Hims & Hers, the telehealth and wellness enterprise, has made a noteworthy leadership appointment by hiring Mo Elshenawy as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Previously serving as the president and CTO of Cruise, Elshenawy transitions into the healthcare sector following Cruise’s closure by parent company GM earlier this year.

Strategic Shift Towards AI in Healthcare

The choice of an executive from the autonomous vehicle sector reflects a strategic vision articulated by Hims & Hers co-founder and CEO, Andrew Dudum. In a recent interview with TechCrunch, Dudum explained that his search for a CTO was motivated by the desire to accelerate the company’s AI initiatives. He noted, “I was looking very much at leaders in the autonomous driving space, explicitly because you’re talking about leveraging technology and data and AI in an extremely high-sensitive environment where you have people’s lives at risk.”

Translating Skills from Autonomous Vehicles to Healthcare

Elshenawy, who holds over 10 patents in AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicle technology, asserted that his new role is not as disparate as it may appear. He stated, “Self-driving cars use AI to make real-time decisions in complex, high-stakes and heavily regulated environments, where earning trust is everything. Healthcare operates under the same conditions.” He emphasized that both fields involve critical decision-making impacting human lives.

Company Growth and AI-Driven Solutions

Founded in 2017, Hims & Hers started with a focus on men’s health and has since broadened its services to include women’s health and mental health treatment. The company connects patients with licensed healthcare professionals and has treated between 10,000 to 15,000 patients daily. Dudum shared that the company has amassed a substantial dataset comprising anonymized patient information to develop AI models aimed at enhancing diagnostics and treatment approaches.

• Hims & Hers integrates various health treatments, including mental health and weight management.
• The company leverages data for AI-powered tools, such as MedMatch, assisting doctors in determining mental health treatments.
• Elshenawy’s expertise will likely strengthen the company’s future AI initiatives.

Ensuring Safety Through Human Oversight

Dudum reaffirmed the importance of maintaining human oversight in clinical decision-making. He explained that while AI tools provide valuable insights, healthcare providers remain vital for making ultimately clinical judgments. “There’s a very strict and structured approach when it comes to clinical decision tools within the medical industry,” he noted, emphasizing the role of human expertise in this technologically advanced landscape.

Looking Forward

The appointment of Elshenawy is part of a broader strategy by Hims & Hers to enhance its operational capabilities and expand its market footprint. The recent hire of former Amazon executive Nader Kabbani as chief of operations further illustrates the company’s commitment to leveraging technology and leadership expertise in its mission to serve more patients effectively.