Uber Eats alum lands $14M seed from a16z to fix WhatsApp chaos for LatAm’s doctors

Caroline Merin, a former executive with extensive experience in on-demand services, has identified a significant gap in healthcare technology. Having served as the first Latin American general manager for Uber Eats and later as COO of Rappi, she recognized the struggles faced by doctors in managing patient communications, especially in a region where WhatsApp has become the primary tool for interaction. "As a patient, I found it astonishing that I could text my doctor and receive a response quickly. However, I realized this same tool was creating chaos for physicians," Merin shared with TechCrunch. She noted the burden placed on doctors who juggle numerous patients daily and return home to find an overwhelming amount of messages awaiting their attention. Two years ago, driven by her desire to tackle this issue, Merin founded Leona Health, an innovative platform designed to integrate seamlessly with doctors' WhatsApp accounts. Recently, Leona announced it has successfully raised $14 million in seed funding, led by renowned venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, alongside contributions from General Catalyst, Accel, and notable industry leaders such as Kate Ryder of Maven Clinic and David Vélez of Nubank. Leona's service is now operational in 14 Latin American countries, catering to 22 medical specialties. Patients will continue to use WhatsApp for messaging, but doctors will manage these communications through Leona’s mobile application, which prioritizes incoming messages, suggests replies, and enables team members to assist in patient interactions. The startup is also on the verge of launching an autonomous agent capable of handling scheduling and basic intake conversations. This communication enhancement is vital, as Merin points out that many patients in Latin America select their doctors based on their responsiveness via WhatsApp. The influx of diverse requests—from urgent medical consultations to administrative tasks—has made it challenging for doctors to maintain a work-life balance. Leona addresses this by filtering messages and notifying doctors only about critical health inquiries, allowing them to set aside less urgent requests. "Our goal is to help doctors reclaim their time," Merin stated, adding that initial feedback indicates users are saving two to three hours each day thanks to the platform. Although Leona is initially focused on Latin America, the company aims to broaden its reach to other regions where patients also prefer using WhatsApp for communication. With a team of 13 employees split between Mexico City and Silicon Valley, Leona Health is poised to make significant strides in improving healthcare communication practices.