Episode summary In this episode of Healthcare Beans, James speaks with Paula Muto, MD, founder of UBERDOC, about the barriers patients face in accessing specialty care and how direct-pay models may help reshape the healthcare system. Paula shares the story behind UBERDOC, discusses the growth of the platform, and reflects on broader themes including patient autonomy, price transparency, rural access, the shortcomings of managed care, and the role of technology in modern care delivery. What we cover Why Paula Muto founded UBERDOC The access and affordability problems the company was built to address How direct-pay specialty care can strengthen the doctor-patient relationship Why traditional healthcare systems often create friction and delay The rise of direct primary care and adjacent care models Managed care, patient autonomy, and the consequences of delayed treatment Price transparency as a tool for patient empowerment New approaches to rural healthcare access Technology’s role in improving navigation and care delivery Direct pay, Medicare innovation, and new ideas around appointment access Chapter breakdown 00:00 Introduction to UBERDOC and Dr. Paula Muto01:20 The birth of UBERDOC: solving for access and affordability04:38 The growth of UBERDOC: from 40 to 5,000 doctors07:18 Empowering patients through the doctor-patient relationship09:43 Technology’s role in modern healthcare11:35 The inefficiencies of traditional healthcare systems14:17 The rise of direct primary care17:04 The challenges of managed care and patient autonomy18:23 A personal story: the consequences of delayed care19:17 The exodus in healthcare20:47 Price transparency and patient empowerment23:24 Innovative solutions for rural healthcare25:56 The role of technology in patient care27:33 Challenges in the medical profession29:04 Direct pay and Medicare innovations31:31 Appointment banking and patient access Guest bio Paula Muto, MD is the founder of UBERDOC, a platform designed to improve access to specialty care through transparent, direct-pay appointments. A practicing physician and healthcare entrepreneur, she has focused her work on reducing barriers between patients and doctors while rethinking how care can be delivered more efficiently and affordably. Key takeaways Access remains one of the most persistent failures in healthcare delivery. Direct-pay specialty care offers an alternative to traditional referral and reimbursement pathways. Price transparency can give patients more agency and reduce confusion. Technology can improve care access, but only if it supports stronger doctor-patient relationships rather than more bureaucracy. New care models may not fully replace the current system, but they can expose where the system is no longer working well. Godspeed.. James

In this conversation, I talk with Jason Scherer, the CEO and founder of VitaTek, to learn about the innovative approach his company takes in the medical device manufacturing industry. He shares insights on the challenges faced with bringing medical devices to market, the importance of technology in reducing healthcare costs, and the experiences of innovators in the field. The discussion also touches on the future of robotic surgery and AI, as well as the investment risks associated with medical device development. We hope you enjoy the show! Godspeed. ~ James 00:00 Introduction to Vita Tech Group 02:22 The Stages of Medical Device Manufacturing 05:14 Challenges in Medical Device Development 08:21 Innovative Solutions in Medical Device Production 11:01 The Impact of Technology on Healthcare Costs 13:58 Future of Robotic Surgery and AI 16:31 Navigating the Medical Device Market 18:54 The Role of Innovators in Medical Devices 21:45 Investment and Risk in Medical Device Development 24:25 Conclusion and Future Outlook

In this episode, I talk with Lindsey Kratzer about the self-insured employer market. This is a fast-growing market and employers are facing significant challenges with rising healthcare costs, countless healthcare vendors vying for their attention, fuzzy ROI assessments, and ultimately deciding how to best manage the health needs of the employee population and their families. Lindsey is the Founder of Spark Health Advisors, a healthcare consulting firm specializing in growth advisory and hands-on sales and marketing support for healthcare companies targeting the employer market. Lindsey has over a decade of experience working with HR leaders at top, Fortune 1000 employers such as Google, Tesla, Intel, Microsoft, Genentech and Rocket Mortgage as well as top payers, PBMs and benefits consultants. Over the years, she’s developed and implemented GTM strategies for over 15 products targeting employers and scaled products from $0 to $50M+ in annual revenue.  Lindsey lives in Denver and loves working with health tech Founders and teams driving meaningful change in the industry. Throughout our discussion, Lindsey shared a ton of valuable insights for healthcare companies that are targeting this space. We hope you enjoy the show! Godspeed. ~ James

In episode #16, I speak with Luká Yancopoulos, CEO and co-founder of Grapevine Technologies. Luka is an entrepreneur with a track record of innovation and consistent delivery in the healthcare industry. As CEO and one of the faces of the company, Luká is involved at every level of Grapevine’s operations: securing funding, innovating on the platform, and looking for ways to take the company’s offering to an even wider market. In this episode, we talk about: Crazy inefficiencies in the current healthcare supplies market Grapevine’s marketplace solution and cost savings Price transparency for healthcare supplies Grapevine’s growing popularity among specialist providers How Grapevine enables cost savings for struggling rural hospitals The importance of efficient supply chains for value-based care Experiences from early adopters of Grapevine’s services Sign up for free at Grapevine today and save on your medical supplies. We hope you enjoy the show! Godspeed ~ James

In episode 15, I speak with Leon Wisniewski about his company Health Cost Labs and their new product Billy – a consumer app that shows hospital prices by service and geographic area, and lets users shop around for the best price. Leo is passionate about bringing fair and transparent prices to healthcare. We talk about… Billy: a healthcare price app Recent healthcare price transparency laws The no surprises act The importance of a “good faith” estimate Hospital compliance with price transparency The Managed care “beast” Payment “no” integrity A superior cash-first system for healthcare payments Prospect of Medicare-4-all Leo’s Home Brew recipe -> How to buy low cost healthcare We hope you enjoy the show! Godspeed ~ James

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Yazan Abdullah, an internist who specializes in hormone replacement therapy and founder of Newport Health & Vitality. One interesting quote from Yazan: “Fee-for-service is the most ethical way to pay for healthcare”. Our conversation spans: Testosterone therapy and stigma Pursuing vitality in addition to longevity should be the goal for health-conscious Americans.  Obesity and its connection to observed, low testosterone levels in American men Pros and cons of managed care (mostly cons!) The rise of psychedelics as a treatment for mental health disorders The potential for Bitcoin payments for healthcare services We hope you enjoy the show. Godspeed! ~ James

In this episode, I speak to Claudia Armani, a health coach and founder of Claudia Armani Wellness and The Healthy Gourmet blog dedicated to simple and healthy Mediterranean recipes and lifestyle tips. She works with clients both in UK and around the world to help them let go of yo-yo dieting and improve their metabolic health. Our conversation spans: Claudia’s background and entry into health and wellness The fundamentals of health coaching and how to empower patients Functional and holistic medicine The use and limitations of willpower for behavior change Intermittent fasting The state of health coaching in the UK The rise of subscription-based payments in health coaching Risks and benefits of new weight loss medications Emotional eating and maladaptive coping mechanisms The pursuit of the dopamine kick The value of social prescriptions in healthcare And the Claudia Armani Wellness brand and services We hope you enjoy the show.. Godspeed! ~ James

In this episode, I speak with Bryan Guadagno – CEO and cofounder of It’s Skinny. We discuss the 9-calorie noodle, the health benefits of Konjac, the future of food technology, and the founder’s story. Our chat dives into consumer behavior modification and how that relates to healthcare spending in the United States. And here’s a Christmas pic of my wife, Parminder Haven. She’s a PhD-level chemist and a fantastic cook, who will occasionally share Indian style recipes using It’s Skinny pasta and rice. Happy holidays from NJ and Godspeed! Parminder Haven: wife, mother, chemistry teacher and best cook on the planet ~ James

In this episode, I talk with Michael Boerner (CEO of Engage Technologies) about his company’s transformative mobile intelligence and patient education technology – connecting patients to a digital health platform with no app or user logins (e.g., NO FRICTION). We discuss the value and power of video storytelling, the importance of behavior change for disease prevention, new opportunities in gamified learning, and how this company is optimizing the patient journey while reducing practice burden on providers. “Engage Technologies believes that timely knowledge from a trusted relationship empowers. It empowers patients, providers and their staff, and all healthcare stakeholders. Engage transforms lives with breakthrough mobile intelligent storytelling at patient height of interest and time of need. The right message at the right moment motivates behavioral change for optimal patient outcomes and improves practice performance with proven six-figure and above return on investment” – Steve Inch, Chief Marketing Officer, Engage Technologies Here’s a list of Engage demos & links that showcase different products: Engage Aesthetics Demo (featuring breast augmentation, mastopexy, breast revision, and neuromodulators & dermal fillers, and patient pre-consultation journeys): In the United States, anyone with a mobile smartphone can text to 418418 and enter the typed message: TVPS CONSULT Engage Aesthetics Demo (featuring pre-operative and post-operative breast surgery patient journey): In the United States, anyone with a mobile smartphone can text to 418418 and enter the typed message: TVPS JOURNEY Engage Ocular Demo (featuring multiple ocular patient journeys): In the United States, anyone with a mobile smartphone can text to 214214 and enter the typed message: BRIGHT EYES M Engage Ocular (ROI results) video (6:30 min): Hero Video for Engage Website Engage Aesthetics (behind the scenes) video (5:20 minutes): https://engagetg.wistia.com/medias/8ubwbabbry Godspeed! ~ James

In this episode, I talk with Jonas Goldstein (Vice President of Strategy at VIM) about value-based healthcare, risk-sharing arrangements, Medicare Advantage, direct-to-consumer healthcare, and point-of-care digital solutions. Here is a great article by Jonas in Physicians Practice that lays out the imperative to “lower the risk” in value-based healthcare in order to quickly expand accountable care delivery across the US. Godspeed! ~ James