Here’s an overview of what’s provided by the 25K/year Optispan program.
First off, here’s a list of tests and procedures that are provided by Optispan, and my estimate of what it would cost to acquire on your own.
I’m guessing you’d pay something on the order of 8-9K if you were to assemble all the tests and exams if you did it yourself.
Enrolling in the program involves going to Optispan HQ near SEATAC for ‘Gateway Day’, where you are run through some fitness tests, blood samples are collected, POCUS exam, Oura Ring measuring, CGM installed, etc, etc. You’re interviewed in depth, driven by what you indicated on the extensive questionnaire filled out upon enrolling. Whole thing takes about five hours. I don’t live nearby, so I flew up there the night before, and flew out the following evening.
After about six weeks, and all the data from the above as been collected and analyzed, you receive the central deliverable - your ‘Optispan Narrative’, which includes analysis of your interview, and all of the above-listed items, with recommendations. Presentation of the narrative is done by the doctor via Zoom, I think it was something like two hours long.
‘Eat, Move, Sleep, Connect’ - Optispan’s ‘Pillars of Healthspan’. Before enrolling, I was already in the process of upgrading my diet, and improving my sleep habits and environment, so not much useful in my Narrative. I get 10+ hours of vigorous exercise per week, so not an area where I needed Optispan’s help. As far as ‘Connect’ goes, not interested in whatever this actually involves. I’m just looking for Better Living Through Pharmacology.
So what was drug/supplement-related the outcome of my Optispan Narrative?
-
Prescription for Repatha to try and bring down my high LP(a). Didn’t work.
-
Advised to try Thorne Methyl-Guard to reduce homocysteine. Knocked me for a loop after taking first dose…
-
Some discussion of TRT, but that never went anywhere.
-
‘Consider taking low-dose rapamycin.’ Some miscommunication here, as I was already taking.
Trailblazer_Program.pdf (404.6 KB)
Optispan personnel:
A team of scientists, doctors, and coaches with expertise in longevity medicine and research guides every Trailblazer through progress plans tailored to their unique needs that will empower them to achieve their optimal Healthspan.
There are a handful of people that comprise the customer-facing part of Optispan.
Matt Kaeberlein is not one of them.
George Haddad is ‘the’ doctor. (There is only one.)
I began my clinical practice in 2001 as a founding member of the Swedish Medical Centre’s hospitalist team. I’ve also served as Medical Director of Swedish Executive Health, an intensive preventive health program designed in collaboration with Microsoft, and became the P4 Medicine Institute’s Medical Director in 2017.
There are two ‘coaches’. MK’s youtube foil, Nick, is one of them, and also another fellow. I was assigned to Nick. I had a zoom discussion with him, just after enrolling, and he commented after a few minutes that was hard to see where Optispan was going to add value in this case. I did get one valuable recommendation from Nick. I have knots in my back muscles that I had been trying to eliminate for a while, and he turned me on to the Theracane. I mentioned it to my PT, and he said ‘Oh yeah, I love the Theracane, been using it for years.’ Grrr. Well anyway, after about three months of use, back knots eliminated. Back still hurts, but less.
There is a lady who ends up intercepting and relaying any message sent to George on the HIPAA-compliant messaging system, and then relaying George’s reply. And an administrative assistant who sends you forms to fill out, and bills.
So, in sum, five emplyees actually doing the work.
As of the end of June, sixty Trailblazer enrollees.
I enrolled in this thinking: ‘This looks like a poor value, I must be missing something.’ It might be overpriced by 5-10K, depends on what you think margins should be. Which, considering the pricing I see for other conceirge services, is not that bad.
One of the disappointing aspects of this experience was erratic levels of service. You might think 25K would buy you some close attention. But I wrote to Dr. Haddad, the interceptor wrote back ‘message relayed, will get back to you early next week’, and then…nothing. I was due for the second round of blood tests about 10/1, wasn’t until three weeks later someone realized this and sent me info. At that point I was already done with the whole experience, so they’re dead to me now, though in theory I have several months left in the ‘program’.
If you are making 250K at Microsoft, middle-aged, wondering about your health, and don’t have time or inclination to join the rapa.news cult (or even knowedge of same), this seems like reasonable option. But even then, I think one year of this should be enough…
