Burnout, Boundaries, and Building in Health Tech

Putting Patients at the Center of Healthcare Innovation | Joyce Nortey, Evidation

How do we build healthcare technology that truly reflects the needs of the people it's designed to serve? In this episode of Build Well, Kelly Scherer, Alex Tong, and Kristi Lui sit down with Joyce Nortey, Senior Director of Clinical Research & Operations at Evidation, to explore why patient-centered design must go beyond usability—and start by listening directly to patients. Joyce shares how clinical research, decentralized trials, and real-world patient feedback can help teams build more accessible, trustworthy, and impactful healthcare products. Together, they discuss why patient voices are often brought into the process too late, how organizations can create meaningful feedback loops throughout product development, and what it takes to advocate for patients while balancing clinical, regulatory, and business priorities. Whether you're a product manager, healthcare leader, founder, clinician, or researcher, this episode offers practical insights on building healthcare technology that puts patients—not assumptions—at the center of every decision. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: * Why patient voices should shape products from day one * How to gather meaningful feedback directly from patients * The role of patient advocacy in healthcare innovation * How decentralized research creates stronger patient insights * Why trust, accessibility, and representation are essential to patient-centered design * How product and clinical teams can collaborate to build better healthcare experiences CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction to Patient-Centered Healthcare 03:39 – Clinical Research & Product Development 06:16 – Regulation & Compliance 11:33 – Challenges in Healthcare Product Development 24:32 – Bringing Patients into the Design Process 29:26 – Creating Meaningful Patient Feedback Loops 30:26 – Accessibility & the Digital Divide 31:49 – Decentralized Clinical Research 34:06 – Representation in Clinical Trials 40:02 – Collaboration & Product Strategy 53:46 – A Day in the Life of a Clinical Operations Executive

From Engineer to Product Executive: Building AI Products at Scale with Maddie Schults

What happens when healthcare, AI, and product leadership collide? In this episode of Build Well, Kelly Scherer, Alex Tong, and Kristi Lui sit down with Maddie Schults, Senior Director of Product at Innovaccer [https://innovaccer.com/], to explore what it takes to build AI-powered healthcare products at scale. Maddie shares her journey from software engineering to product leadership and the mindset shift that helped her move from focusing on how products are built to what should be built and why. The conversation dives into how AI is fundamentally changing product development—from replacing traditional PRDs with visual prototypes to enabling healthcare applications to be built in days rather than months. Together, they discuss the importance of trust, explainability, and human-centered design in healthcare AI, as well as how product leaders can navigate strategy, prioritization, and decision-making in rapidly evolving environments. Maddie also shares practical insights on building high-performing teams, creating psychological safety, empowering individuals to play to their strengths, and leading through influence rather than authority. Whether you're a product manager, healthcare innovator, founder, or technology leader, this episode offers actionable insights on AI, leadership, product strategy, and the future of healthcare innovation. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Why great product leaders focus on what to build, not just how to build it * How AI is reshaping product development, prototyping, and delivery * The future of PRDs and visual-first product communication * Building trust and explainability into healthcare AI systems * Creating high-performing teams through psychological safety and empowerment * Product strategy frameworks for prioritization, roadmapping, and customer value * Balancing innovation, execution, and stakeholder alignment * Where AI-powered healthcare platforms are creating the greatest impact * Lessons from leading enterprise healthcare products at scale ABOUT THE GUEST Maddie Schults leads product teams building AI-driven healthcare intelligence platforms at  Innovaccer, helping health systems, payers, and life sciences organizations turn complex healthcare data into actionable insights and better outcomes. Recorded at Women's Audio Mission (WAM [https://womensaudiomission.org/]) in San Francisco, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women and gender-expansive people in music, audio production, and creative technology. Chapters * 00:00 The Journey to Product Management * 05:54 Focus on 'What' vs. 'How' in Product Management * 11:15 Challenges with Traditional PRDs and Visual Aids * 17:27 Building Trust and Explainability in AI Systems * 24:00 Team Dynamics and Motivation in Product Development * 29:37 Building Trust and Resilience * 35:56 Strategic Decision-Making and Leadership Flexibility * 42:39 Leadership and Team Empowerment * 50:12 Investing in Healthcare Innovation * 55:43 A Day in the Life: Strategy and Sales

Measuring the Real-World Impact of Health Tech with Dr. Jessie Juusola

What does it actually take to prove that a healthcare product works in the real world? In this episode of Build Well: Women Shaping Health Technology [https://www.buildwellcollective.com/], Kelly, Kristi, and Alex sit down with Dr. Jessie Juusola, Founder & CEO of Anchor Outcomes [https://www.anchoroutcomes.com/] and a nationally recognized leader in health economics and outcomes research (HEOR). Together, they unpack the complex, and increasingly critical, challenge of measuring real-world impact in digital health.   From ROI modeling and payer strategy to usability, engagement, and equitable product design, Jessie shares how digital health companies can move beyond hype and actually prove value. The conversation also dives into leadership, building mission-driven teams, and why effectiveness, not just efficacy, is the metric that truly matters in healthcare innovation. This episode is packed with insights for product managers, founders, researchers, clinicians, and anyone building at the intersection of AI, healthcare, and human-centered design. IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: * What health economics & outcomes research (HEOR) actually is * The difference between efficacy vs. effectiveness * Why so many digital health companies struggle to prove value * How payers evaluate healthcare technology * Building ROI models before you have large datasets * Why engagement and usability directly impact health outcomes * Equity, inclusion, and representation in healthcare data * Leadership lessons from scaling teams in digital health * The future of AI, precision medicine, and preventative care If you’ve ever wondered how healthcare innovation moves from idea → evidence → real-world impact, this episode is for you. 🎙️ This episode was recorded live at Women’s Audio Mission [https://womensaudiomission.org/], a San Francisco-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing women and gender-expansive people in music, audio production, and creative technology.  Women's Audio Mission 🎧 Follow Build Well for more conversations with the women shaping the future of health technology. Chapters * 00:00 Introduction to Health Outcomes Research * 07:23 Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) * 17:49 Effectiveness in Digital Health * 33:41 Leadership and Autonomy

Vibe Coding a Health App: From Idea to Prototype in Real Time

The conversation explores the concept of vibe coding for rapid idea development, challenges in financial planning and management, interactive HR training and scenario-based learning, career development and negotiation skills, and patient advocacy and health information support. The discussion delves into the potential of AI-driven tools to address these areas and the need for personalized, scenario-driven solutions to empower individuals in various aspects of their lives. The conversation delves into the development of a comprehensive postpartum care app, focusing on a holistic approach to maternal and infant health. It explores market research, app landscape, development, design, iteration, and feedback. Takeaways * Vibe coding for rapid idea development * Challenges in financial planning and management * Interactive HR training and scenario-based learning * Career development and negotiation skills * Patient advocacy and health information support Holistic approach to postpartum care * Integration of data from health tracking devices Chapters * 00:00 Patient Advocacy and Health Information Support * 42:37 Comprehensive Postpartum Care * 49:31 Market Research and App Landscape * 58:27 App Development and Design * 01:13:03 App Iteration and Feedback

Managing Up — Communicating Product Value to Senior Leadership

What does it actually mean to manage up—and why is it such a critical skill for product managers, especially women in health and tech? In this episode of Build Well, Kelly, Alex, and Kristi break down managing up as more than just status updates. We talk about advocating for the work you want to do, translating execution into business outcomes leaders care about, and building visibility without feeling like you’re bragging. The conversation gets practical and honest: navigating feedback, tracking your impact throughout the year, preparing for year-end reviews, and framing success differently in foundational versus scaling years. We also explore the emotional side of managing up—why women are often conditioned to wait to be recognized, how that impacts promotions and confidence, and what great management actually looks like. Along the way, we share lessons from managers who shaped our careers and highlight leadership traits that create trust, growth, and real advocacy. In this episode, we cover: * What managing up really means in product roles * Advocating for your career goals and areas of interest * Managing up as negotiation and alignment * Creating visibility and communicating impact * Asking for and using feedback effectively * Preparing for year-end reviews without the scramble * Foundational vs. scaling years and how to measure success * Identifying strong managers—and knowing when to move on Resources mentioned: Anchor Outcomes — Health Outcomes Research https://www.anchoroutcomes.com/home [https://www.anchoroutcomes.com/home] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Managing Up 02:51 Defining Managing Up 05:37 Gender Dynamics in Managing Up 08:13 The Importance of Clear Communication 10:59 Visibility and Self-Promotion 13:44 Feedback and Performance Reviews 16:28 Navigating Ambiguity in Product Management 19:17 Learning from Failures 22:16 Building Trust with Managers 25:02 Celebrating Good Management 27:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts