FALL/WINTER 2025 | 23 HEALTH CARE DISRUPTORS Lehigh alumni-founded companies WiseCare AI and Vytalize Health are redefining the patient experience through innovative platforms. ANYONE WHO HAS TRIED TO NAVIGATE THE SELECTION OF A HEALTH CARE PLAN through Medicare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) knows the process can be complex. The number of plan options can be overwhelming and pose a plethora of questions. Which plan will cover an individual’s prescriptions or preferred doctors? What’s the price tag for an upcoming doctor’s appointment? What would the out-of-pocket expense be to have a baby? WiseCare AI, the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Gokhan Metan M’06 Ph.D.’08 and Demet Metan MS’09, is designed to answer those questions and more using an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that provides a simple-to-use, conversational format. The platform, which can operate in any language, goes far beyond the standard of a basic search-and-sort function currently used on most insurance websites, offering plan recommendations personalized to an individual’s needs, the Metans say. The Metans aren’t the only Lehigh alums improving the patient experience through innovation. Dr. Amer Alnajar ’08, Dr. Hasan Bayat ’07 and Faris Ghawi ’09 turned a shared vision for better primary care into a national model in value-based health care. Imagine an app like Uber, but instead of a ride, it brings health care to your doorstep. A registered nurse would show up at your home, run a few routine vitals and consult with a physician over telemedicine. You’d pay a flat cash fee for the exam. This was the first iteration of what would become Vytalize Health, the fastest-growing company in America according to Inc. magazine, managing over 300,000 Medicare patients across 30 states and saving the health care system tens of millions annually. Together, these Lehigh graduates are disrupting the health care industry, transforming outdated care models for patients and helping them find and easily enroll in the right health care plan for their needs. STORY BY KATELYN SILVA AND STEPHEN WI LSON KIM DILLON
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