Hippocratic AI, a healthcare generative artificial intelligence startup co-founded by a health system COO, launched May 16 with $50 million in funding co-led by General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz.
The company's co-founder and chief medical officer is Meenesh Bhimani, MD, operating chief of Mountain View, Calif.-based El Camino Health. The startup will initially work to develop a nondiagnostic, patient-facing app that will be used by health systems.
"In my 20 years of post-residency, as a physician and hospital administrator, I have never seen this level of excitement in new technology," Dr. Bhimani, who will leave his health system May 26, told Becker's. "We've met with over 20 health systems over the past few weeks and the amount of engagement and interest is really remarkable. This is an opportunity to really transform the delivery of healthcare."
Hippocratic AI's large language model has passed various healthcare certifications and licensure exams and will be developed alongside medical professionals including physicians, nurses and genetic counselors. Its founders hope the technology will help solve staffing shortages and burnout, and augment providers to give them more time at the patient bedside.
"ChatGPT really captured the imagination of the entire country," Dr. Bhimani said. "We really felt like healthcare needs its own large language model that is really focused on safety and accuracy. That's what we're envisioning building right now."