#235 War Stories & Lucky Breaks with Gus Kennedy

The Business of Healthcare Podcast with Tara Humphrey

I always work hard to dig a little deeper and deliver raw and honest podcast material, from my own perspective and that of others, and this week’s episode truly does not disappoint.

I had the total pleasure of interviewing Gus Kennedy; Managing Director of Hero Health, soon to be new Dad, cricket lover and passionate about all things health tech. Inspired by his GP Mum’s continued frustrations about the need for better tech in Primary Care, Gus founded Hero Health in 2017; building and delivering a software solution to streamline the patient booking process, and which is aimed primarily at improving patient experience when booking an appointment with their local practice.

By Gus’s own admission, realising success in the Primary Care tech space is more than challenging and with this in mind, he and I discussed:

• The Hero product itself; the funding mechanisms used to bring the solution to life, the product journey, the system processes and capabilities, their learning curve, and the Hero vision

• How Hero can add value, particularly when it comes to cross-organisational aspects of scheduling

• Why it’s tough to deliver tech that supports both clinicians and patients, to ensure equal priorities are met

• The challenges of having and maintaining exposure to both digitally savvy PCNs, and those PCNs who are further behind in their awareness of available tech (and in some cases, experiences of hostility when making an approach)

• The flaws of a traditional procurement process for both PCNs and tech providers and a lack of funding when it comes to research and development

• Gus’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who are hoping to penetrate the healthcare space

To find out more about Hero Health; the work they do, and the solution they offer, check out:

Hero's website

If you’d like to connect with Gus, you can do so here.

Work with me 

 

I’m Tara Humphrey and I’m the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations.  I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices. 

I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 blogs. 

 

For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter. 

Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time  

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.