Exurgo, Inc.

Problem: Healthcare inequity due to lack of income/insurance has been front and center for some time. This is even more critical given the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Healthcare spending in the US is amongst the highest in developed countries at $3.6 trillion in 2018 (17.7% of GDP), roughly $11,172/person, yet there are many Americans who are uninsured or underinsured (~76 million as of 2018).

Solution: We use technology as a catalyst to address this systemic problem and serve the global community: initially, we will start with the US. Our patent-pending, public healthcare technology aims to reduce the cost of care for providers and in return, we increase accessibility to equitable care for the underserved patients. 

Positive Impact: This new model of care is easily replicable and scalable. In the US alone, we address a market size of $1.1 trillion hospital industry and help at least 28 million patients.

Globally, 100 million have been pushed into poverty due to health costs. Healthcare spending in the US is amongst the highest in developed countries: at $3.6 trillion in 2018, this translates to 17.7% of GDP and rising. There are over 28 million uninsured, and 46 million underinsured. While the problem may be theoretical for policy makers, it is very real and painful from a patient’s perspective. This problem is exacerbated by systemic discrimination and cycles of poverty. 

On the other hand, there are a number of challenges from healthcare providers’ perspectives including: being the last resort for the uninsured, keeping costs and expenses down, delivering quality care and operating as a viable business with a reasonable profit margin. Since 2000, US hospitals have spent over $600 billion (annually over $30 billion) on uncompensated care for which they cannot recover majority of the spent funds.

This inefficiency not only destabilizes the financial health of the hospitals, but affects medical services, cost of care, and more fundamentally, the access to quality care itself. The fragility of the current healthcare system, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn, exacerbates this problem by affecting millions especially low-income, immigrants, minorities, and underserved communities.

How it works: Our patent pending enterprise system is a digital healthcare delivery platform which is easily integrated into hospital software management systems with minimum training and regulatory compliance. 

What it is: The SaaS-based platform is accelerated through AI and machine learning, along with our new business model of care. It connects all stakeholders including patients, physicians, and healthcare providers with full transparency through all steps of care to address the necessary medical care with cost and performance efficiency. 

What process and technology does it use? Once adopted by the hospitals, the hospitals are able to reduce costs of care by 70-84%. The majority of the costs saved are cycled back into the hospital system to address extra demand for medical care for millions of Americans who are uninsured/underinsured, including those who enter this category following the pandemic and the aftermath impact of economic downturn. 

Our solution serves the underinsured/uninsured: we are all inclusive, but generally populations that are most heavily impacted are comprised of minorities, women, and the LGBTQ community. 

Patients: In 2018, there were 74 million uninsured/underinsured Americans. The numbers are undoubtedly rising due the current pandemic. Our platform ensures:

• The lack of funds will no longer be a barrier to receiving equitable medical care. 
• Alleviation of disparity and discrimination to civilian/veteran patients. 
• Patients are free to choose any hospital according to medical needs.
• Patients may access any subscribed provider via our mobile app for timely delivery of needed care.

Hospitals: Since 2000, hospitals have spent $600 billion on uncompensated care (bad debt + charity care). Exurgo will reduce this cost by at least 70%. This ensures: 

• Providers will have stronger incentives to offer quality care. 
• Hospitals will be able to increase profitability and less likely to increase cost which is otherwise passed onto other privately insured patients via “cost shifting”.
• The Exurgo platform is easily integrated, cost effective, with minimal training/regulatory compliance.

Market Readiness & Socio-economic Impact: The economic and social positive externalities go far beyond the target markets. Saved funds can be re-appropriated to other needed social programs. 

Our solution aligns directly with Solve’s Health, Security, and Pandemics mission by focusing on preventative and mitigation measures. Our goal is creating access to quality healthcare, despite the lack of insurance, thus breaking cycles of poverty and preventing worsening healthcare. Exurgo improves the availability of equitable healthcare: this is especially critical during the global pandemic. For vulnerable populations, the lack of funds for medical care and its subsequent impact could be life-altering. In addition to the devastating humanitarian aspect, the negative economic externalities go beyond the micro level affecting all. Exurgo offers dual benefits of significant cost-savings to healthcare institutions. 

Exurgo’s digital platform uniquely focuses on both healthcare accessibility and reduction of hospital costs. This approach tackles systemic problems with a non-partisan digital solution that is augmented by predictive analytics and machine learning. Although there have been numerous amazing technological innovations in the field of medicine in the US, none have focused simultaneously on affordability for patients and reimbursement of the medical services. Governmental assistance and safety net clinics have a similar goal in helping individuals obtain access to healthcare, but they do not fully address market demand. Year after year, data repeatedly shows that close to 67% of personal bankruptcies are due to medical bankruptcies in spite of these programs. 

On the other hand, the healthcare industry as a whole is not a pioneer in adapting technology. While not a competitor, there have been some advances in the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and number of hospital software management system that facilitates the process digitally. Exurgo’s platform is unique as a SaaS platform that can easily be integrated into any hospital management software to complement, augment and improve services in near-real time. Our pending patent details the specifics of the technology and the technical processes that go into Exurgo’s platform. 

Exurgo harnesses technology that can be used for the greater good. Our solution will affect a positive change because there is a clear need on both the patient and healthcare provider sides: patients and vulnerable populations are clearly identified, the stressed economy demands relief, and healthcare providers are incentivized to use our platform because of the advantage of cost savings. Exurgo’s model of care is unique and easily scalable, both patients and providers can quickly adapt to Exurgo’s platform. For several years, we have analyzed how to create a new model of care that focuses on health equity and security without disregarding monetary rewards for healthcare providers in the US and later globally. Our theory of change is predicated on a motivation to do good in the world: as an added bonus, it is backed by strong incentives of healthcare institutions to save costs. We believe communities that are vulnerable are no less worthy of receiving access to quality care, and Exurgo remedies this disparity. 

In the US, healthcare disparity has been front and center for years: while it may be theoretical for many policymakers, it is very real and painful from a patient’s point of view. This is exacerbated further when an individual is undergoing one of the most vulnerable stages of life, and the lack of income/insurance present major hurdles in receiving the necessary medical care. A conservative estimate of 1 in 7 are under/uninsured. On the other hand, healthcare providers face a number of challenges including being a last resort for the uninsured, keeping costs and expenses down, delivering quality care with full transparency, all while operating as a viable business with a reasonable profit margin. Hospitals expense nearly $30 billion in uncompensated care. This amount is partially reimbursed by state and federal fund, and partially passed on to fully insured patients in form of “cost shifting”.

The short and long-term negative externalities are enormous: humanitarian devastation and disregard of a human life/well-being, reducing economic productivity, burdening healthcare institutions with inefficiency and dependency on government funds, increasing insurance premium and furthering costs and number of uninsured/underinsured.

We have been working on our feasibility study and patent for the past years, and since Exurgo is between conception and prototype stages, we do not any data for current year. However, we aim to start a pilot program in year one post funding. We only anticipate we will need one round of funding.

In Phase 1 of the 1st year, we serve 100 uninsured/underinsured, at no cost to either the hospitals or patients. In Phase 2 of the 1st year, we will assist 1,000 patients while charging nominal fees. In years two and three, 57,750 and 233,000 (respectively). 

Post funding and launch:

• Year 1: 1,100 patients
• Year 2: 57,750 patients
• Year 3: 233,000 patients

We would like to partner with like-minded organizations for support including funding to launch our company. Exurgo aims to achieve the following social and economic impact.

Year 1 

Patients Served: 1,100

Cost Savings to Hospitals: $837,000            

Exurgo Revenue: $63,000    

Year 2 

Patients Served: 57,750

Cost Savings to Hospitals: $48.3MM            

Exurgo Revenue:  $3.6MM

Year 3

Patients Served: 233,000

Cost Savings to Hospitals: $195MM            

Exurgo Revenue: $14.7MM

In our view, the market has been ready for a number of years and given the advances in technology, as a society, we are more poised than ever to encourage and embrace such projects. However, there are always some barriers to entry. For us, they are: lack of partnerships, funding and (to some degree) resistance to change. 

Partnerships: we are seeking partnerships with medical communities and hospitals, educational institutions, technology centers, selective governmental agencies and foundations.

Funding: this is an impactful and scalable project, however, we have been bootstrapping and using personal funds and resources. We need funding to move forward to the next phases, including increasing our manpower, and bring it to scale to collaboratively and collectively work together and implement this platform.

1- full time

3- part-time

Our team has significant expertise in financial and health economics, business, international development, law, privacy, data and cyber security. We are graduates of the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Polytechnique de Lausanne, and Cambridge University. 

Our professional experiences include work in the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Federal Reserve, the World Bank, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). 

Through our combined work and academic endeavors, we observed a huge gap in healthcare accessibility not only at a theoretical level, but impacting millions of people in their daily lives. Through our experiences, we bring a unique set of expertise to solve this problem head-on. 

Our customers are hospitals, and our beneficiaries are uninsured/underinsured, civilian and veteran patients. Since our platform and services reduce hospitals’ expenses and increase their profitability, it offers them a strong incentive to become and remain engaged with Exurgo. Our technology platform is a smart SaaS (software as Service) solution. Traditionally, the revenue model for SaaS enterprises is subscription model: however, we initially begin with a fee-for-service model, and thereafter move to the subscription model. This revenue model offers more flexibility and opportunities for the end-users (hospitals) to gain familiarity/integration/trust. 

The solution Exurgo offers aligns strongly with Solve's mission of solving world challenges. We see providing access to quality care for all, regardless of income level, as a means to eliminating systemic discrimination, racism, and inequality. Solve's core values of optimism is one near and dear to us: while this is a complex problem, we believe Exurgo provides a solution that is creative and inclusive of all through an easily accessible platform. Our technology empowers communities who have historically been overlooked, and institutions will be incentivized to partner with Exurgo through the significant cost savings offered to healthcare institutions. Our team is passionate about this cause and is excited to have the opportunity to make a positive impact in the world. We would very much appreciate the opportunity to work with Solve's community of experts, advisors, funders, and mentors who can offer strategic guidance. 

We would love to partner with Solve advisors, educational institutions, as well as healthcare institutions and technology companies. 

Exurgo's platform is powered by AI: it is a smart SaaS digital healthcare platform. Through the use of machine learning, our technology uses predictive analytics to best adapt to the needs of specific patients, and tailor results to what would best suit their treatment. Without AI and the adaptive learning technology that we implement, our solution would not be as effective or scalable. 

Women have been a historically underserved, underfunded, and underrepresented group. Our founders are both women: they believe strongly in Exurgo's mission to empower women through the use of technology and innovation. With all the technological advancements that brilliant individuals create, there is still a lack of representation among women. Exurgo hopes to represent just one part of a change to increase women's representation and demonstrate to younger generations that anything is possible and no boundaries should hold young people back from being creative with technology to affect positive social change. 

Exurgo's platform approaches the solution to several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. These include: no poverty, good health and well being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and peace, justice, and strong institutions. We note briefly how we address each of these goals below: 

1) No poverty: Access to quality healthcare is fundamental - without it, individuals suffer from likely being unable to work or hold a steady job due to inadequate care or illness, and thus fall into cycles of poverty. Exurgo seeks to eliminate this problem by targeting uninsured and underinsured individuals access quality care during some of the most vulnerable stages of their lives, and empower them to remain self-sufficient and prevent those on the borderline of poverty from falling into such a cycle. 

2) Good health and well being: Quality healthcare is critical to Exurgo's main goals. Our main purpose is to help historically discriminated groups access the healthcare that they deserve. 

3) Gender equality: Exurgo empowers gender equality, regardless of sexual orientation and we are inclusive of all individuals. Whomever needs access to quality healthcare should have that option, regardless of any other factor. 

4) Decent work and economic growth: Good health remains at the forefront of economic growth. Without it, as noted above, it becomes difficult or even impossible to maintain work, and as a lack of access to healthcare impacts larger communities, this eventually becomes a widespread issue that may lead to stagnation of the local economy. Exurgo ensures access to healthcare for all, which we believe is fundamental to a strong economy and empowerment of the individual. 

5) Peace, justice, and strong institutions: when populations are overlooked and do not have sufficient means to accessing quality healthcare, their quality of life suffers. Consequently on a broader scale, this impacts instability in countries with fragile governments or that may be on the brink of civil unrest. By empowering individuals as well as institutional stability of healthcare providers, Exurgo believes this is critical to sustained peace, justice, and institutions.