before it’s too late?*02:17 - A Founder’s Wake-Up CallCheryl’s journey began with her own C-section baby — realizing how birth mode, antibiotics, and maternal microbiomes shape a child’s lifelong health. This personal story launched Tiny Health.07:17 - 80,000 Families — Real-World ResultsTiny Health has already served tens of thousands. Parents are seeing their kids’ eczema, allergies, and gut issues improve after targeted interventions. The results are hard to ignore.10:09 - Traditional Tests Are Missing the PointStandard hospital stool panels chase pathogens. Tiny Health looks deeper — into beneficial functions like butyrate, GABA, and fiber digestion that actually sustain long-term gut health.30:29 - A Paradigm Shift: From Killing to RestoringMost of medicine (and even functional care) is built on killing pathogens. Cheryl flips the script: start by replenishing beneficial microbes, then address the bad actors if needed.32:01 - Functional Medicine Is Listening. GI Isn’t (Yet).Most adopters today are integrative and functional practitioners. GIs are still skeptical — but Cheryl’s message is clear: when families walk in with data that explains what’s happening, GI needs to lead the conversation, not dismiss it.34:23 - Science Is Catching Up, FastMetagenomic sequencing, functional markers, and AI-driven insights are transforming microbiome testing from “hype” to clinical reality. Evidence is mounting, especially in pediatrics.37:10 - Precision Medicine Is HereForget the daily “probiotic for everyone.” The future is testing first, then tailoring — the exact probiotic, prebiotic, or dietary shift each patient needs. That’s precision GI care.40:29 - The Longevity ConnectionMayo Clinic has already partnered with Tiny Health. Gut tests are moving into mainstream wellness and longevity clinics. Where will GI stand when patients start asking for them by name?44:27 - Infant Gut = Lifelong BlueprintThe first 1,000 days are destiny. Vaginal birth, breastfeeding, and parental microbiomes set the stage for allergies, asthma, and even chronic disease risk later in life.46:44 - A Call to Action for GastroenterologistsMicrobiome testing is no longer fringe. It’s an opportunity for GI to expand its scope, reclaim leadership in gut health, and guide patients with science-backed, personalized care.*#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift #microbiome

    51 min
  3. Convergence in GI: Dr. Erica Barnell on AI, Biology & the Future of Diagnostics

    08/07/2025

    Convergence in GI: Dr. Erica Barnell on AI, Biology & the Future of Diagnostics

    What happens when you combine a decade of science, a powerful entrepreneurial story, and two exponential waves—AI and digital biology?You get Geneoscopy.On the latest episode of The Scope Forward Show, I caught up with Dr. Erica Barnell—Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Geneoscopy. If you don’t know Erica yet, you should. She and her team just raised $112 million in a tough VC environment. Their lead assay, ColoSense, is now the first FDA-approved, RNA-based, non-invasive diagnostic test for colorectal cancer and advanced adenomas.But this conversation went far beyond funding and FDA milestones.We talked about:How AI has replaced costly bioinformatics layers and transformed their R&DHow patients are being guided through diagnostics via smart automation (text, email, even Uber Health)What’s next in IBD precision diagnostics and biomarker innovationWhy AI is not “artificial” at all—and how to use it without fearWhy GI, like OB/GYN, is primed for disruptionThis wasn’t just a company update—it was a glimpse into the future of our entire field.We’re in a convergence era. Biology is becoming programmable. Intelligence is being digitized. And GI—if we lean in—has a front-row seat to reinvent itself.

    30 min
  4. Jeff Glueck: Just like Uber and Netflix, Salvo is bringing on-demand care to GI

    07/12/2025

    Jeff Glueck: Just like Uber and Netflix, Salvo is bringing on-demand care to GI

    In this compelling episode of The Scope Forward Show, Praveen Suthrum interviews Jeff Glueck, a tech entrepreneur best known for leading Foursquare and Travelocity, who has now turned his focus to healthcare. Jeff shares his deeply personal story that inspired the founding of Salvo Health — a virtual platform redefining chronic GI care by integrating traditional medicine with lifestyle and environmental health practices.Jeff discusses the fragmentation in GI follow-on care, the unrealistic expectations placed on patients post-diagnosis, and how Salvo aims to close these gaps. The conversation also dives into the role of private equity, the pressures on community GIs, and why collaboration — not bypassing — is key to healthcare innovation.🔹 Top Insights 01:24 - Childhood Seeds Can Shape the Future of HealthcareRaised by a conventionally trained physician father and a lifestyle medicine-inclined mother, Jeff Glueck saw both worlds early. Salvo Health is a direct synthesis of these influences—clinical rigor meets lifestyle-based prevention.03:38 - A Personal Tragedy Exposed the Learning Deficit in HealthcareAfter losing their first child to a preventable condition, Jeff asked: “Where is the data engine that learns from this?” The silence from the OB-GYN revealed a brutal truth: healthcare isn’t learning fast enough. That moment lit the fuse for Salvo.06:37 - Environmental Health Still Sits Outside the Clinical MainstreamWhen his newborn twins reacted to hospital-recommended products, Jeff and his wife discovered how everyday exposures are ignored in standard care. This gap led to MadeSafe.org—and a belief that chronic care must account for what surrounds the patient.09:57 - Gut Health Is the Access Point to Whole-Body CareSalvo chose GI not because it was trendy, but because the gut influences everything—metabolism, immunity, brain health. Starting with IBS, MASLD, and IBD, Salvo tackles the neglected zones of follow-on care.10:56 - Endoscopy-Centric Care Is Creating a Follow-Up VoidCommunity GIs are under relentless pressure to stay in the endoscopy suite. When 99% of scopes show no cancer, what happens to the chronically ill patients? Often, nothing. That’s the void Salvo stepped into.21:40 - Behavior Change Isn’t a Handout—It’s a ProcessTelling a MASLD patient to “lose 10% weight and come back in 6 months” doesn’t work. Without sustained support—coaching, digital monitoring, personalized food and psychology—those patients worsen. Salvo designs for that missing middle.27:55 - Doctor in the Cloud" Works Only If It Respects the GroundA digital center of excellence means little if it doesn’t integrate with real-world practices. Salvo’s model isn’t virtual vs. physical—it’s human + tech, layered thoughtfully.46:55 - Chronic GI Care Must Evolve Into Precision, Intelligence-Based SupportThe long arc of care needs to be reimagined—from episodic and procedural to continuous and insight-driven. Salvo Health is building this new engine—one that learns daily from patients and adapts in real time.#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift

    52 min
  5. How Allied Digestive’s COO is quietly rebuilding GI from the inside

    06/25/2025

    How Allied Digestive’s COO is quietly rebuilding GI from the inside

    Allied Digestive Health didn’t just grow—it transformed. COO Sap Sinha takes us behind the scenes of one of GI’s most effective private equity-backed MSOs. Learn how a digital-first mindset, thoughtful change management, and practical AI adoption are setting the new standard for gastroenterology. Top Insights from interview: *06:05 - Middleware Matters: Build for Integration, Not IsolationInstead of relying on legacy platforms, ADH redesigned its tech foundation with open, modular systems that allow interoperability across workflows—from scheduling to billing to care coordination.07:30 - Don't Rehire—Rethink the ModelPost-COVID staffing challenges created the opportunity to fundamentally reimagine operations. Rather than rebuild the old structure, ADH merged human roles with automation to create a leaner, smarter model.14:37 - Cash First, Innovation FollowsADH began its transformation with revenue cycle automation—an area that directly impacts cash flow. This strategy built internal confidence and funded broader innovation.19:12 - The EMR Interface Is Becoming InvisibleDocumentation is shifting away from keyboards and templates toward real-time, intelligent capture. The clinician's experience is being reimagined—less typing, more presence.26:09 - Incentive Structures Must Evolve for Innovation to ScaleADH’s hybrid compensation model—balancing individual productivity with group success—enabled collective investment in future-ready initiatives.29:02 - AI Agents Are Already Enhancing Clinical OperationsADH uses AI-driven systems that proactively identify gaps in care and initiate outreach—ensuring patients return for needed visits, without burdening staff.33:22 - Change Management Is the Real Tech StackEvery operational upgrade included human considerations: trust-building, role evolution, and reskilling. Technology was introduced with empathy, not disruption.36:50 - The Org Chart of the Future Is Human-AI HybridADH is already moving toward a model where humans work side-by-side with digital assistants—handling everything from appointment scheduling to financial workflows. This shift enables smaller teams to do more, with higher precision.44:34 - GI Leaders Must See Beyond the Exam RoomSap urges GIs to expand their lens: understand the business, engage with systems thinking, and experiment boldly. The world is changing faster than most realize—and GI must not be left behind. * #digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift

    54 min
  6. Leo Grady, CEO of Jona: Why Microbiome Testing Isn’t the Future — It’s the Present

    06/09/2025

    Leo Grady, CEO of Jona: Why Microbiome Testing Isn’t the Future — It’s the Present

    In this Scope Forward conversation, Praveen Suthrum speaks with Leo Grady, founder and CEO of Jona. Leo’s background sits at the intersection of healthcare AI and microbiome science — a rare combination that’s defining the future of gut health diagnostics.Their discussion explores why the microbiome is not a distant promise but clinically actionable today. They dig into why AI isn’t just a tool but a necessity to interpret the complex, rapidly expanding world of microbiome research. Leo breaks down how Jona’s platform creates a “digital twin” of the gut microbiome, simulating evidence-based interventions rather than offering general advice.Praveen and Leo also dive into why most existing microbiome companies miss the mark — often selling supplements rather than driving real clinical change — and how Jona was built to fill that gap with science at its core. The conversation closes with a look at why gastroenterology must — and is beginning to — take the lead in bringing microbiome research into everyday practice.Top Insights from the Conversation: 02:27 - The Microbiome Is Clinically Actionable — Today Thousands of studies already link gut flora to chronic disease. Leo challenges the belief that it’s “too early” — arguing there’s sufficient evidence to act now, not a decade later. 03:57 - AI Is the Only Way to Navigate the Complexity With 2,000+ new studies published monthly, no human can keep pace. Jona’s custom AI filters and interprets this tidal wave of research, making personal, evidence-based recommendations possible. 05:03 - Jona Builds a Digital Twin of the Gut Jona sequences an individual’s microbiome and models how interventions — diet, supplements, medications — would alter it, based on interventional studies. It’s a simulation grounded in real, published science. 10:23 - Most Microbiome Startups Fall Short Many existing companies sell the promise of gut health, but without scientific rigor. Jona was founded because Leo saw an opportunity to ground microbiome testing in solid evidence, especially for serious GI conditions. 15:45 - Business Model: AI-Powered Microbiome Insights Jona sells precision gut tests, using AI to match microbiome data with clinical research—delivering evidence-based insights, not supplements. 22:19- Clinical Use of Microbiome Testing Must Be Evidence-Based Jona’s recommendations — whether to change diet or introduce a probiotic — are directly tied to published research, with confidence scores that help clinicians weigh the strength of evidence. 26:43 - Jona’s AI as a Domain-Specific Language Model Jona’s AI acts like a specialized LLM trained on microbiome literature—matching patient data to published studies and simulating outcomes. It doesn’t just read research; it reasons with it. 37:05- Gastroenterology Must Lead the Way — and It Is While the microbiome has often been developed outside of GI, Praveen and Leo highlight how the field is shifting. GI physicians, with leaders like Dr. Lawrence Kosinski, are increasingly stepping up to shape the future of microbiome diagnostics and therapeutics. #digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift #microbiome

    44 min
  7. Matt Schwartz: Countdown to AI Super Intelligence (and the trap of exponential fallacy)

    05/28/2025

    Matt Schwartz: Countdown to AI Super Intelligence (and the trap of exponential fallacy)

    Countdown to AI Super Intelligence has begun On Scope Forward, Matt Schwartz—Founder and CEO of Virgo—unveiled EndoML, a clinician-facing platform built on Virgo’s massive foundation model, EndoDINO. This isn’t just another AI update—it’s a turning point for gastroenterology. With more than 2 million full-length endoscopy videos and a platform that lets any clinician train models using their own technique, Virgo’s trajectory signals a fundamental shift—from industry-led tools to clinician-owned AI. This isn’t an update. It’s a wake-up call. Matt lays out a bold vision: Imagine any endoscopist building a CADx system tuned to their own hands, their own diagnostic eye. Picture AI not as a separate assistant, but as an extension of the clinician—scaling personal expertise across teams, institutions, even continents. And what if the real bottleneck in AI for GI wasn’t regulatory, but data—and that hurdle is already behind us? EndoML isn’t just a tool—it’s a scaffolding layer for AI-native medicine. If you're in GI and not exploring this shift, you may already be behind the exponential curve.   This interview made me feel both thrilled and uneasy—but that’s what happens when you realize the shift is already underway. Top Insights: 01:55 - The World’s Largest Endoscopy Video DatabaseVirgo has captured over 2 million full-length HD endoscopy videos, with more than 1 million new procedures added annually. This massive dataset fuels the power of its AI. 03:14 - EndoML: AI for Every EndoscopistEndoML lets clinicians upload, label, and train AI models using their own data—cutting down the training volume needed to build high-performance models. 05:52 - EndoDINO Enables GeneralizabilityTrained on 3.5 billion frames of real-world data, EndoDINO powers models that can generalize across diverse clinical environments. 26:42 -AI as an Extension of the EndoscopistClinicians can now train AI to reflect their personal technique—transforming AI into a mirror of their expertise and enabling scalable, high-fidelity clinical replication. 28: 01 - From AI Models to Autonomous RobotsAs EndoML captures clinical intent and expertise, robotic endoscopy becomes viable—AI not just assisting, but eventually performing under oversight. 31:03 - The Exponential Fallacy: Why Most Will Miss the CurveMatt highlights a recurring trap in tech: underestimating exponential growth. In GI, tools like EndoML are advancing faster than most realize. 37:03 - Humanoid Robots in GI? It’s ComingWith advances in robotics like Tesla Bot and Figure, GI procedures may one day be performed by humanoid robots—powered by clinician-trained AI. 39:25 -  The WTF Curve of InnovationYour first reaction might be disbelief. But just past that “WTF” moment lies opportunity—for early adopters willing to lean in and shape the future. 46:40 - AI in GI Is Moving Faster Than You ThinkFrom foundational models to clinical tools, AI’s pace in healthcare is accelerating. The gap isn’t technical—it’s mindset. Those who delay may be left behind. *#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift

    53 min
  8. Listening to Patients: The Most Radical Innovation in GI?(A Candid Conversation with Dr. Neil Parikh)

    05/10/2025

    Listening to Patients: The Most Radical Innovation in GI?(A Candid Conversation with Dr. Neil Parikh)

    Dr. Neil Parikh, Chief Innovation Officer at Connecticut GI and Chair of the GI Alliance Innovation Committee, brings a refreshingly grounded perspective to the future of gastroenterology. For him, innovation isn’t research—it’s real-world feasibility. It’s pilot programs born from pain points like access, cost, and patient satisfaction. And it’s about using the scale and clinical volume of independent practices to drive meaningful change—shaping not just care delivery, but potentially the guidelines themselves.In this candid conversation, Dr. Parikh maps out where GI is headed: AI-powered triage and documentation, actionable microbiome data, non-invasive diagnostics, and the quiet revolution of food and alternative therapies. He also confronts uncomfortable truths—how procedural pressures limit innovation, why most ideas fail, and how listening to patients might be the most radical act of all. *02:24 - Innovation Is Feasibility, Not Just ResearchDr. Parikh distinguishes innovation from academic research—it’s about pilots and practical implementation at scale within large independent practices. 04:11 - Pain Points Drive InnovationThe three main challenges—access, cost, and patient satisfaction—are core drivers of innovation in gastroenterology today. 05:31 - AI in Every Step of the GI WorkflowFrom pre-visit triage to in-room documentation and post-visit care coordination, AI is envisioned as a co-pilot in delivering efficient, real-time GI care. 08:56 - Image Recognition in Endoscopy Is Just the BeginningAI’s role in computer-aided detection (CADe) is evolving beyond polyps—towards liver, pancreas, and upper GI diagnostics. 09:34 - The Microbiome Will Become ActionableThe future lies not just in mapping gut flora but in personalizing interventions (diet, lifestyle) based on microbiome data—and gastroenterologists must lead this shift. 12:16 - The Future of GI Will Require Non-Invasive DiagnosticsLimited capacity for colonoscopies and rising costs necessitate non-invasive tools to triage and expand screening for cancers and chronic conditions. 21:49 - Innovation Needs Leadership That Sees Beyond RVUsFor roles like his to exist, organizational leaders must value long-term transformation over short-term productivity. 28:28 - Podcasts as an Innovation EngineDr. Parikh’s Gut Doctor podcast began as an internal education tool but evolved into a national platform. 31:18 - Dr. Parikh Integrates Food, Lifestyle, and Alternative Therapies into GI CareFrom yogurt to apple cider vinegar to adult coloring books, Dr. Parikh integrates low-risk, patient-driven solutions into mainstream GI care—with humility and openness. 42:07 - The Gut-Brain Axis Is Central to GI CareStress, sleep, and mental health directly affect GI function. Behavioral tools like CBT, mindfulness, and even “phone detox” are practical levers for healing. 47:06 - Physicians Still Want to See Patients—The System Doesn’t Let ThemContrary to perception, most GIs value patient interactions. However, systemic incentives push them toward procedures. Changing reimbursement models can rebalance the equation. 52:24 - Younger Physicians Need to Be Honest About Their GoalsTrainees often say what’s expected to secure jobs. Neil advises them to take time, be honest with themselves and their future employers to build meaningful careers. * #digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift

    54 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

No one in the medical field is free from the impact of COVID-19, including gastroenterologists. But the pandemic has only accelerated trends that started years ago. In this podcast, Praveen Suthrum interviews leaders in the gastroenterology space. Each episode will take you through different perspectives and help you ask the right questions. Praveen is the President of NextServices and author of Private Equity in Gastroenterology and Scope Forward (both Amazon #1 new releases).

Information

  • Creator
    Praveen Suthrum
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Praveen Suthrum
  • Show Website
    Scope Forward