Erich Mounce is the CEO of Jasper Health, a platform designed to offer an end-to-end cancer care experience, supporting patients from diagnosis through survivorship. The company is evolving to deliver virtual clinical care alongside comprehensive services such as care navigation and addressing social determinants of health, all while driving value-based care transformation at the practice level. This holistic approach not only enhances patient outcomes but also helps reduce unnecessary costs.

Erich joined Jasper in December 2024, bringing over 15 years of experience in oncology care – having previously worked with Oncology Care Partners and One Oncology – as well as more than 40 years in healthcare overall. He has introduced a fresh perspective to the company’s business model, while remaining committed to transforming the cancer patient journey.

We had the opportunity to connect with Erich to learn more about his entry into healthcare, how Jasper Health is working to change the cancer experience and impact the cost of cancer care, and much more in our latest Top of the Ladder feature.

Could you share a little bit about your childhood background?

I was born and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles CA. My claim to fame was that I was in the marching band at Granada Hills High School and was the drum major when John Elway was the quarterback. I was also lucky enough to be in the marching band at the University of Southern California.

How did you find yourself in healthcare?

My father passed away unexpectedly, while I was attending the University of Southern California, and I found myself needing to get a job. At the time, I was working part time in the emergency room at White Memorial Hospital in east Los Angeles. During my time at White Memorial, I had the privilege of meeting some amazing members of the Los Angeles City Fire Department.  This led me to apply, and in 1981, I became a Paramedic with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, where I served for almost 10 years. This was my true initial connection to healthcare. While I was serving as a Paramedic / Firefighter, I was able to return to school and complete my education and Master’s degree.  During my internship, I had the opportunity to work for an innovative company and connected with my first career mentor, who specialized in managing physician groups and IPAs engaged in capitated full-risk arrangements with health maintenance organizations.

What inspired you to join Jasper Health?

My connection to Jasper Health is deeply rooted in its mission and purpose in the field of oncology. For the past 15 years, my career has been dedicated to eliminating barriers to care, improving patient outcomes, and significantly enhancing patient satisfaction in the fragmented, complex, and increasingly chronic journey of oncology care – aligning closely with Jasper’s purpose.

How is Jasper health approach differentiated?

Jasper’s renewed focus is to engage with patients at every possible touchpoint along their oncology care continuum. Jasper is evolving to assist in navigation of the diagnosis process, active therapy symptom management, and survivorship, in addition to its core model focusing on care coaching and counseling. The ability for Jasper to touch the patient at all of these points of care completely differentiates itself from competitors in the marketplace.

Having served as a CEO of multiple oncology companies over the years, how has the industry changed and what are some predictions you have for the next few years?

Over the past two decades, two significant factors that have changed the course of oncology care delivery are the development of targeted drug therapies – which have a much higher success rate in attacking and killing cancer cells – and the increased length of time patients now live with a cancer diagnosis. Both have helped transform cancer care into a more chronic and complex experience.

Ongoing innovations in diagnostics, surgical procedures, drug interventions, survivorship management, and monitoring have created an ecosystem that allows patients to live longer and healthier lives. However, these advancements have also had a significant impact on the total cost of care for both patients and payers. It is this paradigm that the Jasper Health model seeks to influence.

If I were to predict the future, we will continue to innovate in the delivery of oncology care. The launch and targeted enhancements of new digital platforms, navigational connections, and drug therapy algorithms will lead to a less fragmented and more coordinated patient journey, ultimately improving outcomes and increasing patient satisfaction. The introduction of AI-driven decision and diagnostic assistance, the rapid approval of more targeted therapies, successful patient coordination models, and digital connectivity will continue to revolutionize both the experience and cost of cancer care.

Continuing to look ahead, what are your long-term goals and aspirations for Jasper Health? How do you envision the company making a lasting impact in oncology care?

My dream for Jasper Health is to tackle the increasingly complex challenge of coordinating care within a fragmented delivery system. For those who have experienced a friend or family member’s cancer diagnosis, you know that care is often provided in separate locations, by different providers, and across multiple electronic medical records. This fragmentation not only makes it difficult for patients to ask questions and understand their care plans but also creates challenges for patients and family caregivers in coordinating care.

Jasper’s lasting impact will be our ability to support thousands of patients along the cancer care continuum, influencing their care experience, navigation, and overall cost of care.

Are there any specific books, podcast, or resources that have had a significant impact on your personal growth or leadership style

I would say that it has been the people around me who have had the greatest impact on my personal growth and leadership style.

My experience as an in-field paramedic firefighter provided me with invaluable insights, allowing me to witness patients at their most vulnerable moments. This experience helped me understand that even a small amount of assistance, guidance, or simply lending a helping hand could ease a patient’s anxiety or pain, even in the most tragic and complex medical situations.

Additionally, my connection with Keith Richman, MD, an incredible physician mentor, provided me with essential experiences that allowed me to see the business of medical care from a physician’s perspective. Dr. Richman not only shared with me the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly, but also instilled in me an optimistic belief that healthcare delivery must change – and can change – for the better.

Finally, being married to an amazing acute care cardiology and transplant nurse has given me a deeper understanding of the complexities of both providing and delivering care. As that incredible nurse often puts it, “By applying common sense and simply listening to a patient’s experience, you can initiate actions that will have a direct impact on the patient and their family for years to come.”

I also highly recommend the following two books, especially for those navigating the challenging journey of cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande.

As someone who has been a CEO of multiple startups, what advice do you have for another startup CEO?

Passion, Patience, and Determination!  The delivery of healthcare and specifically complex specialty care services in healthcare is ready for change. Change is needed; innovation is needed. However, hundreds of years of tradition and decades of historical relationships in the ever-changing environment of the healthcare ecosystem demand passion, patience, and determination.