What Would Lisa Suennen Say?
We just finished celebrating the 50th anniversary of the U.S. landing on the moon, only to have the story marred by the news that astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, likely died from what at least looks to be major medical errors in his treatment. What a tragic end to […]
I just got back from the trip of a lifetime: an African safari. I had the good fortune to visit South Africa (both Cape Town/Cape of Good Hope and Krueger National Park) as well as the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls. Wow. If you have done it, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, […]
Dear Santa, I’m writing to you with my Christmas wish list. I realize that I am a little over the typical age limit for this activity, but I am pretty short so maybe I can still pass for a kid? I also know that, as a venture capitalist, I may automatically default to the “naughty […]
UCSF professor Bob Wachter has had a front row view of the collision of irresistible emerging technology with an immovable healthcare system, and has managed to navigate this interface with unusual nuance, grace and a healthy sense of humor, a story he shares in the wonderful, recently published book “The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype and […]
In his 1863 Gettysburg Address, Lincoln reiterated his commitment to equality for all people as originally defined in the Declaration of Independence. In the speech, Lincoln also paid tribute to the sacrifices of those who gave their lives at Gettysburg and told the country his vision of how to ensure the survival of America’s struggling […]
Shakespeare’s play MacBeth opens with two witches uttering these words: “When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain? “When the hurlyburly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won.” The quote refers to the impending reunion of three sister witches intent on evil, but it struck me as a great metaphor for […]
Each year the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano on March 19 and the Summer Solstice occurs on June 21. July 1 is also a date to remember, as it should strike terror in hearts of those who find themselves in need of hospitalization. This is because July 1 is the traditional date on which […]
Many people are talking about (or actively trying to ignore) the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent declaration that cell phones might actually cause cancer. WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer did a review of dozens of published studies on cell phones and cancer before classifying cell phones as “possibly carcinogenic.” “Possibly carcinogenic” is a […]
Talking about health insurance is a good way to clear a room. It is a rare person who is excited to interact with their insurance company or who can understand the explanation of benefits they receive in the mail detailing all of the things that the insurance carrier has decided not to pay on their […]
In the category of “duh, do they really need to spend money to study the obvious?” an April 2011 study in the Archives of Surgery reports that surgeons who are hung-over from excessive alcohol intake make a significantly higher number of medical errors as compared to those who do not drink to excess the night […]
Lisa Suennen is a venture capital investor and the managing partner of Venture Valkyrie, LLC, which publishes the Venture Valkyrie blog and co-produces the Tech Tonics podcast. She is also co-founder of CSweetener, a women's healthcare mentoring organization.