How does a successful academic cardiologist leave a prestigious career to build a pioneering virtual mental health company from the ground up? This episode unpacks the incredible physician transition to health tech with Dr. Reena Pande, a cardiologist turned innovator who scaled a startup to a major acquisition and is now shaping the future of clinician executive leadership. If you've ever wondered how to leverage your clinical expertise beyond the bedside and make an impact at scale, this conversation is for you.
In this deep dive, Dr. Reena Pande shares the untold story of her journey from a grant-funded researcher and faculty member at Harvard Medical School to becoming the first Chief Medical Officer at AbleTo. She details the "ferocious curiosity" that led her to explore the world of health tech and venture capital, driven by a desire to address patient needs more holistically, particularly in the intersection of physical and mental health. Dr. Pande explains the challenges and triumphs of scaling a virtual mental health company, detailing how AbleTo grew from a 10-person team with a $1.5M Series A to a thousand-person organization acquired by Optum. She provides a candid look at the Chief Medical Officer role in tech, emphasizing the need to blend clinical and business acumen, roll up your sleeves, and grow as a leader as the company evolves.
This discussion offers invaluable advice for physicians in health tech, covering the pitfalls to avoid—such as acting like the sole expert—and the mindset required to succeed, including humility and a willingness to learn the language of business (from EBITDA to COGS). Dr. Pande also recounts the dramatic impact of the pandemic, which she describes as "pouring gasoline" on the simmering need for virtual care, and how AbleTo's rigorous, quality-first approach enabled them to meet the explosive demand. Now a Partner at Oxeon leading their clinician executive search practice, she shares insights on what the industry needs most from physician leaders today and her vision for training the next generation of clinicians in the age of AI. This episode is a masterclass in clinician executive leadership and a must-listen for any doctor considering a physician transition to health tech.
About Our Guest:
Dr. Reena Pande is a Partner at Oxeon, where she leads the clinician executive search practice. Before joining Oxeon, she spent nearly a decade as the Chief Medical Officer of AbleTo (now Optum Behavioral Care), a pioneer in virtual mental healthcare. At AbleTo, she led the company’s product, data, and research efforts, scaling the organization through its acquisition by Optum. Dr. Pande was previously an academic cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. She is a passionate advocate for integrating technology with empathetic, human-centered care to transform health outcomes.
Timestamps / Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction to Dr. Reena Pande
(01:23) Dr. Pande's Origin Story: The Path to Medicine and Cardiology
(05:16) The Leap: Pivoting from Academic Medicine to Health Tech Innovation
(09:43) Building AbleTo: A Pioneer in Virtual Mental Healthcare
(12:04) The Chief Medical Officer Role: Scaling a Health Tech Company
(13:57) How the Pandemic Became a Catalyst for Virtual Mental Health
(19:13) From CMO to Matchmaker: A New Chapter at Oxeon
(23:16) Common Pitfalls for Physicians Transitioning to Tech Roles
(28:43) "Know Thyself": Key Advice for Aspiring Physician Innovators
(30:39) Forecasting the Future: AI and the Next Generation of Clinicians
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