Neural Compass

The Measuring Gap: How AI and objective data are finally transforming psychiatric care, with Arpan & Amit Parikh

Join Marc Jacobstein on Neural Compass as he speaks with brothers and psychiatrists Dr. Arpan Parikh and Dr. Amit Parikh. They examine the historical resistance to Measurement-Based Care and why the field has often prioritized intuition over objective metrics.  The discussion moves into the practicalities of treating complex serious mental illness through virtual care models. They also explore how AI can act as a superintelligence for clinicians by synthesizing vast amounts of patient data and automating the collection of collateral information from families. This episode breaks down how AI can do the administrative heavy lifting so psychiatrists can focus on what actually moves the needle in the room.  What You’ll Learn * The psychological barriers preventing the adoption of Measurement-Based Care. * How virtual care models are successfully reaching underserved Medicaid populations. * The limitations of current clinical scales and the need for sophisticated data. * Methods for using AI to automate the gathering of collateral medical history. * Ways technology can synthesize fragmented patient records to improve visit impact. * The connection between mental health outcomes and the total cost of care reduction. About the Guests  Dr. Arpan Parikh is a double board-certified psychiatrist and the Chief Medical Officer at Soul Mental Health. He oversees clinical strategy for a multisite outpatient group and completed his residency at Mount Sinai. Dr. Amit Parikh is a child and adolescent psychiatrist serving as the Chief Medical Officer at Brave Health. His work focuses on utilizing virtual care to treat complex and chronic patient populations within the Medicaid system. Episode Highlights [00:00:00] The Measurement Gap in Psychiatry  Dr. Arpan Parikh notes that psychiatry has historically been late to adopt hard metrics compared to specialties like cardiology. He suggests that clinicians often believe their work is too special to be quantified by standard logic. This mindset must shift toward accepting that psychiatric treatment can and should be measured to ensure progress. Embracing measurement is a necessary evolution for the field to align with modern medical standards. [00:09:44] Understanding Measurement-Based Care  Dr. Amit Parikh defines Measurement-Based Care as the use of objective tools to track patient progress over time. While it is treated as a modern buzzword, it is actually the foundation of most medical fields. These tools provide extra data points rather than replacing the clinician's subjective expertise during a visit. Incorporating these measures allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's journey toward their goals. [00:15:39] The Over-Rotation to Clinical Scales  While the push for measurement is positive, there is a risk of focusing too heavily on standard scales like the PHQ-9. Dr. Arpan Parikh argues that we must look beyond these simple questionnaires to more sophisticated data-gathering methods. This includes using technology to understand the nuances of a patient's daily life and behavioral patterns. Moving past basic forms will help clinicians avoid the pitfalls of a narrow data window. [00:23:02] Virtual Care for Complex Populations  Brave Health utilizes virtual platforms to reach Medicaid populations who often face significant barriers to in-person care. Dr. Amit Parikh emphasizes that these treatments are effective when care is made feasible for the patient to attend. Consistency in treatment remains the most significant driver of positive outcomes for serious mental illness. Virtual care allows organizations to meet patients where they are rather than expecting them to navigate complex transportation. [00:31:41] AI as a Superpower for Clinicians  AI tools offer a way to integrate diverse data sources into the initial clinical assessment for better accuracy. Dr. Arpan Parikh identifies collateral information from family members as a critical but manual task that technology could automate. This would allow psychiatrists to make more accurate differential diagnoses without adding to their administrative burden. Utilizing technology for these tasks creates a more efficient workflow for the entire clinical team. [00:41:45] Synthesizing the Clinical Information Overload  Medicine has become increasingly complex, making it difficult for clinicians to review every patient note and lab value. Dr. Amit Parikh describes a need for AI models that can provide concise summaries of events between visits. This capability would make each clinical encounter more impactful by ensuring the physician is fully informed of the patient's history. Synthesizing this data helps bridge the gap created by the limits of human information processing. Learn more: jiminihealth.com [http://jiminihealth.com/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=famehost&utm_campaign=neural-compass-podcast?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=famehost&utm_campaign=neural-compass-podcast]

Why Your Brain Functions Like a Specialized Swiss Army Knife, with Michael Platt

Analyze neuroeconomics and leadership with Professor Michael Platt from UPenn on NeuralCompass by JiminiHealth. Professor Platt joins host Mark Jacobstein to discuss the intersection of anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience. The conversation explores how the human brain functions like a Swiss Army knife evolved for an ancestral world. They examine the biological cost of video calls and the critical importance of eye contact for neural synchronization. The discussion also covers the innovation network and the reason disengaging from routine through walking meetings is vital for creativity. Professor Platt shares data from his research on Cayo Santiago showing how social bonds increase survival in the face of catastrophic stress. Finally, the guests address the loneliness epidemic and how to foster resilience in a world dominated by digital glass. What You’ll Learn: * How the social brain network hoovering up data impacts team trust. * The reason physical activity is the top predictor for brain vitality. * How to balance the task network with the default mode network for innovation. * The impact of digital glass on adolescent mental health and global fertility. * How monkey research reveals the biological price of environmental trauma. * Why are the most effective leadership tools, like eye contact, virtually cost-free? About the Guest: Michael Platt is a James Riepe University Professor at UPenn with appointments in the School of Medicine, the School of Arts and Sciences, and Wharton. He is a pioneer in the field of neuroeconomics and the author of The Leader's Brain. His research explores the biological mechanisms of decision making and social interaction in both humans and nonhuman primates. Episode Highlights [00:06:00] The Brain as a Swiss Army Knife: Professor Michael Platt explains that the human brain is a collection of specialized tools evolved for ancient survival. These tools are often mismatched with the current technological environment, where dopamine machines reside in every pocket. Understanding this structural mismatch helps leaders recognize why modern workers face constant information overload. This evolutionary heritage is a foundation for understanding modern psychological despair. [00:13:00] The Social Brain and Video Call Fatigue: Digital communication disrupts the natural social brain network, which relies on constant contextual data like gaze direction and pupil size. When eye contact is broken by cameras and screens, the brain must expend significant energy to read social cues. This increased computational work leads to the exhaustion many experience after a day of virtual meetings. These insights prompted host Mark Jacobstein to modify his own camera setup to improve neural synchronization.  [00:22:51] Walking Meetings and Innovation: Physical activity is the primary factor for maintaining brain vitality and ongoing health. Walking meetings allow the brain to disengage from routine while simultaneously fostering social connection and aerobic movement. This shift in state activates the innovation network, which is otherwise suppressed by focus-heavy tasks. Leaders can use this tool to increase the likelihood of breakthrough ideas within their teams. [00:24:26] Task Network vs Default Mode Network: Creativity is governed by a balance between the central executive network and the default mode network. The task network fires during routine activities like spreadsheets and shuts down the regions responsible for outside-the-box thinking. To generate novel ideas, individuals must explicitly step away from their desks to allow the innovation network to fire. This neurobiological understanding explains why highly creative individuals often struggle with clerical tasks. [00:41:01] Resilience Lessons from Monkey Island: Long-term research on rhesus macaques in Puerto Rico shows how catastrophic stress can accelerate biological aging. After Hurricane Maria, monkeys without strong social ties aged the equivalent of eight human years in a single calendar year. Monkeys that prioritized prosocial behavior and friendship demonstrated a much higher probability of survival. This research indicates that social capital acts as a biological buffer against environmental trauma. [00:33:32] The Crisis of Digital Isolation: The modern loneliness epidemic is a primary driver of plummeting global fertility rates and rising psychological despair. Because interactions are increasingly mediated by screens, people are spending less time crossing paths in the physical world. Reclaiming free-range social experimentation for children is essential for building long-term emotional resilience. The field is actively searching for systemic guardrails like phone-free schools to mitigate these challenges. Learn more: jiminihealth.com [http://jiminihealth.com/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=famehost&utm_campaign=neural-compass-podcast]

Why Healthcare, Ever the Tech Laggard, Finally Got the AI Memo, with Jacob Effron

What if healthcare’s biggest AI breakthroughs aren’t about new science—but about finally fixing systems that were never built to scale? In this episode of Neural Compass, Jacob Effron, Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures, joins Jimini’s Mark Jacobstein to explore where AI is already delivering real value in healthcare—and where hype still outpaces reality. Drawing on his experience at Flatiron Health and as an investor across AI, enterprise software, and healthcare, Jacob discusses why healthcare has become one of the fastest-adopting AI verticals, how real-world data actually creates value, and why tools that reduce clinician burden can unlock entirely new patient experiences. They cover: * Why healthcare has emerged as a leading AI adoption vertical * Lessons from Flatiron Health on real-world data and evidence * What makes ambient clinical documentation a true “wedge” product * How AI can empower patients—not just clinicians * What separates generational health tech companies from short-lived hype Learn more: jiminihealth.com [http://jiminihealth.com]

Talking “Conversational Doorknobs” & Broken Science with the Funniest Man in Psychology, Adam Mastroianni

What if the hardest problems in psychology aren’t about data or statistics—but about how we talk, think, and decide what counts as truth? In this episode of Neural Compass, psychologist, writer, and internet favorite Adam Mastroianni joins Jimini’s Mark Jacobstein for a wide-ranging conversation about conversation itself. Drawing from experimental psychology, improv, and lived experience with anxiety and depression, Adam explores why good conversations feel rare, why science struggles to study the most important questions, and why mental health progress may require ideas that don’t fit into academic boxes. Along the way, he reflects on leaving academia, rethinking peer review, and what happens when you try to tell the truth instead of writing for journals. They cover: * Why great conversations rely on “doorknobs,” not just questions * How anxiety, status, and speed shape the way we talk to each other * What’s broken in modern science—and why legibility can be the enemy of discovery * Why therapy works even when we don’t fully understand how * How imagining that “things could be better” fuels both progress and dissatisfaction Learn more: jiminihealth.com [http://jiminihealth.com]

Tech, AI, and the Future of Therapy, with Dr. Harry Ritter, Alma's CEO

What if fixing mental healthcare isn’t about replacing clinicians—but finally giving them the systems they’ve always lacked? In this episode of Neural Compass, Dr. Harry Ritter, founder and CEO of Alma, joins Jimini’s Mark Jacobstein to explore how technology, insurance alignment, and new business models can unlock better mental health care at scale. Drawing on his experience as a physician, lawyer, and former Oscar Health executive, Harry explains why behavioral health has lagged in tech adoption, how the pandemic permanently reshaped care delivery, and why empowering independent clinicians may be the fastest path to access, quality, and sustainability. They cover: - Why behavioral health remained tech-averse for so long—and what changed - How Alma helps thousands of independent therapists accept insurance and scale - The hidden systems failures between payers, providers, and patients - Where AI can remove administrative burden without replacing clinicians - Why mental health may be the most powerful lever for preventive care Learn more: jiminihealth.com [http://jiminihealth.com]