PurposeMed: Calgary scaleup creates virtual solutions for equity in health care
Access to health care is vital regardless of where you live or who you love, yet many illnesses affect specific groups of people more than others based on these and other socio-economic factors.
PurposeMed, a health technology company, is on a mission to change this. With a talented, passionate team and the support of their home city of Calgary, they are well on their way.
Dr. Caley Shukalek, Chief Medical Officer at PurposeMed, spends his days making health care more inclusive and more accessible.
His own lived experience makes him particularly proud of the company’s key services; Freddie, Frida and Foria – which launched in 2023.
MEET FREDDIE, A VIRTUAL HIV PREVENTION SERVICE FOR THE LGBTQ2S+ COMMUNITY
Dr. Caley Shukalek, Chief Medical Officer at PurposeMed
Dr. Shukalek recognizes his privilege as a well-educated, trained physician and a caucasian man, yet he has faced discrimination in the health-care system because of his sexual orientation.
When Dr. Shukalek started working in sexual public health, it became alarmingly clear that his experience was all too common within the LGBTQ2S+ community.
Individuals struggle to access the care they need because they are often judged, dismissed or not comfortable discussing their sexuality with a health care provider.
“There are inherent trust issues at play,” shares Dr. Shukalek.
Freddie is PurposeMed’s answer to this challenge: a virtual health-care platform that connects patients with experienced, supportive clinicians and provides prescriptions for PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) medication that reduces the risk of acquiring HIV.
To get started, individuals complete a free, one minute online assessment to determine their HIV risk and PrEP eligibility. From there, they can book a free virtual appointment with a specialized clinician to go through their options. After a few basic lab tests to determine if PrEP is a safe option for them, their prescription is delivered to their doorstep.
While Freddie is accessible to all, much of its branding focuses on the LGBTQ2S+ community.
“We recognize the need for community representation,” said Dr. Shukalek. “It’s built into how we run the company, manage the brand and work in close partnership with the community.”
PurposeMed has a diverse and representative team, and more than 50 partnerships with organizations supporting the LGBTQ2S+ communities in the areas where they work. These organizations range from SafeLink Alberta, which provides harm reduction services focused on HIV, the transmission of STBBI’s and substance use, to The 519 in Toronto, which provides social services and a safe space for the LGBTQ2S+ community.
Expanding to meet the needs of the community, Freddie has experienced explosive growth and provided consultations to over 22,000 people. The company is now the largest HIV prevention service in Canada.
MEET FRIDA, A PLATFORM THAT DELIVERS TIMELY ADHD DIAGNOSIS AND CARE
When he was in university, Dr. Shukalek was told by a doctor that it was not possible for adults to have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
“That’s actually not true at all,” he clarifies. “I’ve had ADHD my whole life.”
Even though ADHD affects one out of 21 Canadians it remains “under-recognized, under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed”, according to the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada.
The longer someone lives with untreated ADHD, the more likely they will struggle with work, school, relationships, finances, as well as their mental and physical health.
That’s where Frida comes in. It is a virtual health-care platform that can deliver an ADHD diagnosis and connect patients with a specialist. Since a diagnosis can be life-changing, Frida does this in days to weeks, not months.
Patients start with a quick online screening assessment that leads into a longer detailed medical and symptom assessment, followed by a thorough phone evaluation with a specialized clinician. They then work together, meeting every two to four weeks, to create a tailored treatment plan. Medication, if needed, is prescribed and usually delivered within two business days.
Over the long term, patients can check in with their clinician and care team every three months or as needed. Frida is currently available in British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta.
Echoing the success of Freddie, Frida has grown quickly to deliver clinically significant health outcomes to 15,000 patients. After accessing care, eighty per cent of Frida patients report clinically significant increase in feelings of hopefulness and self-worth in just six weeks.
WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA, CALGARY HAS YOUR BACK
Dr. Husein Moloo, Co-founder and CEO at PurposeMed
PurposeMed was founded in 2019 by three friends – Dr. Husein Moloo, Pete MacLeod and Amaan Banwait – who wanted to bring specialized health care to underserved communities. Dr. Shukalek, who went to medical school with Dr. Moloo, joined their mission shortly after.
As the company grew, it needed to raise funds and recruit more team members. That’s when Calgary’s tight-knit tech community delivered an advantage.
“In Calgary, you get more avenues and opportunities to share your story. The community is close enough that unique chances present themselves more often, compared to a larger city where you might get lost in the shuffle” shared Dr. Shukalek.
“But we’re also seeing the city grow as a tech hub, and when paired with the research happening at institutions like the U of C – a top research university in Canada – we’re starting to see a beautiful marriage of tech and health sciences in Calgary.”
This is not entirely by chance. Calgary’s economic strategy, Calgary In the New Economy, has a vision to create a city where everyone can build a good life, regardless of their background. A community-built plan, the strategy is driven by collaboration among government, business and community organizations working together to ensure everyone can build a meaningful life in Calgary.
This vision for an inclusive city aligns with PurposeMed’s vision for inclusive health care. Since the beginning, PurposeMed has been able to rely on individuals who believed in the mission; they never had to undertake a large fundraise for capital.
The company also received seed funding from the University of Calgary and, in 2022, won the ATB ESG Impact Award and became C100 Fellows.
Calgary has been a great place to find and mentor talent too, with many former interns going on to accept full-time positions within the company.
PurposeMed now offers services across Canada, and as of 2023, their team has grown to more than 150 clinicians, care coordinators, engineers and designers.
Calgary team members promote Freddie at the YYC Pride Market.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The PurposeMed team is ready to do more.
“We just launched our next vertical, Foria, which provides gender affirming care for trans and non-binary folks. And we are not done in terms of delivering solutions to complex health issues for underserved communities,” he states.
The platform connects patients with clinician experts in gender affirming care and supports them throughout their whole journey. Resources include access to hormone therapy, surgical referals, mental health treatment and additional administration services.
In 2023, PurposeMed’s exponential growth was recognized by Deloitte, placing second on its list of Companies-to-Watch in the annual Technology Fast 50 list.
“In the next few years we’ll be scaling our current services and exploring new services to support the emerging needs of our community,” said Dr. Shukalek.
With values of safety, accessibility, inclusivity and collaboration, PurposeMed continues to identify gaps and create solutions for patients of all backgrounds from Calgary.
Are you ready to make your mark in Calgary’s tech scene, working with forward-thinking companies like PurposeMed? Head to our Live Tech Love Life careers page and see what opportunities might be out there for you.