Elena's summer internship at Assort Health was marked by her development of innovative AI products and successful EHR integrations, showcasing her ability to quickly learn and contribute in a fast-paced, mission-driven startup. Her work exemplified Assort's core values of collaboration, transparency, and rapid innovation.
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work at Assort Health as a software engineering intern. Initially, the company’s mission to improve access to healthcare was what drew me to the company, but it was the conversations I had with members of the team and my sense that the company’s values aligned closely with mine that led me to ultimately pursue this role.
A little bit about me: I recently graduated from Stanford University with a BSc in Computer Science, and I will be returning next year to complete my MSc in Computer Science on the Artificial Intelligence track. Born to a Japanese mother and Italian father, I grew up in Tokyo, Japan, where I was uniquely positioned between two very distinct worlds: a diverse and vibrant international community of my school, and the traditional Japanese society that surrounded me.
As a current fellow of the Mayfield Fellows Program, I am highly drawn to the startup ecosystem. I'm excited by the amount of impact that I can have at a startup, and I've been so fulfilled by seeing my individual efforts drive meaningful impact at Assort Health. From Day 1 of my experience (including the interview process!), Assort's team anchored on the company's values, and I've seen firsthand how this structure and commitment allows the team to move effectively, intelligently, and deliver the impact we're all so motivated by. Here are a few stories from my experience, with some additional color from Jeff, Assort's co-founder.
We are dedicated to deep thinking and adherence to the fundamental principles that govern our business and product. Our goal is to simplify the complexities of current healthcare administration to ensure patient access to necessary care. We are committed to avoiding the errors of past technologies, such as legacy EHR systems, which have added unnecessary complexity and waste to the medical system. By staying true to our core values and prioritizing clarity and efficiency, we strive to create a more accessible and effective healthcare experience for all.
When I first joined Assort Health, I was overwhelmed by the complexity of the American healthcare space, and the consequent intricacies of the company’s codebase. However, the team went above and beyond to help me navigate the system and technology by breaking them down into easily digestible concepts. They happily took time out of their busy schedules to hit the meeting room to diagram the AI agent infrastructure, and welcomed any question I had. The team’s approach to breaking down convoluted topics, like EHR integrations, enabled me to quickly get acquainted with the workflows and gain an understanding of how everything worked.
We prioritize accessibility and fairness to ensure all patients receive high-quality care, regardless of their background or circumstances. This commitment extends to our workplace, where we value transparency, fairness, trust, openness, and respect for all team members.
From the get-go, I was extended an open-invite to join any meeting happening in the company. This was not only for the sake of my own learning, but also due to the emphasis on transparency and openness at Assort. Since the team is still small, everyone is always kept up-to-date on what is going on, and every team member’s perspectives and opinions are valued. One way I’ve seen this exemplified is through the process of hiring new candidates at Assort. In the final stage of an interview process, candidates are invited to the office and have one-on-one chats with everyone on the team. Afterwards, the team makes a decision together about whether the candidate’s motivations and values align with that of the company’s. In this way, everyone's input is welcomed and actively valued at Assort.
Phrases like 'that’s not my problem' have no place here. We do what it takes. Our culture is built on high personal responsibility and the understanding that teamwork and individual accountability are crucial. Every member works on vital tasks, and our success relies on mutual support and holding each other accountable, ensuring we collectively tackle challenges and achieve our goals.
Mistakes are bound to happen at any company, and Assort is no exception. However, they way Assort handles such issues is admirable. Whenever an issue occurs, the team members who contributed to it take responsibility and swiftly address and remedy any consequences, for instance by reaching out to the affected parties. They then assemble a write-up and organize a team-wide meeting to explain what happened. During this meeting, the whole team engages in a discussion to design preventative measures that will ensure that the error will not occur again. This process fosters growth as a company; each mistake is transformed into a learning opportunity to bounce back even stronger.
Relentless resilience drives us to persistently push past barriers and face challenges head-on, even during the most demanding times. This unyielding determination is more than a trait; it's a commitment to growth, continuous learning, and improvement. It fuels us to always evolve and learn, and is at its most powerful when we unite as a team.
I’ve witnessed first-hand that the journey at a startup involves many high highs and low lows. Therefore, it is important to stay level-headed and consistent through any phase, with the goal to get better every day. At Assort, the team firmly believes that continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection so the team is committed to raising the bar incrementally everyday. Every team member understands that the goal to revolutionize the patient care navigation journey is no easy one, and relentless resilience is what pushes the team forward every day.
Our healthcare system is broken and inefficient, and there is an incredible amount that we must build and improve upon. We're committed to rapid innovation without waiting for perfection. Our focus on quick releases and continuous refinement reflects a passion for exceeding expectations, building top-tier products, and making a meaningful impact on the lives of physicians and patients.
Work at Assort is very fast-paced where speed of execution is tremendously valued. Put into practice, this means the company prioritizes velocity and customer feedback, coupled with rapid iteration of the product. During my brief summer with Assort, the company swiftly built out the technology to integrate with multiple new customers and EHRs, all while continuing to develop features of the core platform. As a team, we recognize that speed is the biggest advantage of a startup of this stage, and everyone is willing to put in the necessary hours and effort. I think it's worth noting, though, that this is not the same as a culture that unnecessarily enforces long working-hours. Everyone is held accountable to finishing their assigned tasks by their deadlines, but we all have the freedom to work on our own schedule.
