Dr Rachael Grimaldi, CEO and Co-founder of CardMedic, talks about how one idea has helped hundreds of healthcare workers communicate more efficiently with patients.
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Tell us about CardMedic
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CardMedic is the leading healthcare language services portal, connecting caregivers with instant communication support at the point of care, helping to reduce health inequities caused by language, sensory, or cognitive barriers. Authored by clinical experts, CardMedic hosts an expanding A-Z library of pre-written scripts replicating common clinical interactions, supporting effective communication for history-taking, procedures, diagnoses, and more. Scripts are available in 50 languages, Easy Read, sign language, and Read Aloud formats.
Together with integrated speech-to-text translation, live interpreter access, and a digitised consent process, CardMedic helps hospitals overcome communication barriers at the touch of a button to deliver equitable care for all.
One in two patients faces communication challenges, which can increase patient risks and operational costs. Our mission is to address this with the most inclusive, accessible language platform available.
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How did you come up with the idea for the company?
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In March 2020, while on maternity leave and abroad due to the pandemic, I read about a patient who felt terrified because they couldn鈥檛 understand their clinicians through PPE. That struck a chord with me. Communication is the cornerstone of healthcare, yet there is a glaring gap. I realised this wasn鈥檛 a new problem鈥攍anguage barriers, sensory impairments and other communication challenges had always existed鈥攂ut PPE magnified it to a critical level. I thought: 鈥淲hy not digitise those conversations?鈥� From that idea, my husband and I launched CardMedic in 72 hours.
What started as a rapid response to a crisis, has grown into a valuable tool used by thousands of healthcare professionals globally.
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What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
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My advice is: go for it! Don鈥檛 wait for the 鈥榩erfect鈥� plan; instead, focus on solving a real problem. CardMedic鈥檚 development was rapid because we addressed an urgent need, and feedback helped us iterate and improve quickly. Also, if you鈥檙e venturing into a field outside your expertise, surround yourself with people who know more than you. I鈥檓 a clinician, not a businessperson, but I leaned heavily on accelerators, networks, and mentors to bridge that gap. Also, remember to love the problem you鈥檙e solving. Such enthusiasm will help you through the challenges.
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What most excites you about CardMedic?
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What excites me most about CardMedic is its potential to transform healthcare at scale, providing a tool for today鈥檚 challenges and addressing long-standing healthcare inequities. We hear repeatedly about the challenges facing certain sections of the population.
Midwife and inclusivity champion Maria Rowntree has found that pregnant people who don鈥檛 speak English are 25 times more likely to die in NHS maternity care. CardMedic is a solution that enables more patients to actively participate in their care, helping to address such challenges.
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How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?
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CardMedic has evolved in ways I couldn鈥檛 have imagined. What started as a simple library of scripts now includes content in over 50 languages and formats. As well as being part of multiple support programmes in the UK and US, we鈥檝e enjoyed extensive press coverage, won over 16 awards, and attracted significant funding.
By listening to feedback from patients, clinicians and carers, we have developed the platform to meet people鈥檚 genuine needs, and we鈥檙e now working with over 25 healthcare providers.
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What can we hope to see from CardMedic in the future?
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We are scaling across healthcare while supporting customers with user adoption, building on our strong presence in maternity, oncology, and critical care services. We鈥檙e also exploring vertical expansion in other sectors such as education, social care, and law. AI is everywhere and we鈥檙e taking an ethical, human-first approach. Our plans include generative clinical content, culturally sensitive virtual avatars, and facial expression tech for children and the cognitively impaired.
Internationally, we鈥檙e preparing to expand in the US, Europe, and beyond to fulfil our vision of eliminating communication barriers and ensuring every person feels heard and understood.
