This collaboration builds on the success of H1’s earlier efforts in the Middle East following the Hamas attacks on October 7th, where the company swiftly mobilized doctors to deliver essential medical care. The H1 Connect platform, developed as a direct response to these efforts, has since become a vital tool in linking healthcare professionals with global opportunities, ranging from clinical support in Zambia to emergency response missions in Gaza.
Recognizing Ukraine as a high-risk, low-resource area in urgent need of medical assistance, H1 saw an invaluable opportunity to partner with GRM, a renowned organization with deep expertise in delivering emergency medical care in conflict zones. This partnership enables H1 to extend its reach and make a significant impact in Ukraine, furthering its mission of connecting the world with the right doctors and ensuring that those in desperate need receive the care they deserve.
What inspired H1 to partner with GRM for this initiative in Ukraine?
Our partnership with GRM reflects our commitment to collaborating with NGOs to build a global network of healthcare professionals dedicated to delivering humanitarian aid worldwide.
This initiative began with our response to the crisis in the Middle East following the Hamas attacks on October 7th, where we successfully deployed doctors to provide essential medical care to the region. Building on that success, we developed the H1 Connect platform, which links doctors with global health opportunities—from clinical support in Zambia to emergency response work in Gaza and around the world.
Recognizing Ukraine as a high-risk, low-resource area in urgent need of medical assistance, we saw a valuable opportunity to partner with GRM to make a difference. Given GRM’s proven expertise in delivering emergency medical care in conflict zones, this collaboration allows us to make a significant impact in this region.
How does this initiative align with H1’s overall mission and goals?
Our mission is to connect the world with the right doctors. Building on the success of our efforts to send doctors to the Middle East, we were eager to apply our platform to other global humanitarian crises, such as the situation in Ukraine. I couldn’t imagine a more meaningful way to carry out our mission than by connecting doctors eager to help with those who need it most.
Implementation of H1 Connect
Can you explain how the H1 Connect platform was used to identify and recruit surgeons for this mission?
During times of crisis, many doctors are eager to volunteer but often struggle to find opportunities that match their skills and interests. H1 Connect simplifies this process by allowing doctors to create a profile in minutes and immediately connect with volunteer initiatives tailored to their expertise. Our extensive network of NGOs enables doctors to swiftly apply for specific rosters and access a range of global health opportunities.
Doctors can access global health training and resources, collaborate with peers, and join NGO ‘ready reserve’ rosters or specific missions via a comprehensive marketplace of global health opportunities. This allows for a seamless and efficient way to mobilize medical expertise where it’s needed most.
What criteria were used to pre-vet and select the doctors who participated in the deployment?
We used all of the information that H1 Connect members provided in their profiles – including education, international experience, and specialized licensure – to determine which members of our network fit GRM’s criteria for this deployment.
Challenges and solutions
What were the biggest challenges faced in recruiting and deploying the medical team to Ukraine?
One of the biggest obstacles is the volunteer selection process. GRM needed to ensure that volunteers not only met the specific requirements of their teams but also excelled in their skills, could thrive in high-stress environments, and were comfortable traveling to the region for a considerable amount of time.
That said, our platform is designed to simplify this process by pinpointing healthcare professionals who are the best fit for each mission.
How did H1 address any logistical or regulatory obstacles encountered during the process?
H1 doesn’t handle logistics directly, but by relieving the NGO of the task of recruiting doctors, we enable them to concentrate more effectively on logistics and regulatory details.
Impact and outcomes
What specific feedback have you received from the doctors who were deployed and from the Ukrainian healthcare workers they trained?
The doctors H1 deployed with GRM praised it as one of the most professional teams they've ever worked with. One of the deployed doctors, Dr. Adam Ackerman, Medical Director at Yale School of Medicine, commented in a recent webinar that the experience was excellent from day one. He appreciated the professionalism behind the scenes, allowing him to focus solely on teaching surgical skills without concerns about safety or transportation. He felt the ground team maintained control and prioritized his safety throughout.
We were also thrilled to hear from GRM that it was one of the best teams they’ve ever deployed!
How do you measure the success and impact of this mission?
H1 doesn’t directly measure the success and impact of the mission, as that's something that is carried out by the NGO. However, we are evaluated on the quality of our service and the effectiveness of our selection process. In this instance, we were praised for providing one of the best teams GRM has ever had. Securing healthcare practitioners on short notice – especially for work in a war zone for up to two weeks – is a significant challenge, and our H1 Connect platform makes this process considerably easier.
Future plans
Are there plans to expand this partnership with GRM to other regions or types of medical aid?
We’re proud of the work we’ve achieved with GRM and are looking forward to potential future missions, but we can’t reveal specifics just yet. We are ready to help if and when future needs arise.
How will the experiences and lessons learned from this mission influence future deployments?
The lessons we’ve learned throughout the process will help us continue to fill in recruitment gaps for international deployments. The more we work with NGOs, the more we are attuned to their specific needs and goals.
Personal insights
As CEO, what has been the most rewarding aspect of this collaboration for you personally?
I’ll respond as a founder, not as a CEO to this question, even though it was asked in the terms of ‘as CEO.’ When you start a company, you don’t know what impact it will have in the world. Every founder wants to do something meaningful and hopes for the best with the company they are starting. In the day-to-day as a CEO, it can be hard to see the impact you are having, but sometimes (rare in nature) you can see the impact. In H1’s case, I see the impact on healthcare professionals, patients, and healthcare more broadly. Hearing how Dr Ackerman talked about his experience and knowing without H1 that experience wouldn’t be possible was one of those rare cases where, as a founder, I was able to look in the mirror at the end of that day and know we made an impact. Through the ups and downs of company building, it is those days and those moments that give me the fuel to keep building towards our mission.
How do you envision H1’s role in the global healthcare landscape evolving over the next few years?
Even though H1 started nearly five to six years ago, we are just getting started at making a dent with our mission. We will continue to support emergency response humanitarian missions, work on system building and other ways to connect the world to the right doctors.
