
12 Dec Event Recap: Building Better Health care
On December 12, 2024, Vision Health Pioneers Incubator hosted an insightful panel discussion featuring three distinguished experts: Dr. Derrick Khor, cancer doctor and founder of Adopt-a-Doc; Jan B. Elsner, founder and CEO of Skinuvita; and Michael Hübner, Innovation Manager at Sana Kliniken AG. The conversation tackled the challenges and opportunities of healthcare innovation, offering practical advice for startups navigating the complex healthcare landscape. Here are the key takeaways:
Understanding Clinical Needs and Real-World Problems
Dr. Derrick Khor opened the discussion by emphasizing the importance of aligning innovation with real-world healthcare needs. According to Derrick, successful healthcare startups are those that take the time to understand the clinical landscape and focus on problems that matter most. As he explained:
“The truth of the matter is we always say clinical adoption comes with evidence, but evidence doesn’t necessarily just mean clinical trials.
There are some health tech solutions that don’t make sense to have a clinical trial, you know, something that’s more back office, more administrative, something that supports operational flows. Those have no sense at all for you to develop, like do a whole clinical study for it. But you do need to have some form of proof that a project works, a solution works. And what we tend to see is lots of founders, they come in from a very early stage. They have no concept of understanding of what evidence is.”
Derrick’s point was clear: it’s not just about the technology; it’s about solving problems that make a difference in the healthcare system—saving time, money, and improving efficiency.

Building Relationships with Clinicians
Jan B. Elsner, founder and CEO of Skinuvita, shared his experience in the dermatology field, where early collaboration with clinicians proved essential. Skinuvita helps patients with chronic skin conditions through a telemedicine system, and Jan’s journey emphasized the importance of building relationships with healthcare professionals. He recalled: “We didn’t do cold calling. We connected with key opinion leaders through conferences and built relationships from there.”
Jan’s story highlighted the importance of trust in the healthcare space. He explained that these early connections opened doors and helped Skinuvita gain credibility. “It’s not just about the technology; it’s about having the right people supporting you,” he said. His advice for startups? Start early, foster relationships, and ensure you’re offering real value to the clinicians you’re trying to reach.
Jan also touched on the critical role of publication opportunities in motivating clinicians to participate in clinical trials. Startups can’t offer monetary incentives, but publication opportunities can be a strong motivator. As he put it: “Publication is actually a very interesting resource and insights of data… that’s the kind of value we as startups can give.”
This approach, offering valuable insights and data through publications, not only benefits clinicians but also builds credibility for the startup’s solution within the medical community.

Overcoming the Complexities of Healthcare Systems
Michael Hübner, Innovation Manager at Sana Kliniken AG, offered a unique perspective on integrating new solutions into a complex and highly regulated healthcare system. Michael manages innovation across over 60 hospitals, and he stressed that the process of evaluating new solutions is far from straightforward. He explained: “It’s not always a linear process. We evaluate solutions based on evidence and how they fit into our already existing landscape.”
Michael also pointed out that healthcare professionals—especially professors and clinicians—tend to rely heavily on data and evidence when making decisions about new technologies. He stressed the importance of proving value not only in terms of patient outcomes but also in relation to the healthcare system’s bottom line. As he noted: “If you want to make it in healthcare, you need to show how your solution will benefit patients, employees, and the healthcare system. And you have to prove there’s a business model that makes it worth the investment.”

Key Takeaways for Healthcare Innovators
The panel discussion reinforced several crucial lessons for healthcare innovators:
1. Focus on real problems: Successful solutions are those that address real challenges faced by clinicians and patients, not just what seems like a good idea.
2. Build relationships early: Connecting with key opinion leaders and building trust is vital for gaining credibility and opening doors within healthcare organizations.
3. Prove your value: Startups need to demonstrate measurable value, not just for patients, but for healthcare providers and the system as a whole.
4. Understand regulations: The healthcare space is highly regulated, so compliance with medical device regulations and data protection laws is non-negotiable.
5. Offer publication opportunities: Clinicians are motivated by the chance to contribute to research and publications, a strong incentive for participating in clinical trials and promoting your solution.

Conclusion
The event was a candid and enlightening discussion about the realities of innovating in healthcare. While the road to success is complex and filled with challenges, the panelists provided valuable insights on how startups can make a meaningful impact.
A big thank you to Dr. Derrick Khor, Jan B. Elsner, and Michael Hübner for sharing their expertise and to everyone who joined the discussion. We hope these insights inspire the next generation of healthcare innovators to tackle the toughest problems and create lasting change in the industry.
Until next time, let’s keep building better healthcare together.