Tag Archives: Access to Care Moonshot

AI in Healthcare: Hallucinations, Hybrid Models, and Accuracy

The Opportunities & Challenges of AI in Healthcare with Cristian Pascual of Mediktor

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AI has been quietly transforming healthcare for years, but the arrival of ChatGPT changed the game. Suddenly, everyone—from patients to investors—could see the real-world impact of AI in making healthcare more efficient and accessible.

One company leading this transformation is Mediktor, a pioneer in AI-powered symptom assessment. Before AI had its cultural moment, Mediktor—a member of the StartUp Health community since 2016—was already using it to help stratify patients and guide them to the right level of care. Now, they’re growing rapidly and shaping the future of AI in healthcare.

In this episode, we chat with Cristian Pascual, CEO & Co-founder of Mediktor, to discuss:

  • The evolution of AI in healthcare and why it’s accelerating now
  • How Mediktor’s AI-driven symptom assessment is improving patient care
  • The challenges of AI in healthcare, including LLMs, “black-box” models, and hallucinations
  • Why a hybrid AI approach—combining automation with human safeguards—is the future

As AI continues to shape healthcare, companies must balance innovation with accuracy. Pascual shares insights on how to harness AI’s power while ensuring reliability and trust.

Tune in to explore the next wave of AI in healthcare—and what it means for patients, providers, and the industry at large.

Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot Community Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit.
» Learn more and apply today.

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DatosX Boosts Innovation Through Faster Tech Trials

DatosX Boosts Innovation & Product-Market Fit Through Faster Tech Trials

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Are health tech founders building what the market actually needs? At StartUp Health, we see firsthand their biggest challenge: achieving product-market fit. But it’s more than just market alignment. Investor Robert Garber of 7wireVentures calls it “contract-market fit”—proof that people will pay.

This week, we talk with Robin Roberts, CEO & Founder of DatosX, a company in the StartUp Health community that is helping digital health startups achieve just that.

  • The Problem: Many early-stage health companies struggle with product-market fit. They may be building amazing technology, but the market isn’t ready.
  • The Solution: DatosX is a two-sided marketplace connecting health tech buyers (like hospitals) with startups. This enables:
    • Pre-validation of purchases by hospitals.
    • Creation of buyable products by startups.
  • The Insight: This unique position gives Roberts a front-row seat to what hospitals really want (hint: it involves physician efficiency) and where startups often miss the mark.
  • The Opportunity: We explore these critical trends and discover the opportunities for savvy startups in 2025.

Listen in as Roberts shares his insights on achieving product-market fit and contract-market fit in the digital health space.

The Access to Care Moonshot Community is comprised of mission-aligned founders and CEOs collaborating to accelerate breakthroughs to deliver quality care to everyone, regardless of location or income.
» Meet the Access to Care Moonshot Community
» Join a Health Moonshot Community

Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot Community Showcase Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit.
» Learn more and apply today.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Bringing Telemedicine to Remote Communities in Mexico

Diagnostikare Brings Leapfrog Innovation to Life for Indigenous Communities

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Diagnostikare, founded by brothers Rafael López and Rodrigo López, MD, is revolutionizing healthcare access in Mexico, reaching deep into remote areas.

In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, hear how this innovative telemedicine company in the StartUp Health community:

  • Started in Mexico City to bring high quality virtual care to people   
  • Partnered with large insurers and major employers like McDonald’s to provide quality telemedicine
  • Provides care to those who may have had very hard time seeing a doctor under the standard system

And now, Diagnostikare is:

  • Expanding access to healthcare in underserved rural communities
  • Collaborating with Bayer and the World Bank to reach remote areas
  • Leveraging technology like Starlink internet for telemedicine delivery

This episode explores:

  • The challenges and opportunities of expanding telemedicine globally
  • The power of partnerships in healthcare
  • The impact of technology on improving access to care

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in global health, telemedicine, and social impact.

Tune in now to learn how Diagnostikare is making a difference!

 

Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our VIP Health Moonshot Community PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. Learn more and apply today.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Financial Incentives to Close the Gap in Healthcare Utilization: Reciprocity Health’s TheraPay

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Many patients have access to healthcare programs but don’t participate, leading to poorer health outcomes and higher costs.

This episode explores a novel solution:

  • Reciprocity Health – a member of the StartUp Health community since 2023 – has developed their platform TheraPay to use financial incentives to encourage healthy behavior.
  • Hear Matt Swanson, CEO & Co-founder, discuss how to design programs that benefit both patients and the healthcare system.
  • Learn:
    • How TheraPay improves patient engagement for better health outcomes
    • The cost-saving potential of proactive care
    • Strategies for closing the healthcare utilization gap

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in improving healthcare access, financial incentives in health, and building a more cost-effective healthcare system.

Listen now and unlock the power of positive reinforcement for better health!

Are you ready to tell your story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of StartUp Health’s PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. Learn more and apply today.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

This Startup Uses Global Workforce Arbitrage to Make Mental Healthcare Accessible

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This episode explores how MindCo Health, a company in the StartUp Health community, is leveraging “psychologist arbitrage” to make mental healthcare more accessible. Join us as we chat with Health Transformer Emilio Goldenhersch, CEO & Co-founder of MindCo Health to find out more about how his company is making mental healthcare more affordable with global talent.

You’ll learn about:

  • How MindCo connects patients with highly-trained therapists from Latin America.
  • The role of AI in making therapy affordable and efficient.
  • Why “global workforce arbitrage” could be the key to unlocking telemedicine’s potential.
  • How MindCo is breaking down barriers to early intervention mental healthcare.

This episode is for you if:

  • You’re interested in the future of telemedicine.
  • You’re looking for affordable mental health resources.
  • You’re curious about innovative solutions in healthcare access.

Tune in to learn how MindCo’s fresh approach can breathe new life into telemedicine!

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion

Taking a Breath of Fresh Air: Innovation in Respiratory Health

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This episode of StartUp Health NOW shines a light on respiratory health with guest Sathya Elumalai, CEO & Co-founder of Aidar Health – a long-time member of the StartUp Health community.

  • The power of breath: Explore how Elumalai’s company, Aidar Health, is revolutionizing respiratory health with their innovative MouthLab device.
  • More than just a breathalyzer: Discover how MouthLab measures over 10 vital signs, opening doors for future biometric applications.
  • Combating COPD: Learn how Aidar Health’s technology tackles chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a debilitating lung condition.

This episode is for you if:

  • You’re interested in healthcare innovation.
  • You’re curious about the future of respiratory health.
  • You want to learn about the power of breath in health monitoring.

Get ready to be inspired by the future of lung health!

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion

AI in Healthcare: Separating Hype from Reality on the Front Lines

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Tired of overblown claims about AI in healthcare?
This episode dives into the real, impactful ways AI is transforming patient care.

Join us as we chat with founders in the StartUp Health community who are using AI to improve healthcare for patients and providers:

  • Jerrod Ullah, HealthTalk A.I.: Hear how his experience as an ICU nurse fueled an AI platform that boosts engagement for both patients and providers.
  • Kavi Misri, Hibiscus Health: Discover how their end-to-end solution empowers people with metabolic conditions to take control of their health.

This episode is for you if:

  • You’re curious about the practical applications of AI in healthcare.
  • You want to hear inspiring stories from healthcare entrepreneurs.
  • You’re eager to learn how AI can improve patient outcomes.

Get ready for a refreshing take on AI in healthcare!

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion

These Founders Are Pairing AI + SDoH to Re-humanize Healthcare

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Our episode this week was recorded during our StartUp Health Studio interviews at the recent HLTH conference in Las Vegas. At the event, a hot topic was how artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI, is going to fundamentally shift healthcare delivery. AI can help us comb through mountains of information and take action on data points that were previously hidden from view. But many people have a serious concern – even a fear – that AI will degrade the doctor-patient relationship and effectively dehumanize healthcare.

Our two guests today both joined the StartUp Health community earlier in 2023. They are pushing back against that narrative and suggesting with their companies that AI and big data can be leveraged to re-humanize healthcare delivery.

First we’ll talk with Nicole Cook, the CEO & Founder of Alvee, who is on a health moonshot mission to use AI-driven solutions to promote health equity and improve health outcomes for all. Cook reminds us that doctors are spending an inordinate amount of their time with a patient tapping away at a screen. The status quo is not working, so can new patient data tools help? Can they bring the right information to the surface at the right time and the right way, so healthcare providers can get back to making eye contact with patients?

What’s Cook is building at Alvee is resonating, as she went on to win the HLTH Startup Pitch Competition.

Next, we hear from Chris Turner, CEO & Co-founder at HealthBook+, who is attempting to create a fuller, more human picture of each patient using all available data including data from some nontraditional sources. HealthBook+ provides a simple-to-use, digital-first care platform which consolidates health data and keeps it private, as well as predicts conditions and recommends the next best health actions.

If the top line story for this episode is how data and AI could be used to create a more human electronic health record, the secondary story is about who can benefit from this technology.

Everyone’s talking about social determinants of health. This idea that we need to address the non-medical drivers of health, like access to fresh food and transportation. Healthcare providers care about these issues but don’t have the time or resources to analyze the data. That’s where Alvee Health and HealthBook+ can come in. Providing a fuller, more human analysis of patient data means taking into account important barriers to care and getting smart about how to overcome them.

So let’s get into it.

Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
Want more content like this? You can subscribe to the podcast as well as other health innovation updates at startuphealth.com/content.
Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Looking to break down health barriers? If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, contact us to learn how you can join our Health Equity Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, contact us to learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.

How Avanlee Care Is Teaming Up with Retailers to Address the Caregiver Crisis

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Our podcast guest this week is Avanlee Christine, CEO and Co-founder of Avanlee Care, a company that joined StartUp Health in 2022. A few years ago Avanlee found herself helping to coordinate care for her grandmother. Everyone in the family wanted to help, but she lived far away, and there just wasn’t a good way to check in on her health and be the kind of support that Avanlee and her family wanted to be.

As many entrepreneurs do, Avanlee said to herself: There must be a better way. So She raised some funds (that’s a story in itself), built a team, and set out to design a platform that eases the burden on unpaid caregivers. And she did all while having her first child.

Listen in as she explains the details of the Avanlee Care product as it stands today and about how she’s finding eager partners in some of the country’s largest retailers and employers. Turns out easing the caregiver burden isn’t just a moral good, it’s also good for a company’s bottom line.

Founders: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
Want more content like this? You can subscribe to the podcast as well as other health innovation updates at startuphealth.com/content.
Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Looking to break down health barriers? If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, contact us to learn how you can join our Health Equity Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, contact us to learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.

 

Luis Santiago on How a Recent Team Tragedy Brought PEGASI’s Health Moonshot Into Focus

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Every company in the StartUp Health portfolio can draw a line between their business objectives and a very real human impact. Even companies working on highly technical, administrative solutions are doing so, at the end of the day, in order to help people get the care they need faster or better. Our stance is that no database integration, supply chain management tool, or insurance platform should exist apart from its ability to improve lives. In other words, health innovation is personal.

For some founders, like our guest today, the human face of healthcare technology is startlingly clear. Our guest is Luis Santiago, the CEO and Co-founder of PEGASI, which StartUp Health backed in 2020. PEGASI is in the business of digitizing health information systems in Latin America, and they’re currently focused on upgrading those systems within oncology so that cancer patients can get diagnosed and treated sooner. That mission gained a tragic level of clarity this year as PEGASI’s CTO Janper Garbi went through a devastating battle with cancer. Luis Santiago shares that personal story, and how it could have ended differently had the hospital been using a digital platform to speed up diagnosis and treatment.

This isn’t just a story about what could have been, but how a tragedy becomes fuel for a health moonshot that could improve the lives of millions.

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Learn more and connect with the team a PEGASI.

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