AI Meets WhatsApp as Leona Health Targets Doctor Workflows

Leona Health has launched an artificial intelligence co-pilot for doctors that operates through WhatsApp, expanding its service across 14 countries and more than 22 medical specialties, as healthcare providers in Latin America accelerate the use of digital tools to manage patient communication and administrative workloads.

The San Francisco and Mexico City-based company said the platform is designed to address a structural issue in regional healthcare systems: physicians’ reliance on personal messaging apps to coordinate care in environments with limited adoption of electronic health records. Leona Health has raised US$14 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz, following pre-seed backing from General Catalyst, with participation from Accel and individual investors including executives from Nubank, Rappi and Maven Clinic.

Caroline Merin, Co-Founder and CEO, Leona Health, said the product responds to the way care is delivered in much of Latin America, where patient contact often begins outside formal clinical systems. “In Latin America’s private healthcare system, care often begins with a WhatsApp message,” said Merin through the press release. She said the company’s objective is to automate administrative tasks so physicians can dedicate more time to patient care, rather than managing a constant flow of messages.

Leona Health’s platform integrates directly with WhatsApp, allowing patients to continue using a familiar channel while routing messages into a separate application for physicians. The system categorizes conversations, suggests responses, enables team collaboration and supports administrative workflows. According to the company, doctors using the platform can reduce the time spent on non-clinical communication by several hours per day. Additional features under development include conversational scheduling and further automation of routine tasks.

The launch comes amid broader changes in how healthcare is delivered across Latin America. While electronic health record adoption in the United States exceeds 90%, adoption in Latin America remains closer to 35%, according to industry estimates cited by Leona Health. As a result, many physicians, particularly those running solo or small private practices, manage scheduling, follow-ups and patient questions through personal phones. This has increased workloads as patients expect faster responses and extended availability.

Reliance on messaging platforms is reflected in broader data on physician behavior. The Digital Mexican Physician 2024 study, conducted by the Mexican Health Foundation and executed by Central Media, surveyed more than 2,000 doctors across all 32 Mexican states. The study found that instant messaging, email and video conferencing are now the most common digital activities among physicians. Seven out of 10 respondents identified WhatsApp as a fundamental part of their service model, while email remained the preferred channel for receiving promotional information.

Despite widespread use of digital communication tools, the study also highlighted limits to deeper technological adoption. Only one in 10 physicians reported using artificial intelligence to support clinical decision-making, suggesting significant untapped potential. Barriers cited include lack of familiarity with available platforms, workflow disruption and regulatory uncertainty around certain digital processes such as electronic prescriptions.

César Marrón, an independent contributor focused on healthcare innovation, told MBN that technology is increasingly being positioned as infrastructure rather than as a standalone solution. He said the focus has shifted from what digital tools can do to how they are integrated into daily care delivery. In this context, artificial intelligence is emerging primarily as a support layer that manages data-heavy and administrative tasks, rather than replacing clinical judgment. Yet, continuity of care remains a persistent challenge, according to Martín Cruz, CEO and Co-Founder, Keirón. Cruz said one of the most common failures in healthcare systems is the lack of follow-up after diagnostic tests are ordered. He said patients frequently miss or delay exams due to confusion, scheduling barriers or lack of reminders, leading to delayed diagnoses. Cruz said existing AI tools could be used to extract medical orders from clinical notes and automatically guide patients through next steps using familiar channels such as WhatsApp or SMS.

Hybrid care models that combine digital and in-person services are also gaining traction. Rafael García, CEO, Ever Health, said his company now serves nearly 3 million patients through a model that allows users to connect with doctors from any mobile device within minutes. García said the approach prioritizes efficiency in the use of in-person medical resources, which remain scarce across the region.

Ever Health has expanded beyond video consultations by deploying home-based telemedicine kits and smartphone-based vital sign monitoring, allowing doctors to conduct remote physical assessments. García said the company has partnered with pharmacy chains in Mexico, including Coppel, to provide access to general practitioners and specialists without requiring on-site physicians. He said similar pharmacy-affiliated care models have generated cost savings for the public healthcare system by reducing unnecessary emergency visits.

Regulatory developments have also influenced adoption. García said Mexico’s regulatory framework prioritizes patient care when specific digital health rules are absent, enabling providers to implement digital prescriptions and traceability systems. These systems allow pharmacies to dispense medications in stages while maintaining compliance, addressing affordability challenges for patients.

As digital healthcare expands, companies face increasing scrutiny around data security, accessibility and equity. Healthcare remains a primary target for cyberattacks, elevating the importance of compliance with international security standards. At the same time, digital tools risk widening disparities if they are not designed for users with limited technical skills, disabilities or language barriers.

Leona Health’s strategy centers on reducing friction by building on existing habits. By using WhatsApp, a platform used monthly by billions of people globally and by most physicians in Latin America, the company aims to lower adoption barriers while introducing automation incrementally. Julie Yoo, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz, said the approach creates a new layer of healthcare infrastructure by starting where communication already occurs.