Revolutionizing Healthcare in Latin America: The Story of Llamando al Doctor

The podcast 'Estrategia' focuses on digital entrepreneurship, sharing stories of Spanish-speaking digital entrepreneurs. Each episode features a different entrepreneur narrating their journey. The current episode introduces Ingrid Briggiler from Argentina and her startup 'Llamando al Doctor.'

Ingrid Briggiler, a gynecologist and obstetrician from Argentina, identified a gap in patient care during her medical studies. Patients wanted to consult doctors outside of clinic hours, leading her to conceptualize 'Llamando al Doctor' 15 years ago. The telemedicine platform connects doctors and patients 24/7, addressing the need for immediate medical consultations.

After 5 years of development and raising $350,000 in investment, 'Llamando al Doctor' experienced significant growth during the pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, resulting in a 40-fold increase in usage from February to April last year. The startup continued to expand monthly, doubling its user base in April this year.

Before the pandemic, 'Llamando al Doctor' faced the challenge of educating patients about virtual healthcare interactions. Ingrid and her team emphasized the benefits of saving time, money, and receiving early and accurate diagnoses. They evangelized the fusion of health and technology, founding the Argentine Chamber of Health and Technology to strengthen this connection.

The usage of 'Llamando al Doctor' varies by country due to different healthcare systems. In some countries, patients access the service for free, while in others, they pay a fee. The platform facilitates immediate doctor-patient connections, offering a convenient and efficient telemedicine solution.

The business model primarily focuses on providing free telemedicine services to patients, with health insurance companies, various businesses, and healthcare service providers like home care and ambulance services as clients. Clients contract the service for their insured individuals, who can access the service through the app or website, connecting with a doctor in under two minutes for low-complexity consultations.

The telemedicine service specializes in low-complexity consultations that do not require physical examinations. It serves as a complement to the existing healthcare system, catering to follow-ups for stable chronic disease patients. For more complex cases requiring physical exams, patients are referred to traditional healthcare facilities.

The company has successfully launched in Brazil and is expanding operations in Mexico, addressing the need for telemedicine services in regions where people avoid medical visits due to costs. The success in Argentina has validated the technology and business model, prompting plans for regional expansion to democratize healthcare access.

Adapting the digital prescription feature posed a significant challenge during international expansion. While successfully implementing it in Argentina, the varying acceptance and regulations of digital prescriptions in different countries required adapting the technology and collaborating with local healthcare providers to ensure seamless integration and usability.

The speaker discusses the development of the health tech industry in Argentina, highlighting the presence of various actors specializing in different areas such as telemedicine, digital health records, and medication delivery. They mention the launch of a new startup focused on medication management and delivery. Additionally, the speaker emphasizes the importance of uniting all industry stakeholders through the Argentine Chamber of Health and Technology to provide comprehensive patient care. In Latin America, the speaker notes the early stages of industry development, recognizing the potential for growth and collaboration among competitors and colleagues in the region.

The speaker emphasizes the significance of finding payers and motivating individuals to consume health services. They express confidence in their business model's fit for success in the industry, acknowledging the presence of competitors. The speaker shares insights from a conversation with a professional in Mexico, highlighting the challenges of financing health tech projects due to the longer development timelines and higher investment requirements compared to other startup sectors.

The speaker details their experience in raising $350,000 in capital for their startup, highlighting the differences in funding approaches between traditional startups and those involved in pharmaceutical or biomedical research. They mention the challenges faced in securing investment, noting the time and effort required, especially for first-time entrepreneurs. The speaker encourages perseverance and adaptation, sharing their journey of pivoting business models and seeking inspiration from successful entrepreneurs like the founder of MercadoLibre.

The speaker discusses the challenges faced by Calling the Doctor, highlighting the complexity of introducing a new concept to both doctors and patients. They emphasize the importance of listening to and satisfying the needs of users, including medical staff and patients, who are transitioning to virtual consultations.

The speaker reflects on the positive impact of Calling the Doctor on medical professionals, noting that many doctors have been able to leave unsatisfactory or demanding jobs to focus on virtual consultations. This shift has led to increased satisfaction and pride among the medical staff.

There are over 500 registered medical professionals working with Calling the Doctor, showcasing the significant growth and reach of the platform in terms of healthcare providers.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of balancing the needs of both users and doctors in the telemedicine platform. They highlight the necessity for doctors to be satisfied and engaged to provide quality care to patients from diverse cultural backgrounds and regions.

Calling the Doctor leverages a vast amount of data from over a million consultations to optimize processes and enhance patient experience. The platform uses data to improve algorithms, reduce patient wait times, and streamline the distribution of calls for more efficient medical consultations.

Recent research in Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil focused on the behavioral economics of healthcare. A study showed that patients who used a mobile app to contact doctors improved their quality of life by adopting healthier habits. This highlights the potential of technology to revolutionize healthcare access in Latin America, where many people do not visit doctors regularly.

The key challenge in Latin America is ensuring more people access the healthcare system for early diagnosis and treatment of preventable diseases. Many individuals die from treatable or preventable conditions due to lack of access to healthcare services, emphasizing the urgent need to improve healthcare accessibility.

To consolidate the health tech sector in Latin America, it is essential to shift from a competitive mindset between traditional and innovative healthcare approaches. Embracing technology as part of a unified ecosystem and focusing on patient access can lead to a more sustainable and effective healthcare system.

Sustainability in healthcare innovation relies on finding institutions willing to invest in new services. Identifying payers who value quality services is crucial for the ecosystem's success. By prioritizing patient well-being and attracting supportive payers, the entire healthcare ecosystem can benefit.

Entrepreneurs in the health tech sector should focus on solving real problems. By identifying a specific need, such as improving access to contraceptives for women, innovative solutions can be developed. It is crucial to address issues within one's expertise to create impactful and sustainable ventures.

Ingrid emphasizes the importance of incorporating technology in entrepreneurship, even if not everything needs to be fully digital. She suggests that technology should be used to analyze data, optimize processes, and make operations more agile to avoid wasting effort. Ingrid shares her experience of questioning the scalability of an application, highlighting the need to think big and project exponential growth when developing technology. She mentions a case where their technology was built to accommodate 7 million users, even though they initially had only a few thousand, demonstrating the importance of planning for future demand.

Ingrid recommends the book 'Shoe Dog' by the founder of Nike, which narrates the story of Nike's beginnings, including the challenges faced, the team's dedication, and the journey to success. She praises the book for its insights into entrepreneurship and perseverance, encouraging everyone to read it.

Ingrid expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share her story and knowledge. She provides her contact information, including her email and social media handles, inviting anyone interested in reaching out to connect with her. Ingrid emphasizes the importance of visibility and availability in the digital age, encouraging others to stay accessible to the world.

Ingrid thanks the audience for participating in the discussion and mentions that the podcast 'Estrategia Talks' can be found on various platforms, including YouTube. She signs off by thanking everyone and looks forward to the next episode, bidding farewell to the audience.