This demo started out as really cool - but the very first generated was terrible (in that it actually would have been very negative for our brand)
Happy to discuss what exactly was problematic with you guys - so please take my comment constructively.
This is really interesting! Pretty remarkable that the key insight isn't just about crossing the BBB—it's about repairing the transport machinery itself.
We're building BetterBrain around this insight—catching vascular and metabolic risk factors that compromise BBB integrity years before severe pathology. Not replacing breakthrough therapies like this, but complementing them by intervening earlier in the cascade.
(www.betterbrain.com/insurance if anyone would like to try - its $0 with most insurance plans)
Congrats on the fundraise! I've been a fan of Counsel and admire Muthu's bullishness around asynchronous care delivery.
Overall, I felt the human-clinician side of the product worked quite well - the providers responded quite quickly, were well informed, and resulted in a quick turnaround to getting an Rx or some manner of outcome.
On the AI side, I would caution that your team really needs to work quite hard to maintain a defensible moat here.
> Other chatbots can’t connect to your medical records to provide personalized advice. They’re also not trained on the latest evidence-based research and can’t bring a physician into the conversation. With Counsel, you get medical-grade AI support backed by physician oversight, ensuring safe, high-quality care
"can’t connect to your medical records to provide personalized advice" - while I think Counsel's HIE integrations seem to work well (the AI responded with relevant data it had on me from the exchange), that's is reasonably easy to build (which does sound like the famous Dropbox comment).
"They’re also not trained on the latest evidence-based research" - on this note, I'd be curious if Counsel is capable of doing meaningful post-training to meet this endpoint (I'd assume it's not worth the resources to explore any manner of post-training).
It strikes me as a good example of Sam Altman's steamrolling comment - I'd imagine the next waive of frontier models will represent a much greater level of health inference than post-training a current frontier model will accomplish.
tl;dr - I found myself immediately skipping over the AI functionality but did find the human physicians on Counsel's app to work great.
Granted, I'm curious to see the company's direction long-term — perhaps along the lines of a16z's healthcare superstaffing thesis (which sounds compelling) or aiming to have most encounters be between a user and AI (which I'm more bearish about, though it's definitely going to happen one day, of course).
I think the key is remind yourself is that an engineer is supposed to solve business problems. So use these new tools to be more effective in doing so.
An analogy is that people used to spend tons of time building out web server code but something like Django added tremendously useful abstractions and patterns to doing so, which allowed people to more productively add business value
This is very much part of the motivation behind BetterBrain, the wait for an in-network neurologist is often 6+ months, but the wait for one of the few in-person dementia prevention clinics can be years (and cost thousands out of pocket).
If your insurance plan covers BetterBrain, definitely recommend giving our insurance covered option a try to meet with a clinician as soon as next week.
We do have a free option, with the ability to purchase bloodwork and additional testing.
Yes, there are indeed paid options! We regularly support clients who travel to NY or Vermont for bloodwork. Our co-founder is Canadian and we work with many clients from Canada.
Could you shoot me an email and our team can help figure out the logistics? adi@betterbrain.com
(Happy to send you a discount code)
About BetterBrain
BetterBrain (https://www.betterbrain.com) is at the forefront of dementia prevention. We offer the most comprehensive platform to help our members prevent neurodegenerative diseases and optimize their cognition. Role Overview We're rapidly growing and are seeking a talented Software Engineer to join our team and help shape the future of preventative neurology. As a full-stack engineer with experience in high-growth startups and building AI products, you’ll play a key role in our development.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and maintain web applications using our tech stack: NextJS, React, Typescript, and Supabase. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, develop, and implement new features.
Requirements
4-5+ years of full-stack development experience. Proven experience in high-growth startups. Strong background in building AI products. Proficiency in NextJS, React, Typescript, and Python. Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
How to Apply
Email us at adi@betterbrain.com with the subject line "HN Hiring". Please include: - A copy of your resume. - A brief description of why you think you’re a good fit for this role (for example - a project you owned)
Join us at BetterBrain and help us build a healthier future.
I think there are even more basic table stakes that were missed here well prior to conducting any manner of formal compliance auditing - like unauthenticated users accessing this database!
