Industry insights – Conversation with Dr. Justin Graham of Walmarts Store No. 8
In a recent conversation with Dr. Justin Graham, Head of Informatics and Clinical Strategy at Walmart’s Store No. 8, we delved into the complexities of the U.S. healthcare market, the challenges of implementing new solutions in healthcare, and the potential of language models to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. Justin also shared some exciting technologies and medical breakthroughs that he has come across in recent months.
About Justin
We kicked off the conversation with an introduction to Justin and his background. Justin has a diverse background in medicine and informatics, having served as Chief Innovation Officer at Hearst Health, where he worked on product innovation and launching new products and businesses. He has also held senior product strategy and chief medical officer roles at companies like Anthem, North Bay Health, and Giant. Justin’s journey began in medical school, where he developed an early interest in informatics and its potential to transform healthcare.
Justin shared his journey from medical school to his current role at Walmart. He pursued informatics at Stanford and worked on a research project related to respiratory pandemics. Over the years, Justin has worked on various projects, including medication prioritization, NLP tools for clinical notes, bundle payment programs, and home health scheduling. He has also worked on digital chatbot tools for healthcare systems, focusing on optimizing triage and reducing the burden on call centers.
Walmart’s Interest in Healthcare
We learned about Walmart’s interest in healthcare and its efforts to improve the health of communities. Walmart has always been interested in the health of its communities and is implementing clinics in its stores, offering primary care and dental services. The company is working on enhancing its ambitions in the healthcare domain and exploring opportunities to support its efforts in improving community health.
Navigating the Complexities of the U.S. Healthcare Market
One of the key points Justin brought up was the importance of understanding the specific market segment you are targeting and the problems they face. He advised startups to focus on a particular sub-segment and understand their specific needs. Justin also highlighted the importance of following the money and aligning your solution with the financial interests of the stakeholders involved.
Challenges of Implementing New Solutions in Healthcare
Justin discussed the challenges of implementing new solutions in healthcare. He mentioned that healthcare entities are often conservative and slow to adopt new technologies. Security, privacy, and confidentiality are top priorities, and startups need to ensure that their solutions meet the highest standards in these areas.
Tips for Startups Entering the U.S. Healthcare Market
We picked up a few tips from Justin for startups entering the U.S. healthcare market. He suggested avoiding unpaid pilots, as they often do not lead to further business and can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Justin also shared his thoughts on the value of pilots conducted in other countries and suggested that startups focus on finding pockets of innovation within the U.S. market.
The Power of Language Models
Justin expressed his excitement about the advancements in language models and their potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. He believes that language will become the new user interface for healthcare, allowing healthcare providers and non-technical individuals to interact with technology in a more natural and intuitive way.
Exciting Technologies and Medical Breakthroughs
Justin mentioned language models and generative AI as some of the most exciting technologies he has seen in recent months. He also shared a medical breakthrough related to the shingles vaccine and its potential impact on Alzheimer’s disease.
Top 5 Tips from Justin
- Understand the specific market segment you are targeting: Focus on a particular sub-segment and tailor your solution to their unique needs.
- Follow the money: Align your solution with the financial interests of the stakeholders involved.
- Be prepared for the challenges of implementing new solutions: Ensure that your solution meets the highest standards of security, privacy, and confidentiality.
- Avoid unpaid pilots: Focus on paid pilots or projects that have a clear path to further business.
- Find pockets of innovation within the U.S. market: Target middle-market players who are looking for an edge and are open to new ideas such as hospitals in middle America such as Kentucky and Iowa as opposed to the known big cities.
