# 078 - Prevention is Not New, Incentives in Health Care, and Integrated Combination Products with Ramin Rafiei

- Show: [Let's Combinate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate)
- Published: 2023-03-29
- Length: 42m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letscombinate/episodes/078---Prevention-is-Not-New--Incentives-in-Health-Care--and-Integrated-Combination-Products-with-Ramin-Rafiei-e213qn0

## Summary

Dr. Ramin Rafiei, CEO of Unleash Health and co-founder of Reformulate Health, discusses the evolution of combination products from simple drug-device pairs to integrated 'intervention plus prevention' systems. He critiques the failure of early digital health solutions like Proteus, which prioritized technology over user experience, and explains how Unleash Health leverages consumer brands (e.g., Nike, Lululemon) to drive preventative health through 'prevention as a service.' Rafiei highlights the perverse incentives in the current medical economy that favor reactive treatment over proactive wellness, arguing that aligning consumer brand incentives with health outcomes is key to scaling prevention.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=0) Introduction: Subi Seday and Ramin Rafiei
- [1:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=67) Ramin Rafiei's background at SHL Medical and Unleash Health culture
- [4:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=284) The role of auto-injectors and digital biomarkers in care delivery
- [7:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=426) Redefining combination products as 'intervention plus prevention'
- [10:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=622) Critique of digital health failures: Proteus and the measurement problem
- [13:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=808) The consumer as an individual and the failure of siloed disease management
- [21:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=1303) Unleash Health's 'prevention as a service' model with consumer brands
- [27:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=1656) Partnering with consumer brands like Nike and Lululemon for behavior change
- [32:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=1946) Building a full-stack preventative health solution and health equity
- [37:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p#t=2224) Perverse incentives in healthcare and Reformulate Health's advisory role

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Unleash Health (company)
- SHL Medical (company)
- Proteus (company)
- Reformulate Health (company)
- Nike (company)
- Lululemon (company)
- Adidas (company)
- Sockety (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#375: Direct to Consumer - The Future of Healthcare](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2024-07-11-375-direct-to-consumer-the-future-of-healthcare) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [The Future of Healthcare & How We Get There](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2022-12-08-the-future-of-healthcare-how-we-get-there) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#028 - Meet the creators of FitBit for medication, with Peter Havas of PillDrill, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-31-028-meet-the-creators-of-fitbit-for-medication-with-peter-havas-of-pilldrill-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Living Longer and Healthier With IoT | Jabil's Brad Womble | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2023-02-09-living-longer-and-healthier-with-iot-jabils-brad-womble-internet-of-things-podca) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [S2E13 Relentless Empathy & Going Deep On Understanding The Problem | Ryan Eder](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-03-19-s2e13-relentless-empathy-going-deep-on-understanding-the-problem-ryan-eder) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-29-078-prevention-is-not-new-incentives-in-health-care-and-integrated-combination-p. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Let's Combinate.