Advancing Orthopedic Care Through Movement Intelligence and Data with Rob Heiser & Dr. James Voos

Summary

Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Advancing Orthopedic Care Through Movement Intelligence and Data with Rob Heiser & Dr. James Voos
Date: March 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the transformative impact of movement intelligence, data, and wearable technology on orthopedic care. Host Scott Becker speaks with Rob Heiser, CEO of EUGEN Health, and Dr. James Voos, head of Orthopedics at University Hospitals Cleveland and team physician to the Cleveland Browns. The conversation centers on the role of data-driven platforms in improving patient outcomes, increasing efficiency for providers, and the exciting possibilities for remote and scalable orthopedic solutions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions & Backgrounds

• Dr. James Voos details his multifaceted experience as a sports medicine physician, researcher, and leader in both clinical and professional sports settings.

  “It’s a nice opportunity with a product like this to bring all of those hats…to help our professional athletes as well as our regular weekend warriors.” — Dr. Voos [01:22]

• Rob Heiser introduces EUGEN Health, focusing on movement intelligence using sensor data to drive clinical standards and patient recovery. He brings a background in data-driven business from fintech into healthcare.

  “My new career here at EUGEN, we’re focused on our movement intelligence platform... The data that comes off these devices is so valuable.” — Rob Heiser [02:26]

2. The Problem EUGEN Aims to Solve

• Prior authorization and administrative burden in orthopedic care are highlighted as major inefficiencies.

• EUGEN’s platform seeks to automate and objectify movement tracking and data collection, which supports both better patient outcomes and streamlined provider workflows.

  “We have to standardize the movement, but not just standardize the movement. We have to correct the movement as the patient’s in rep.” — Rob Heiser [03:35]

• The system captures metrics such as range of motion and pain scores, providing relevant, real-time insights for clinicians and patients.

3. Clinical Validation & Real-World Impact

• Dr. Voos notes that EUGEN caught their eye amid many devices for its ability to maintain or improve care quality while boosting provider throughput.

  “This was one of the first devices that we saw we can maintain that quality of care, [with] the fortunate added advantage of…increases the throughput and efficiency of our providers...” — Dr. Voos [06:07]

• EUGEN enables physical therapists and athletic trainers to manage higher patient volumes with less administrative burden.
• Improved access to care and scalability for both athletes and everyday patients.

4. Advice to Emerging Leaders

• For Physicians:
  Dr. Voos encourages keeping an open mind and maintaining awareness around new technology, even during the busy early years of clinical practice:

  “I would encourage everyone in medicine…to keep their head up because there’s so much going on, so much innovation going on around us that you want to continue to learn.” — Dr. Voos [07:24]

• For Business Leaders:
  Rob Heiser underscores the critical role of standardized, high-quality datasets in the age of AI and analytics:

  “Everybody should be focused on high quality standardized data sets... that can be easily ingested by these AI tools will really be what the future holds.” — Rob Heiser [08:13]

5. Key Excitements & Future Focus

• Rob Heiser: Excited about using objective, patient-generated data to drive better outcomes and efficiency—noting the value in remote patient monitoring post-surgery.

  “Having actual true objective data that comes directly from the patient I think is very valuable. I’m super excited about that…” — Rob Heiser [09:34]

• Dr. Voos: Highly engaged by wearable technology’s potential to deliver orthopedic care outside traditional settings, enabling 'living labs' where patients are reached in their real-life environments.

  “We often use the term ‘living lab’…EUGEN is one of those technologies that helps us to get outside of the walls of the hospital and meet patients where they’re at...” — Dr. Voos [11:27]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “[EUGEN] greatly increases the throughput and the efficiency of our providers, of our physical therapists and athletic trainers who are already overwhelmed with patients.”
  — Dr. Voos [06:32]

• “Quality movement equals quality recovery.”
  — Rob Heiser [04:31]

• “Even if you may not adopt new technology right away, I think it’s imperative that we continue to understand and know what technology is out there.”
  — Dr. Voos [07:34]

• (On data in healthcare): “That data set means a lot and that’s really why my entire career has been focused on high quality standardized data.”
  — Rob Heiser [08:53]

• “EUGEN really has the ability to truly impact how we deliver care…to reach out and meet our patients where they’re at…”
  — Dr. Voos [11:20]

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Segment Timestamps

• [01:22] — Dr. Voos introduces his background and approach
• [02:26] — Rob Heiser’s background and EUGEN’s key offering
• [03:35] — The problem of prior authorizations and need for objective data
• [05:21] — University Hospitals’ clinical validation process and why EUGEN stood out
• [07:17] — Dr. Voos’ advice for emerging orthopedic leaders
• [08:13] — Rob Heiser’s advice for business and healthcare data leaders
• [09:12] — What excites Rob Heiser most about the future
• [11:17] — Dr. Voos’ excitement about wearable tech and patient-centric care

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Conclusion

The episode underscores how movement intelligence and standardized, actionable data are primed to redefine orthopedic care—from improving outcomes to reducing burdens on clinicians and unlocking new remote care models. Dr. Voos and Rob Heiser, blending clinical, research, and entrepreneurial perspectives, advocate for both embracing innovation and rigorous validation to transform patient care in orthopedics.

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Transcript

[A]

This is where healthcare leadership comes together. Becker's 16th annual meeting brings more than 3,500 hospital and health system executives and nearly 800 speakers to Chicago, April 13th through the 16th. This year's event includes keynote conversations with Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman and former President George W. Bush. For the agenda and event details, visit Beckershospitalreview.com and click on the events tab in the upper right. We're looking forward to hosting you in Chicago.

[B]

This is Scott Becker with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by two fascinating leaders who are really leaders in healthcare and healthcare delivery. We're joined by Rob Heiser, the Chief executive officer of Eugen Health. We're also joined by Dr. James Vuse, medical advisor, University Hospitals of Cleveland, head of Orthopedics at uh, also team physician for the Cleveland Browns and president of the NFL Physicians Association. We will not spend the time today talking about the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation or shoulder Sanders making it as an alternate or to the Pro Bowl. That will not be today's discussion, I promise. Rob and Dr. Voose, can I ask the two of you to take a moment to introduce yourself?

[C]

Go ahead, Dr. Vus. I'll let you go first.

[D]

Scott, thank you for very much for the opportunity to speak on the podcast today and today working with you, Jen, and really culminating all of the hats we wear, both as a practicing sports medicine, orthopedic surgeon who takes care of all sorts of sports related injuries, researcher leading our research division at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, as well as working with the NFL Physician Society and the Cleveland Browns. So it's a nice opportunity with a product like this to bring all of those hats with an opportunity to help, to perform research, to help our professional athletes as well as our regular weekend warriors. So thank you for the opportunity to be here.

[B]

Thank you. And what people, not everybody realizes that uh, University Hospitals is one of the leaders in the country in, in NIH grants and research, one of the great research institutions in the world. Thank you so much. Rob, can you take a moment and introduce yourself as well?

[C]

Sure.

[B]

I'm.

[C]

I'm Rob Heiser. I'm the chairman and CEO of ugen. My career has really been focused on building companies with large data sets and corresponding software. My last company was in the fintech space. We really focus on structuring and standardized the world's payment data. I sold that business back in 2022. But my new career here at Eugen, we're focused on our movement intelligence platform and that leverages two or more of the EUGEN XYZ movement sensors on the patient to guide and correct their movements to a clinical standard. Today we have over 150 exercises and growing in our applic that can represent an infinite number of configurations by the clinician with our easy to use software. And as you know, my background is data. The data that comes off these devices is so valuable. And we'll talk about that later in the podcast. But I really appreciate you having me and Dr. Vus on the podcast and it's a pleasure being here.

[B]

Thank you so much. And let me ask you this first, Rob. What is the problem or the issue that EUGEN is intending to solve for what is the core of what EUGEN delivers and does?

[C]

Well, it's really what we're really focused on is better outcomes and better workplace efficiency. So if you think about what happens in the market today, one of the maybe largest problem is these prior authorizations. I hear that over and over and over again. And if you think about the time it takes from a clinician that could be a surgeon, a pa, a nurse to both collect the data, identify and collect all of that data, and then also submit it to insurance to get the authorization, that's an enormous amount of time. But to really have that work, you need objective data. I talked about my background being in the data industry. Our sensors are what makes that valuable. And we have to standardize the movement, but not just standardize the movement. We have to correct the movement as the patient's in rep. And then we also track several things about that we could track range of motion, we could track. They have the ability to add a pain score if they have it. There's problems built in. And that's really what we're focused on, is that standardizing that movement data and creating that movement intelligent platform so you can really leverage the ability to help your patients get better faster. Because quality movement equals quality recovery. And we see that over and over with the trials we're running in our customers that we're working with today. And having someone as an advisor like Dr. Vus helps us really understand where we should be focused in the right areas. And that's, that's a testament to what UH has done for us as a partner. Thank you.

[B]

And then, and Dr. Vus, tell us sort of what excites you about you, Jen, and your interaction here. You've got so many magnificent things going on. Tell us why this is so exciting and interesting to you.

[D]

We engaged with EUGEN through our, uh, Haslam Sports Innovation center platform, which has really allowed us to explore and invest and do research alongside innovative companies. So we really want to enter the market really being the voice of reason, being willing to put the scientific rigor and, and put, put it to the test of anything that we are going to endorse and get involved with. And we've seen tons and tons of devices. And EUGEN was one that really caught our eye just from the sophistication of the platform as well as the quality of movement. And at the core of all of this really, is making sure the patient has the optimal outcome and at a minimum, that there is no change in their outcome from working directly with a physical therapist and the potential to increase or improve their outcome. So that was number one. And this was one of the first devices that we saw we can maintain that quality of care. Care with the fortunate added advantage of this greatly increases the throughput and the efficiency of our providers, of our physical therapists and athletic trainers who are already overwhelmed with patients. So I feel very confident this is going to increase access to care for our patients, going to relieve our physical therapists who have an incredible amount of administrative burden on them when they're caring for our patients. So it's one of those types of technologies that help on both sides. And to me, that's very appealing to keep when both sides are winning from that standpoint.

[B]

Dr. Foose, fantastic. Let me ask you this question, Dr. Vuis. What advice would you give to emerging leaders in orthopedics, people that want to have great careers in orthopedics? Any thoughts on what advice you'd give to emerging leaders? Emerging physicians?

[D]

Yeah, it's a great question. And I often use the analogy. A lot of our physicians start in practice and they say, oh, I just want to put my head down and work and really establish my practice. And I would encourage everyone in medicine to really, we wanted, we want to really work hard and focus on our practice, but encourage everyone to keep their head up because there's so much going on, so much innovation going on around us that you want to continue to learn. And even if you may not adopt new technology right away, I think it's imperative that we continue to understand and know what technology is out there. That way you're always aware of the better ways to take care of your patients and you're not going to blink. Can miss out.

[C]

No.

[B]

Fantastic. And, and Rob, let me ask you a similar question. What advice would you give to business leaders and foundings founders, Emerging business leaders, emerging C suite leaders. What advice do you give to leaders?

[C]

Really? Everybody should be focused on the high quality standardized data sets. I mean, if you think about how the world is changing with AI and the acceleration of software development through tools like Claude and code from OpenAI, starting with a really good data set that's standardized, that can be easily ingested by these AI tools will really be what the future holds in terms of how you get better industry intelligence or workplace efficiencies or even in healthcare. This whole thing for better outcomes and better care. That data set means a lot and that's really why my entire career has been focused on high quality standardized data.

[B]

Thank you. Let me ask you this question. I'll ask each of this question the single thing you're most excited about or focused on this year. Let me ask you each that question, starting with Rob and then Dr. Woos.

[C]

I tell you I'm really excited about the better outcomes for patients. Obviously there's a lot of problems when you, you know, I'm entering the health care industry. This is my second year in this industry. I've not been in this industry prior and seeing there's a lot of kind of workplace inefficiencies that happen and most of that comes from kind of the struggle between payers and providers. And I think having really good objective data that's not just self reported, that's not just, you know, reviewed and dictated, but having actual true objective data that comes directly from the patient I think is very valuable. I'm super excited about that and, and how that can one change outcomes because the quality of the data and when you think about what EUGEN is trying to do around the quality of movement in the, in the, in the movement correction around a clinical standard, but having that, you know, be able to, you know that all that data exhaust that comes from these movement sensors, it creates so much value in workplace efficiency and better outcomes and better understanding what patients need the most attention and when, if they have an issue post surgery and really that's you want people like James Vuce focused on helping more people, not trying to manage post surgery patients. You know, I'm lucky enough that Dr. Voose did a surgery for one of my children in the last 30 days and he's a student at Ohio State. And having the ability to have that outreach, to have him go to Ohio State and be able to recover without being in Northeast Ohio at the same time is very valuable.

[B]

And let me ask you the important question. When Ohio State plays Michigan, where are your royalties at?

[C]

Well, I have two kids that are currently enrolled in Ohio State and I live in Ohio. So it's definitely Ohio State.

[B]

Ohio. There you go. Dr. Voose, what are you most focused on and excited about this year?

[D]

There's two pathways. One is the basic science pathway where we're doing a lot of biologics and tissue engineering. But the second is here in the space of wearable technology. And this has me incredibly excited because what we're doing at EUGEN really has the ability to truly impact how we deliver care there. And we often use the term living lab, and that means we're trying to do more and more to reach out and meet our patients where they're at, so in their sporting environment or where they can work out at home. And EUGEN is one of those technologies that helps us to get outside of the walls of the hospital and meet patients where they're at and get that same quality of movement and instruction and data. So very exciting when we across the technology that can truly change the way we deliver care.

[B]

Thank you very, very much, Rob. Dr. Voose, I want to thank you both so much for joining us today on the Beckers Healthcare podcast. What a pleasure to visit with you both. Great entrepreneurs, great leaders, great physician. Thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, folks, very, very much.

[C]

Thank you.

[D]

Thank you.