The Dark Side of “Easy Telehealth” (And the Fix)

Don't ask what the other guys are doing. Ask what's best for your patient – Anthony Kantor

In this week's episode of Compound Wisdom, host Steve sits down with Anthony Kantor — co-founder and operator of Ivím Health — to dig into one of the most overlooked secrets in telehealth: building something that actually works for patients, not just for growth metrics. Anthony shares how he and his brother, Taylor, bootstrapped a family-run telehealth company from the ground up, pivoted into the GLP-1 wave at exactly the right moment, and built a high-touch care model by keeping providers in-house when everyone else was outsourcing. Anthony explains why they started with peptides after his mom's Crohn's remission on BPC-157, how a single TikTok video took them from 15 patients to 150 in a month, and why they turned down external provider networks to maintain full control over patient experience. They also get into the messier side of scaling — what it's really like visiting compounding pharmacies in person, why female HRT is more symptom-based than people think, and how AI is already changing what providers can handle at scale. The episode closes with Anthony's belief that the telehealth space is about to see consolidation — and that the companies obsessed with patient outcomes, not exits, are the ones that will survive it. Takeaways 1. Start by understanding the patient problem deeply — Ivím Health was born from a personal health story, not a market opportunity. 2. Don't chase trends blindly — they almost passed on GLP-1s before understanding the cardio-metabolic benefits. 3. Keeping providers in-house costs more upfront but gives you full control over patient experience and clinical quality. 4. Organic growth beats paid ads early on — Ivím Health didn't spend a dollar on marketing for the first year. 5. Visit your compounding pharmacies in person — if you're putting it in a patient's body, you should know where it comes from. 6. Labs aren't always necessary for female HRT — symptom-based care can be more effective, but patient comfort matters too. 7. Build tech that personalizes the journey, not just the prescription — engagement is what drives outcomes. 8. Use AI to empower providers first, not replace them — the best healthcare will always be a hybrid model. 9. If one compounder is doing something no one else is, that's a red flag, not a competitive advantage. 10. When the mission is bigger than the business opportunity, patient trust becomes your moat. Chapters 00:00 — Intro: Telehealth consolidation is coming — and why Ivím Health isn't worried 01:27 — The origin story: From Crohn's remission to building a peptide platform 03:29 — How a family of four bootstrapped a telehealth company with zero investors 03:51 — The GLP-1 pivot: Why they almost said no, and what changed their mind 04:53 — From 15 patients to 150 in 30 days: The TikTok moment that changed everything 05:42 — Building for patient experience, not just growth metrics 07:22 — Why Ivím Health keeps all providers in-house — and what that costs 08:31 — The medications they offer now — and why peptides are coming back 09:18 — Female HRT beta learnings: Labs, symptom-based care, and insurance dynamics 11:24 — The peptide landscape in 2024 — what's coming back and when 16:17 — Compounding pharmacy diligence: Why visiting in person matters 17:41 — The seven-pharmacy algorithm — routing prescriptions for speed and quality 18:42 — AI for providers, not patients (yet): How Ivím Health is using automation to scale care 21:05 — Why healthcare will be the last industry to go fully AI — empathy still matters 23:01 — Doubling provider efficiency with AI — from 1:1000 to 1:2000 patient ratios 24:49 — Where telehealth is going: Consolidation, exits, and who stays standing 26:21 — Why Ivím Health isn't looking to cash out — and what kind of partners they'd actually take 28:12 — Final thoughts: Patient outcomes over everything

Why AI Should Help Doctors — Not Replace Them

“Healthcare shouldn’t feel like a black box.” – Dr. Myra Ahmad In this week’s episode, Steve sits down with Dr. Myra Ahmad (Founder & CEO of Mochi Health) to break down how telehealth is evolving—and why most healthcare systems still fail patients. Dr. Myra explains how Mochi Health is building a marketplace model that connects providers, pharmacies, and patients into one seamless system—focused on long-term care, not just prescriptions. She shares why continuity with the same doctor matters, how transparent pricing is reshaping patient behavior, and why traditional healthcare often prioritizes systems over people. The conversation dives into the GLP-1 explosion, the rise of peptides, and what’s actually coming next in weight loss and preventative medicine. They also unpack the role of AI in healthcare, where it works best (operations, workflows, efficiency) and where it still falls short (patient trust and real care). The episode closes with a grounded look at the “wild west” of online medications, how to think about safety and regulation, and what the next 3–5 years of telemedicine will really look like. TAKEAWAYS * Most healthcare systems are built around operations—not patient experience. * Continuity of care (seeing the same provider long-term) leads to better outcomes. * GLP-1 drugs triggered massive demand—but they’re just the first wave. * Future treatments will expand into more conditions beyond weight loss. * Transparency in pricing is a major reason patients are shifting to telehealth. * AI is powerful for backend tasks—but not ready to replace doctors. * Patients still want human trust when it comes to medical decisions. * The peptide market is growing fast—but lacks consistent oversight. * Many online medications operate in a regulatory “gray zone.” * Telehealth’s growth will be driven by convenience, cost clarity, and access. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: Why healthcare systems fail patients 00:49 What Mochi Health actually does 02:10 Dr. Myra’s background & why she built Mochi 03:30 The gap in care delivery most people don’t see 05:10 Marketplace vs. traditional telehealth models 07:20 Why continuity with one doctor matters 09:15 GLP-1 drugs: from skepticism to global demand 12:40 What’s next in weight loss & new medications 15:30 Oral vs injectable treatments: what actually works 18:20 Peptides: hype, risks, and future potential 21:10 The “wild west” of online medications 24:00 AI in healthcare: where it works vs. where it fails 27:30 How Mochi uses AI to improve provider workflows 30:10 Pharmacy partnerships & quality control 33:40 Women’s health, HRT, and telehealth expansion 36:20 Pricing transparency vs traditional healthcare 39:10 The future of telemedicine (next 3–5 years) 42:00 What’s next for Mochi Health

Why AI Should Help Doctors — Not Replace Them

“AI should power the system — not replace the doctor.” – Myra Ahmed In this episode of Compound Wisdom, Steve Sood sits down with Myra A., founder of Mochi Health, to break down where modern healthcare actually breaks — and why most solutions are solving the wrong layer of the problem. Myra’s entry into healthcare was driven by a single question: where do patients fall out of care? That question led her to build Mochi Health — not as another telehealth brand pushing prescriptions, but as a marketplace connecting providers and pharmacies under one system. Mochi’s model challenges the dominant telehealth approach. Instead of vertical integration and branding, it focuses on infrastructure — giving providers tools to operate, and patients the ability to choose, compare, and stay with the same doctor over time. Continuity, not transactions, becomes the core product. The conversation then moves into the GLP-1 surge. Myra explains how initial skepticism around injectables quickly flipped into one of the largest demand waves in healthcare. What started as a niche treatment has now triggered a broader shift toward proactive care — with more drugs and categories already in development. But with demand comes fragmentation. The discussion explores the rise of peptides and the “wild west” layer of the market — where consumers are increasingly ordering unregulated substances online. Myra highlights the gap between demand and oversight, and why testing infrastructure is still catching up. On AI, the stance is clear. Most companies are applying AI at the wrong interface. Mochi uses it to remove operational burden — documentation, scheduling, billing — while keeping the doctor-patient relationship fully human. Efficiency is the goal, not replacement. The episode closes with a broader view of where telehealth is heading — toward transparency, provider-led care, and systems that reduce friction rather than add layers. The next wave won’t be about more tools. It will be about better structure. This is a grounded conversation on healthcare infrastructure, emerging drug markets, and the role of AI in rebuilding trust at scale. Takeaways Mochi Health is built as a marketplace, not a prescription-first platform Continuity of care is a core differentiator in their model Patients can choose and stay with providers long term GLP-1 demand reshaped consumer expectations in healthcare Future drug pipelines extend beyond weight loss into broader conditions Oral alternatives currently lack strong efficacy compared to injectables Peptides represent a growing but fragmented market Unregulated demand is rising due to lack of access and transparency Testing and compliance infrastructure is still developing AI is most effective in back-office workflows Documentation, billing, and scheduling are key AI use cases Patient-facing AI still lacks trust and reliability Provider efficiency directly improves patient outcomes Telehealth growth is driven by pricing transparency gaps Insurance systems often lack clarity for patients Mochi integrates providers, pharmacies, and workflows into one system Pharmacy onboarding includes testing and compliance validation Women’s health and HRT demand is increasing on platforms Future growth includes partnerships and device integrations Healthcare is shifting toward system-level redesign, not surface fixes Chapters 00:00 – Building provider and pharmacy infrastructure 02:00 – Why Mochi Health was created 05:30 – Marketplace vs traditional telehealth models 10:00 – Continuity of care and provider relationships 15:30 – The GLP-1 demand shift 21:00 – Future of weight loss and drug pipelines 26:00 – Oral vs injectable treatment limitations 30:30 – Peptides and emerging categories 35:30 – Risks of unregulated drug markets 40:00 – AI in healthcare systems 45:00 – Back-office automation vs patient interaction 50:00 – Provider tools and workflow optimization 55:00 – Pharmacy vetting and compliance 01:00:00 – Women’s health and HRT expansion 01:05:00 – Telehealth vs traditional care models 01:10:00 – Insurance and pricing transparency 01:15:00 – Future roadmap for Mochi Health 01:20:00 – Closing insights Tags #CompoundWisdom #MyraAhmed #MochiHealth #Telehealth #GLP1 #Peptides #HealthcareInnovation #DigitalHealth #AIinHealthcare #HealthcareSystems #PharmaTrends #ProviderLedCare #PatientExperience #HealthTech #FutureOfHealthcare

The Problem With One-Prescription Weight Loss Clinics

“Medication is a tool — not a shortcut.” – Jason Jacobson In this episode of Compound Wisdom, Steve Sood sits down with Jason Jacobson, emergency-trained nurse practitioner and founder of Slim Wellness, to break down what most telehealth companies get wrong about weight loss, hormones, and long-term metabolic care. Jason’s path into medicine wasn’t linear. A high school dropout who rebuilt his life through tech, sales, and eventually emergency medicine, he now splits his time between the ER, academia, and a brick-and-mortar clinic designed to counter the “prescription-first” telehealth model . Slim Wellness was sparked by a personal catalyst. After watching his bonus daughter gain significant weight following birth control and struggle to find real answers, Jason saw firsthand how mainstream clinics default to surface-level solutions — especially once GLP-1s entered the spotlight . His response was to build a provider-led, high-touch platform centered on root-cause analysis rather than transactional prescribing. The conversation moves beyond generic weight loss talk and into structural care gaps: why “eat less, move more” is often clinical laziness, how PCOS is frequently mishandled, and why hormones sit at the center of metabolic dysfunction . Jason outlines the four pillars he prioritizes in PCOS treatment — inflammation, hormones, nutrition, and movement — and explains why most women are cycled through algorithms without meaningful personalization . His model begins with full metabolic labs, narrative-driven intake conversations, and expectation setting that emphasizes time horizon over 30-day transformations. They also unpack peptides. Jason clarifies what peptides actually are — short amino acid chains that signal native biological processes — and why misunderstanding their mechanism fuels regulatory tension . The discussion touches on insulin as the earliest peptide example, evolving FDA positions, compounding scrutiny, Ryan Haight Act implications, and the uncertain reclassification environment. The episode closes with a sober look at telehealth’s future: political volatility, DEA oversight, testosterone regulation, concierge-style differentiation, and the risk of large marketing-driven platforms commoditizing care. This is a grounded conversation about metabolic medicine, regulatory reality, and what it takes to scale care without sacrificing clinical integrity. TAKEAWAYS 1. Jason transitioned from tech and sales into emergency medicine before launching Slim Wellness 2. Slim Wellness was inspired by a personal PCOS and weight-loss journey 3. Most telehealth platforms prioritize medication over metabolic strategy 4. PCOS treatment requires addressing inflammation, hormones, nutrition, and movement 5. “Eat less, move more” without guidance is not a treatment plan 6. Peptides are signaling molecules, not synthetic tricks 7. Insulin was one of the earliest peptide therapies 8. Regulatory shifts around peptides and testosterone could reshape telehealth 9. Concierge-style access may become a competitive moat 10. Provider-led continuity of care differentiates from marketing-driven telemedicine CHAPTERS 00:00 – From high school dropout to emergency medicine 03:00 – Why Slim Wellness was built differently 06:30 – PCOS, hormones, and metabolic root causes 11:00 – The four pillars of PCOS treatment 15:00 – Peptides explained simply 19:00 – Regulatory scrutiny and telehealth uncertainty 23:00 – Concierge care vs scale-first models 27:00 – Hims vs Ro and competitive positioning 29:30 – Blind question and closing TAGS #CompoundWisdom #JasonJacobson #SlimWellness #PCOS #Telehealth #Peptides #HormoneOptimization #GLP1 #MetabolicHealth #ConciergeMedicine #HealthcareRegulation #Longevity #ProviderLedCare #WeightLossMedicine

The Dark Side of “Easy Telehealth” (And the Fix)

> “Anybody who thinks AI can’t replace part of their job is mistaken.” – Dr. Jonathan Kaplan In this episode of Compound Wisdom, Steve Sood sits down with Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Dr. Well, to break down the collision between telehealth, GLP-1s, peptides, AI, and the future of provider-owned healthcare platforms. Jonathan walks through his path from scrubbing into surgeries at age 11 in Louisiana to launching a price-transparency tool for cosmetic procedures, which eventually evolved into a national provider-to-consumer telehealth infrastructure serving 200+ practices. What started as solving a simple pricing problem turned into subscriptions, weight management programs, and ultimately a scalable compounding-backed medication platform. The conversation moves beyond surface-level GLP hype and into structural realities: continuity of care vs independent contractor telehealth models, 503A pharmacy strategy, regulatory risk around research-use peptides, and why most operators misunderstand compounding economics. Jonathan explains the development of GLP-1 Squared (a semaglutide + tirzepatide combination), why differentiation matters in a tightening regulatory environment, and how serious players are preparing for FDA scrutiny rather than avoiding it. They also go deep on AI — not just as a buzzword, but as infrastructure. From asynchronous smart consults to autonomous surgical robotics, Jonathan argues that AI will penetrate every layer of medicine faster than most expect. The real question isn’t whether it happens — it’s who adapts responsibly. The episode closes with insights on longevity demand, peptide reclassification, Big Pharma acquisition behavior, and how social media — when done strategically — can drive real patient acquisition instead of vanity metrics. This is a grounded conversation about operator leverage, regulatory positioning, and building healthcare models that can survive the next 24 months. TAKEAWAYS 1. Dr. Kaplan began observing surgeries at age 11 and chose plastic surgery at 16. 2. Early frustration with cosmetic price opacity led him to build a pricing automation tool. 3. That tool evolved into BuildMyHealth and later Dr. Well. 4. Dr. Well operates as a provider-to-consumer (PTC) platform, not DTC. 5. Continuity of care is the structural weakness in many telehealth models. 6. GLP-1 subscriptions created infrastructure for scaling compounded meds. 7. GLP-1 Squared combines semaglutide + tirzepatide in a differentiated formulation. 8. Patent filings and IND pathways signal long-term positioning, not short-term arbitrage. 9. Research-use-only peptides carry legal and liability exposure. 10. 503A pharmacies will likely replace gray-market labs over time. 11. AI is being used internally for platform acceleration, not autonomous prescribing (yet). 12. Autonomous robotic surgery is likely closer than most assume. 13. Longevity demand is expanding the total addressable market, not shrinking it. 14. Big Pharma will likely acquire longevity-focused startups rather than build internally. 15. Social media growth requires algorithm fluency and constant adaptation. 16. MiniChat-style automation improves patient conversion workflows. 17. Head-banging persistence preceded viral growth. 18. GLP-1 adoption acts as a gateway into broader longevity experimentation. 19. Compliance-first models will outlast Shopify-style gray sellers. 20. Infrastructure ownership > trend chasing. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Early exposure to surgery and choosing plastic surgery 02:30 – Cosmetic pricing frustration and tech origins 04:20 – From price estimator to telehealth infrastructure 06:00 – Provider-to-consumer vs direct-to-consumer models 08:40 – GLP-1 growth and subscription mechanics 10:30 – Building GLP-1 Squared and regulatory differentiation 13:00 – Compounding, 503A strategy, and risk tolerance 15:20 – AI in platform development 17:00 – Autonomous surgery and timeline predictions 19:30 – Peptides, Category 2 status, and reclassification outlook 22:00 – Longevity demand and market expansion 24:10 – Big Pharma acquisition behavior 26:00 – Personal stack: GLP-1 Squared + NAD 28:30 – Social media growth strategy and viral moments 31:00 – Automation, MiniChat, and conversion systems 33:30 – Blind question and closing thoughts TAGS #CompoundWisdom #DrJonathanKaplan #DrWell #GLP1 #Longevity #Telehealth #Peptides #CompoundingPharmacy #AIinHealthcare #PlasticSurgery #HealthcareInnovation #ProviderEconomics #WeightLossMedicine #HealthTech #MedicalEntrepreneurship