We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sheena D. Franklin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sheena D., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?
One of the most unexpected problems we faced was how quickly a market could change, yet stay the same in a highly regulated and complex industry such as healthcare.
Sheena D., love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Before starting K’ept Health, I was a senior government relations professional (a lobbyist) for a little over 20 years. My area of expertise was in the healthcare industry having worked with Fortune 50 companies including one of the country’s largest pharmacy retailers. In these roles I had a front-row seat to how new technologies such as virtual visits, at-home monitoring tools, and AI could both advance the industry by increasing access to care, but also by exacerbating health inequities by incorporating biases towards numerous patient populations. After, experiencing my health challenges combined with my professional experiences, K’ept Health was born.
At K’ept Health our mission is to help individuals with chronic skin diseases and the practitioners who treat them thrive via a telehealth platform powered by inclusive AI.
K’ept Health allows women to manage their overall health and wellness through triage care messaging and virtual care from medical and skin health professionals who are skilled in functional medicine, skin of color, and women’s health. In addition, we provide diagnostic point-of-care recommendations to physicians with critical information allowing them to make more precise a diagnosis and treatment plans the first time around. The advent of tele-dermatology and virtual first care championed by K’ept Health means that people with chronic skin diseases or whose internal health issues are overlooked will get the expert care they need much sooner for better, long-term health outcomes.
What I am most proud of is that when a woman comes to our platform and joins our community she can feel confident knowing that we will treat her as a person, not a condition, and not an “other.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
In addition, to the standard technology communication tools of email and in-app alerts, we will also have two advisory groups for patients and one for physicians to provide us with crucial feedback on user experience and adoption. We also engage in “real-life” community engagement and activation activities that are not typically found within telehealth companies or in healthcare in general. We believe that healthcare is about the whole person, people have meaningful lives outside of the clinical setting and manage their diseases in between carpools for their kids, birthday parties, weddings, vacations, and many other life events. These activities are meant to engage and empower individuals to take control of their health and incorporate daily practices to reach their skin, health, and wellness goals. This starts by being able to begin their health journey anytime and anywhere that is best for them.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
One of the most impactful books I have read that has influenced my leadership style is Radical Candor by Kim Scott. I first read the book when it was first released in 2017 and it was a confirmation of what elements make for a successful working relationship. I continue to reference the book, as I continue to grow our team with different personalities and leadership styles. The most important lessons from the book that I’m confident any entrepreneur can incorporate is how to tackle tough conversations and how to give and solicit feedback.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kept.health
- Instagram: @kepthealth
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sheena-d-franklin