MedKitDoc Founder Dorian Koch shared the journey of the startup, which wants to transform the way patients receive healthcare.
Why did you start this company?
The journey of MedKitDoc began with a personal crisis. When our chronically ill grandmother couldn’t travel to a doctor by car anymore and urgently needed a doctor to visit her at home, our family was consumed in worry and panic. My brother Ben, a doctor who lives hundreds of miles away, was ready to help, but the limitations of video calls were undeniable. Over the phone, he couldn’t assess her condition without being able to listen to her heart and lungs. This helplessness hit us hard when we had to carry her down icy stairs in the dead of winter, only to face hours of waiting in an emergency room, a common issue in Germany where doctor’s appointments can take weeks.
This challenge sparked a realization and a solution: what if we could bring medical care to anyone, anywhere, at any time? Ben’s repeated wish, “If only I could use my stethoscope, if only I could measure her oxygen saturation remotely,” turned into our mission. We envisioned combining the expertise of a doctor with the technology of video calls and advanced medical devices. This could revolutionize the way medical consultations are provided, sparing many families the pain we endured. Thus, MedKitDoc was born, not just as a business, but as a commitment to ensure quality medical care is accessible to all families, regardless of their location.
Dorian Koch
What need are you seeking to address in healthcare?
MedKitDoc was developed to bridge the significant gap in remote healthcare. Our goal was to allow detailed, device-enabled medical consultations, enabling chronically ill and elderly patients to receive high-quality care without the need for physical office visits. This need was unquestionably apparent, yet surprisingly underserved in the healthcare industry.
What does your product do? How does it work?
With MedKitDoc, we have developed a telemedicine platform with the ability to integrate medical devices in real-time in order to remotely leverage even complex devices, such as a stethoscope. This innovation allows us to extend telehealth beyond traditional audio and video, enabling comprehensive remote physical exams. By connecting medical devices to our telemedicine platform, we aim to reduce the need for in-person doctor visits, emergency room admissions, or hospitalizations, particularly for individuals with chronic conditions. Our approach has led to a significant decrease in the frequency of physician visits and hospitalizations, with a reduction of up to 25%. This enables us to help individuals manage their health more effectively within the comfort of their homes or facilities.
Is this your first healthcare startup? What’s your background in healthcare?
While this is our first venture into a healthcare startup, our combined expertise lays a strong foundation. My brother has had his own physician office for over a decade and a PhD in medical application of biosensors. As a computer scientist, I personally bring the tech and business tech perspective from my background as a McKinsey Consultant and years as an IT Project manager. Together, we’ve crafted a solution that reflects a deep understanding of both technology and patient care.
Who is your customer?
Our customers span the healthcare spectrum, including payers, accountable care organizations and skilled nursing facilities as well as home care agencies. Our platform helps agencies maximize billable hours and differentiate their services with digital health solutions. Physician groups see more patients efficiently, reduce travel, and streamline documentation and accountable care organizations leverage our technology to cut hospitalizations by up to 25%, enhance care quality, and improve operational margins, enabling better care for high-risk patients with optimized staff deployment.
How do you generate revenue?
MedKitDoc generates revenue through a licensing model, offering our telemedicine platform and devices to care providers for a monthly fee. Clients have the option to choose between two distinct product offerings.
Tech Platform Only provides the platform and medical devices, and the client leverages their own medical providers to serve their patients remotely through our platform.
Full Service including Medical Provider provides not only the platform and medical devices but also supplies clinicians to partner with home care agencies to serve the clients’ patients. This investment by care providers yields substantial returns by improving patient outcomes—mainly by reducing unnecessary hospital visits—and enables them to expand their services. For clients opting for the full service, it ensures that their patients receive continuous care through our platform and clinicians. Our solution ultimately helps decrease churn by minimizing open bed days, optimizing facility use, as well as maintaining patient health within the comfort of their homes.
Photo: elenabs, Getty Images
