Tech-Driven Solutions for Accessible Healthcare

Q: How has Ever Health expanded its patient base, and what measurable impact have you seen in terms of cost reduction and patient outcomes?

A: Healthcare is now a combination of in-person and digital components. The scarcest resources are in-person medical services. That is where we need to focus our efforts to maximize efficiency. Over the past few years, we have evolved and developed a hybrid model. We now provide care to patients through any mobile device. Our approach is to create a seamless and user-friendly experience where technology remains in the background, allowing the focus to remain on the healthcare professional and the patient.

This hybrid model enables us to serve nearly 3 million patients. At any time, within two minutes, a patient can connect with a doctor using any device without the need to install or configure anything. This is all done while meeting the highest global standards for security and data protection. 

Q: What other services does Ever Health offer to complement its telemedicine solutions?

A: Beyond virtual consultations, we can also provide patients with a telemedicine kit delivered directly to their homes. This kit includes medical devices that allow doctors to conduct remote physical examinations. This approach has significantly improved the global average for consultation resolution rates via video calls. Our results are even higher because, in addition to the telemedicine kit, our technology allows doctors to measure vital signs through a smartphone camera. With 95% accuracy, we can assess blood pressure, heart rate, stress levels, and even predict potential health risks, including the likelihood of heart attacks within the next decade.

In Mexico, we have implemented this model in partnership with pharmacies such as Coppel. This initiative has had a significant impact, eliminating the need for a general practitioner to be physically present at the pharmacy. Instead, general practitioners and specialists are available remotely. 

Q: What regulatory changes in the past three years have either facilitated or complicated the expansion of telemedicine services?

A: The new administration will hopefully prioritize digital health. One of Mexico’s strengths is its patient-centered approach, ensuring that patient care remains the top priority. The regulation states that if no specific rule exists for a particular case, patient care takes precedence. This has led to significant advances, particularly in integrating pharmacies to ensure that any prescribed medication is issued by a qualified physician.

Technology has played a crucial role in advancing traceability. While this process is not yet fully regulated, it has become widely adopted because it benefits patient care. Traditionally, pharmacies would make a copy of the prescription, stamp it, and keep records manually, but the original prescription had to remain with the patient. If a patient could only afford to purchase half of their medication with their first paycheck and planned to buy the rest later, they would either need to retain their prescription or be forced to return to the same pharmacy—creating an unnecessarily complex system.

With digital solutions, the process is far more efficient. The pharmacy can dispense the first half of the treatment while digitally retaining the remaining portion of the prescription. Once the full treatment has been purchased, the prescription is automatically marked as fulfilled, ensuring both compliance and accessibility for the patient.

Q: What new partnerships has Ever Health developed, and which have been particularly impactful?

A: Our priority is to ensure access to treatment, making connectivity with pharmacies essential. We also aim to democratize access to healthcare. Mexico’s healthcare system is overburdened, with longer wait times than desired. The alternative is private health insurance, which is often costly. Our hybrid model offers an alternative to traditional health insurance by addressing everyday healthcare needs and reducing micro-absenteeism within companies. A successful example in Mexico is the Pharmacy-Affiliated Medical Centers (CAF), which have generated about 25% savings for the public healthcare system by providing immediate access to medical consultations. What we have developed is an enhanced version of this model.

Through our service, a company can provide digital healthcare access at an affordable cost. This ensures high-quality primary care and early diagnosis, which is clinically proven to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing healthcare costs and accelerating patient recovery. Our approach also addresses the needs of modern businesses, where employee physical and mental health is a priority. We implement a hybrid model that combines telemedicine with in-person care using portable medical devices, ensuring a service quality equivalent to that of a traditional consultation. This has proven to significantly reduce absenteeism-related costs.

Additionally, our model is family-oriented as it not only takes care of employees but also their families, directly impacting their well-being and work performance. We collaborate with hotel groups, major retail companies, and insurers, offering accessible and efficient solutions that go beyond regulatory compliance, providing tangible benefits to both employees and businesses.

Q:  How has Ever Health adapted its services to better support mental health care in Mexico?

A: Comprehensive healthcare should be based on three key pillars: medicine, psychology, and nutrition. For example, a newly diagnosed diabetic patient has medical concerns and must adjust their lifestyle, with nutrition playing a central role. Diet has a significant impact on how the condition evolves. However, diabetes is a chronic disease that can be psychologically overwhelming for many people, which is where our psychology team becomes crucial. Working alongside our nutritionists and under medical supervision, they help patients understand that their diagnosis does not mean they cannot live a normal life. There are simply certain parameters they must always keep in mind to maintain a quality of life equal to what they had before their diagnosis.

Mexico has made significant progress through the implementation of NOM-035, which regulates workplace mental health. This NOM establishes that companies share responsibility for the mental health and well-being of their employees. However, we go a step further, recognizing that prevention is key. Our approach ensures that mental health support is available every day of the week, just as one would expect with general medical care. We act as the first point of contact, helping individuals determine whether they need guidance for a specific situation or whether they require more specialized support. We believe companies must acknowledge these challenges and offer solutions that add real value. 

Q: What strategies does Ever Health use to enhance adoption and ease of use?

A: The key is ensuring that technology operates seamlessly in the background. We recognize that not everyone is as digitally proficient as we might assume, and the digital divide remains a problem. Rather than expecting the market to evolve at the pace of the industry, companies must adapt to the needs of users. We have addressed this challenge by eliminating technological barriers. Our system allows users to access a telemedicine consultation by clicking a link sent via WhatsApp, without needing to download or configure any applications. If a user accidentally mutes their microphone or selects an incorrect option, the physician can resolve the issue remotely. This feature is particularly crucial for vulnerable individuals and those unfamiliar with technology.

Accessibility extends beyond ease of use. Democratizing healthcare means not just reaching large populations but ensuring access for everyone. To support this goal, we have integrated real-time translation services for patients who speak indigenous languages. In the State of Mexico alone, about 500,000 people do not speak Spanish. By offering live translation, we enable them to receive medical attention without language barriers. We have also enhanced inclusivity for individuals with disabilities. Our platform has been designed to accommodate patients with hearing impairments by enabling them to either type responses or read real-time subtitles during consultations. For visually impaired users, we have implemented voice indicators that guide them through the interface, allowing independent navigation.

Our commitment to accessibility has earned us certification from Spain’s leading organization for people with disabilities. This achievement not only reinforces our social impact but also aligns with corporate initiatives to promote workplace inclusivity. Many companies are required to employ a certain percentage of individuals with disabilities, and when providing healthcare services for their workforce, it is essential to ensure equal access for all employees.

Q: What are Ever Health’s main goals for the next few years, and how do you plan to increase your impact in the healthcare sector?

A: Democratizing access to healthcare has always been our vision. We dream big, but we are also cautious and prudent. We recognize the significant value of our product, and we prioritize maintaining high quality while ensuring measured growth to expand access effectively. 

Our work revolves around addressing common ailments such as coughs, colds, and minor skin rashes. However, we believe that by managing these everyday health concerns, we make a broader impact. If we can prevent someone from needing emergency care, we ultimately help reduce congestion of the public health system, ensuring that those who truly require urgent attention receive care faster. 

We also make an impact at businesses by improving healthcare efficiency within corporate environments. We work with medical, life, and auto insurance providers because healthcare is interconnected with many aspects of life. Our goal is to ensure that people understand they can access top-tier healthcare services through their mobile phones, while receiving a service that meets the highest quality standards.

For example, traffic congestion in major cities may lead people to hesitate to visit a doctor. We obtained certification that quantifies the CO2 emissions saved for each telemedicine consultation, which is provided to the patient after every video consultation. Moreover, our hybrid service delivery model is fully electric, minimizing both delays and environmental impact. Sustainability is an essential pillar of our work, and we strive to maintain coherence in all aspects of our model, ensuring that every initiative aligns with our broader mission.

Ever Health is a leading company in medical technology services, born from the need to connect doctors with patients from anywhere and the mission to democratize health and make digital services accessible to everyone.