Trey Holterman: Operational efficiency can drastically improve patient outcomes, why accountability gaps hinder care transitions, and the role of technology in healthcare innovation | a16z Live

Key Takeaways

• Operational efficiency in healthcare can drastically improve patient outcomes.
• Shifting focus from clinical to operational improvements could be the key to healthcare advancement.
• Less than half of patients reach their intended healthcare destination due to poor transition accountability.
• Learning management systems (LMS) are crucial for improving insurance claims processing.
• Providers in non-elite regions are often underestimated in their operational capabilities.
• Successful tech adoption in healthcare hinges on proper setup for operational success.
• The healthcare industry is increasingly open to adopting new tools if they improve outcomes.
• Believing all great ideas are already taken is a limiting mindset.
• Opportunities often emerge at the intersection of different fields of expertise.
• A culture of experimentation can drive efficiency and innovation within organizations.
• Healthcare’s willingness to adopt technology is contingent on demonstrated outcomes.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration is vital for fostering innovation in tech and healthcare.
• Encouraging experimentation within teams can lead to process improvements and innovation.

Guest intro

Trey Holterman is Co-Founder and CEO of Tennr, which automates manual healthcare operations tasks using AI to streamline patient referrals and insurance documentation workflows. He previously worked as a Software Engineer at Strava and studied Computer Science at Stanford University, where he also captained the rowing team. Since launching Tennr in 2023, the company has raised over 61 million dollars in venture funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed, and Y Combinator.

The impact of operational efficiency on healthcare

• The operational efficiency in healthcare can significantly impact patient care and outcomes.

  — Trey Holterman

• The time taken for initial patient contact can be reduced from 22 days to 20 minutes with improved processes.
• Operational inefficiencies create bottlenecks that affect patient care.

• The biggest lever for improving our healthcare system lies in operational changes rather than clinical ones.

  — Trey Holterman

• Focusing on operational improvements can lead to significant advancements in healthcare.
• Traditional healthcare improvements often prioritize clinical over operational changes.
• Operational changes can streamline processes, leading to better patient outcomes.
• Improving operational efficiency can reduce delays and enhance patient satisfaction.

Challenges in patient care transitions

• Less than 50% of patients reach their prescribed healthcare destination due to accountability gaps.

• There’s this moment in time where you go from one provider to the next provider nobody’s really responsible for you in that time period.

  — Trey Holterman

• Lack of accountability during transitions can lead to patients falling through the cracks.
• Improving accountability in transitions can enhance patient care continuity.
• Effective transition management is crucial for ensuring patients receive the care they need.
• Addressing transition inefficiencies can significantly improve healthcare outcomes.
• Solutions are needed to address the “black hole” effect during patient transitions.
• Enhancing communication between providers can reduce transition-related issues.

Role of technology in healthcare operations

• Learning management systems (LMS) enhance insurance claims processing and operational efficiency.

• LMS have been a massive driver of value for us.

  — Trey Holterman

• Technology can streamline operations and improve efficiency in healthcare settings.
• Successful tech adoption requires understanding how to set up technology for operational success.

• We know how you set this technology up for operational success.

  — Trey Holterman

• Proper technology integration can lead to significant operational improvements.
• Technology can address inefficiencies and improve healthcare delivery.
• Emphasizing technology setup can lead to better outcomes and efficiency.

Overcoming regional biases in healthcare

• Providers outside elite coastal areas are often more competent than assumed.

• There’s this baked in sort of assumption of elitism that you have on both the coasts… it’s so wrong.

  — Trey Holterman

• Regional biases can lead to underestimation of providers’ capabilities.
• Providers in less urban areas can drive operational change effectively.
• Challenging stereotypes can reveal untapped potential in healthcare providers.
• Recognizing regional strengths can lead to more equitable healthcare improvements.
• Operational capabilities are not limited to elite regions.
• Addressing regional biases can enhance overall healthcare system performance.

Adoption of new tools in healthcare

• Healthcare is increasingly willing to adopt new tools if they drive outcomes.

• Healthcare has been way more willing to adopt these tools as long as we can drive the outcome.

  — Trey Holterman

• Outcome-driven adoption is reshaping healthcare technology integration.
• Tools that demonstrate clear benefits are more likely to be adopted.
• The focus on outcomes over tools is a significant shift in healthcare.
• Demonstrating value is key to successful tool adoption in healthcare.
• Adoption barriers can be overcome by emphasizing outcome improvements.
• The willingness to adopt new tools reflects a shift towards innovation in healthcare.

Mindset and innovation in tech

• Assuming all great ideas are taken is a detrimental mindset.

• It’s just a really bad mindset to assume oh all the great ideas are taken.

  — Trey Holterman

• Challenging this belief can open up opportunities for innovation.
• Innovation thrives when individuals believe in the potential for new ideas.
• A positive mindset can lead to discovering untapped opportunities.
• Overcoming this mindset can drive creativity and innovation.
• Encouraging open-mindedness can lead to breakthrough innovations.
• Believing in the potential for new ideas can foster a culture of innovation.

Interdisciplinary opportunities in innovation

• Opportunities arise at the intersections of different fields of expertise.

• Opportunities live between fields of expertise.

  — Trey Holterman

• Interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to innovative solutions.
• Diverse expertise fosters creativity and innovation in tech.
• Crossing industry boundaries can reveal new opportunities.
• Collaboration across fields can enhance problem-solving capabilities.
• Emphasizing interdisciplinary work can drive innovation and growth.
• Recognizing the value of diverse expertise can lead to breakthrough innovations.

Fostering a culture of experimentation

• The company encourages a culture of experimentation to drive efficiency and innovation.

• We are always gonna be experimenting with this and this is really important for us.

  — Trey Holterman

• Experimentation can lead to process improvements and innovative solutions.
• Encouraging team members to try new ideas fosters a culture of innovation.
• A culture of experimentation can lead to significant organizational improvements.
• Presenting on experiments encourages a mindset of continuous improvement.
• Experimentation is key to discovering new efficiencies and innovations.
• A supportive environment for experimentation can drive organizational success.