- A new generation of leaders is transforming the healthcare industry.
- They're developing new ways to treat diseases and help people stay healthy.
- From hundreds of nominations, Insider selected 30 leaders under 40 transforming healthcare.
Robin Shah, 36, is guiding patients with cancer through treatment and improving their health outcomes.
Robin Shah has been around cancer care for just about his entire life.
The son of an oncologist, Shah got a crash course in operating a cancer center when he began working at his father's practice while in college. Next up was Flatiron Health, where he built tools to help doctors shift their cancer practices to new ways of getting paid that reward better care. In 2018, he helped launch OneOncology, a network of independent cancer practices.
Between these day jobs, Shah helped friends who needed assistance navigating a cancer diagnosis, he said.
In one case in 2019, the mother of Shah's high-school friend was told by her primary-care doctor she may have cancer but would have to wait at least a month to see an oncologist. Shah connected her with his father, who ordered tests within a day to confirm her diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer and started her treatment 36 hours later.
"Who knows what a four- to five-week wait just to get a consult, to get the test ordered, to then come back to get a treatment plan would've done?" he said.
The experience prompted him to build Thyme Care to help guide people through cancer treatment. The company, which has raised $22 million, helps patients understand their diagnosis, manage symptoms, and schedule appointments. It also connects patients to resources such as meals and transportation, Shah said.
Thyme Care is working with about 1,600 patients and expects to double that number by the end of the year, Shah said. Beyond improving care for these patients, Shah said he's excited about the talented workers that companies like Flatiron, OneOncology, and Thyme have recruited to help improve cancer care.
"We've attracted amazing talent and I think it has permeated to additional companies being built in the healthcare space," Shah said. "I am so excited about the impact, not just me, but everybody that's working in this space is going to have on healthcare for the next 20 years."
— Shelby Livingston