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Most startups are born from frustration. Carmen Minkus’s began with a nearly missed procedure, and one very overwhelming, clinical-jargon-filled handout.

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In 2024, Carmen was scheduled for a critical surgery, but a month after the consultation, she’d forgotten much of what she was told. You know how it goes: between the flurry of handouts, shifting diagnoses, appointment bookings and prescriptions, even the most diligent patients can miss a step.

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“I’d had the consultation a month earlier and was totally overwhelmed,” Carmen says. “They handed me a three-page document on the way out, and I just thought, ‘I’ll just read it the day before’.” Just days before the operation, Carmen’s colleague, now co-founder, Rhett Simons, flagged the pre-operation prep would actually take 3 days! That’s when it all came flooding back: the three-page handout was critical and overlooking it had nearly meant a missed procedure.

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For Carmen, that close call sparked a bigger insight: how are patients meant to absorb complex, jargon-heavy medical information in a rushed 15 to 30 minute consult? It highlighted just how broken pre and post-treatment communication is for both clinicians and patients.

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On average general surgeons cancel up to 20% of surgeries because patients show up unprepared. And it’s not always negligence - sometimes it’s just information overload.

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“Patients forget. They don’t fast properly, they don’t change medications, they don’t follow the instructions. And it’s not their fault. These are 30-minute consults packed with jargon. Studies show patients retain just 25% of what they’re told.”

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Enter Heali: a platform helping clinicians turn static clinical instructions, whether verbal or plain-text into interactive, patient-friendly treatment plans that are accessible anytime, designed to improve adherence and drive better health outcomes.

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The smart treatment planning platform helps clinicians create, manage, and share personalised care plans in an accessible, digital format. It’s designed to replace the clunky paper instructions and disconnected post-consult notes with structured, step-by-step guidance patients can actually follow. Fewer surprises. More confidence.

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But it’s not just about the patients. With Heali, clinicians can save reusable templates, add videos or checklists, and track patient adherence, all while improving communication and reducing avoidable cancellations or complications. It’s a digital bridge between clinician and patient, and Carmen’s team is building it with empathy baked in.

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From UX to Patient Experience

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Before founding Heali, Carmen spent over a decade in product and UX, including as the first designer at healthtech scaleup Montu. She was with the product team as they grew from 1 to 180 people over two years, designing for both patient and clinician needs. It was also at Montu where she saw the same issues with patients struggling to understand how to adhere to their prescribed medication, after a brief 15 minute consult.But starting her own company? That came with a whole new set of challenges.

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The first time I met Carmen was during our Pitch Panel event, packed with enthusiasm and questions - Carmen brought the same energy to her time in Launch Club, our pre-accelerator for founders looking to validate their idea and dive into their MVP. 

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After finishing 3rd in Startmate’s bi-annual Pitch Night, Carmen reflected in our chat on her time during Launch Club. “Ironically I think one of the most valuable pieces of advice I heard [during Launch Club] was don't listen to any advice. The biggest lesson I learned was: don’t take all advice at face value. Everyone has an opinion. Some say ‘focus on one niche’, others say ‘go broad’. At some point, you’ve got to tune out the noise and just back yourself.”

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“This isn’t just about technology. It’s about making sure people don’t fall through the cracks because of poor communication. Everyone deserves clear care instructions and clinicians deserve tools that help them deliver that.”

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With Heali, Carmen is focused on solving one of healthcare’s most human problems, closing the gap between care and communication. 

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Keen to get involved?

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If you’re a clinician looking to improve the way patients engage with your care or an investor who sees the value in proactive, patient-centred healthtech there are a few ways you can join the Heali journey:

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📩 Join the waitlist
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🔗 Learn more about Heali and connect with Carmen.

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