Build Well: Women Shaping Health Technology

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

Burnout, Boundaries, and Building in Health Tech

In this episode, hosts Kelly Scherer, Alex Tong, and Kristi Lui unpack burnout in digital health product management and why it hits differently in healthcare than in traditional tech. From mission-driven pressure and regulatory slowdowns to stakeholder skepticism, AI anxiety, and constant emotional labor, this conversation gets honest about what burnout really looks like—and how to spot it before it takes over. IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: * The difference between being tired and truly burnt out * Why mission vs. revenue tension is uniquely exhausting in health tech * How regulation, compliance, and privacy can quietly kill momentum * The emotional role PMs play as the “absorber” of feedback and frustration * Early warning signs of burnout (cynicism, disengagement, negativity) * Practical ways to reset: boundaries, nature, community, and reconnecting to your personal mission This episode is for product managers, designers, engineers, and operators in digital health who want to build meaningful technology without sacrificing their mental health. 🎧 New to Build Well? Start with this episode to understand the realities of building healthcare products—and how to build a career that’s sustainable, human, and impactful. RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a live volunteer Crisis Counselor. You don’t have to go through it alone. 00:00 Introduction to Burnout in Healthcare Product Management 02:27 Understanding Burnout vs. Tiredness 06:09 Unique Pressures in Health Tech 10:29 Mission-Driven Work vs. Business Reality 14:35 Navigating Regulations and Compliance 18:08 Measuring Success and Mental Health 21:01 Navigating Metrics and Measurement in Product Management 26:21 Recognizing Signs of Burnout 31:42 Strategies to Combat Burnout 38:11 The Importance of Community and Connection

Building AI-Driven Health Products That Clinicians and Consumers Can Trust

Episode: Building AI-Driven Health Products That Clinicians and Consumers Can Trust Guest: Cazandra Aporbo, MS – Head of Data, FoXX Health Summary In this episode, Kelly, Kristi, and Alex sit down with Cazandra Aporbo, Head of Data from FoXX Health to talk about what it actually takes to build AI for healthcare that people trust. They dig into the “diagnostic odyssey” for women (why it can take 7–10 years to get a diagnosis), how fragmented and biased health data really is, and why the answer isn’t to pretend bias doesn’t exist—but to make it visible and explainable. Cazandra walks through how FoXX is co-building an AI-powered women’s health companion app that supports clearer health insights for women. What you’ll hear about * Why AI in health has higher stakes than other industries * The gap FoXX is trying to close: consumer data ➜ clinical decision support * Making biased, fragmented data transparent instead of hiding it * Validating AI models for different use cases (clinical vs consumer) * Designing AI outputs people can actually understand and act on * Why “your normal” matters more than population averages Key quotes * “We can’t collect data that doesn’t exist—so we make the bias visible.” * “Validation isn’t a checkbox, it’s a continuous relationship with the data.” * “The goal is for women to understand their normal, not the average woman.” Who it’s for Product leaders in digital health, AI/ML folks working with clinical or patient-generated data, founders building women’s health apps, and clinicians trying to make sense of all the ‘AI in healthcare’ noise. Links/mentions * FoXX Health [https://www.foxxhealth.com/] (women’s health companion app + community “The Den”) * Concepts: diagnostic odyssey, ethical AI, model monitoring, consumer-to-clinical data bridge Length: ~40 minutes