LatAm Doctor Communication: Ex-Uber Eats Exec Raises $14M Seed

Healthcare Communication Challenges in Latin America

Caroline Merin, formerly a leader in the on-demand service sector – initially as the first Latin American general manager for Uber Eats and subsequently as COO of Rappi – observed a significant disparity in technological advancement within the healthcare industry. Patient expectations for responsiveness mirrored those set by delivery applications, yet medical practitioners across the continent largely depended on WhatsApp for all patient interactions.

The Problem with WhatsApp for Doctors

Merin highlighted the convenience patients experience, stating, “I realized how incredible it is to be able to text your doctor on WhatsApp and receive a prompt response.”

However, she also recognized the substantial burden this communication method placed on physicians. “A physician seeing 20 patients daily often returns home to find 100 unanswered messages, with the expectation of immediate replies and recall of patient details without access to medical records,” she explained.

The Launch of Leona Health

Driven by a long-held ambition to establish her own company, Merin identified an opportunity to address these communication difficulties faced by doctors. Consequently, she initiated Leona Health two years ago, an AI-powered assistant designed to integrate with doctors’ existing WhatsApp accounts.

Seed Funding and Expansion

Leona recently announced the successful completion of a $14 million seed funding round, spearheaded by Andreessen Horowitz. Notable participants included General Catalyst, Accel, Kate Ryder (CEO of Maven Clinic), David Vélez (CEO of Nubank), and Simón Borrero (CEO of Rappi).

The company also revealed that its services are now accessible to medical professionals in 14 Latin American nations, spanning 22 distinct medical specialties.

How Leona Health Works

Patients continue to utilize WhatsApp for messaging, but doctors now manage these communications through Leona’s dedicated mobile application.

The application prioritizes messages, offers suggested responses, and enables authorized team members – such as nurses or other physicians – to respond to patients on the doctor’s behalf.

Furthermore, Leona is preparing to introduce a fully automated agent capable of handling appointment scheduling and initial patient intake processes.

The Importance of WhatsApp in Latin American Healthcare

Addressing the WhatsApp communication issue in Latin America is crucial, as Merin points out, because patients frequently select doctors based on their willingness to engage through this platform.

“Doctors are often inundated with a wide range of requests, from urgent medical consultations to administrative tasks like school letters or appointment receipts,” Merin noted.

Restoring Physician Time and Well-being

The constant influx of messages, often arriving outside of regular working hours, compels physicians to monitor WhatsApp continuously. Leona mitigates this by immediately notifying doctors only of critical health concerns and allowing them to defer less urgent inquiries.

“Our primary goal is to restore valuable time for doctors,” Merin stated. “Users report saving between two and three hours each day by utilizing Leona.”

Future Plans and Global Expansion

While initially focused on the Latin American market, Leona’s ultimate objective is to extend its services to other regions where WhatsApp is a preferred and accepted method of doctor-patient communication, unlike the U.S. where electronic medical record systems are standard.

Team Location

Leona’s team, currently comprised of 13 individuals, is strategically located between Mexico City and Silicon Valley, to leverage the expertise of leading AI engineers.