Why we’re creating Riva
It all started a long time ago when I chose to pursue an academic career in cardiology driven initially by a profound passion for learning, the opportunity to engage with intriguing medical cases while contributing to valuable research, and, above all, a commitment to improve the lives of patients.
My initial enthusiasm met with frustration.
I found myself navigating an outdated system with an administrative burden exacerbated by outdated technology, and an environment marked by hierarchical egos mentally frustrated, and political interests. I felt frustrated but I didn’t think I could do something about it.
Then, thanks to my husband working in tech between New York and Paris, I discovered a world that compelled me to challenge the status quo in healthcare merging both our expertise (medicine and technology). Jeremy showed me that I might be able to do something about it.
However, this vision remained a distant dream for years, seemingly out of reach, as I struggled with a lack of energy and courage to leave my academic career and embark on such a massive transformative journey. Indeed, after dedicating 7 years to medicine, 6 years to cardiology, and 4 years to a PhD, I felt trapped in academia 🐣 with no apparent alternatives.
Switch to private practice?
While the financial appeal 💰 of transitioning to private practice was enticing, it would not address my fundamental frustration with the state of healthcare delivery, and I would have to forsake my research pursuits.
In light of this, I chose to continue my academic path and resign to this sad reality much like many of my colleagues with an idealistic hope that someday, someone would turn my vision into a reality.
Why now?
On April 5th, 2023, my life took a dramatic turn in New Zealand as I nearly died in a car accident. This traumatic chapter served as a wake-up call, reinforcing our conviction that the healthcare experience both for doctors and patients requires improvement. It also underscored our belief that the future of care doesn't reside within hospital walls but within the heart of communities. It also makes me realize that life is short, so I'd prefer to take a chance to transform something I strongly believe in.
In life timing is important, now is the time for me.
Why we are doing this?
Trust in healthcare has deteriorated over the decades, a sentiment shared by both doctors and patients confronted with ongoing and frustrating experiences. For doctors, healthcare is often synonymous with burnout, financially distressed hospitals, a sterile work environment, administrative burdens, and the relentless pursuit of profitability in a sometimes toxic setting. For patients, it means anxiety, a lack of communication and transparency, a sense of infantilization, and consistent delays in consultations.
That's a lot of sore points in a system that's supposed to relieve our pain, and many of us, both patients and healthcare professionals, have resigned ourselves to this sad reality.
A new chapter in the making 💫
I've always been a firm believer that to achieve truly exceptional results, we need to push the boundaries of our comfort zones and join forces with a wide variety of experts.
That's why, since July, I've been working on bringing my vision to life (in between my physiotherapy sessions) with my co-founder and husband, Jeremy Le Van, who happens to be the ideal problem solver and product designer I could have ever hoped for. And we're not alone! We’re very fortunate to have an exceptional core team including Vincent Battaglia and Lionel Cordier.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful to everyone who supported me on my academic journey. Despite the challenges in academic hospitals with egos and hierarchies, I encountered some truly exceptional individuals. I acquired significant knowledge and valuable experience.
However, I refuse to continue sacrificing my personal life for a frustrated healthcare system. Morally, it feels wrong to me that heart diseases are the leading global cause of death, but little to no action is being taken, mainly because profitability is exclusively dependent on sickness.
It won’t be easy. But we are doing it.
It’s a massive undertaking to create a new standard of care for outpatients because it’s not just about nice clinics and a patient app. It's about revolutionizing the way we deliver care so we had to create a strong multi-disciplinary team beyond the care team (engineers, designers, business developers, and many more). We can't initially rebuild the full healthcare experience, so we'll begin by crafting an outstanding standard of preventive care.
Feel free to reach out at contact@riva.care! Together, we can make an impact ⚡️