European technology for European demands
European technology for European demands
Since this year, the Danish provider of secure video and messenger services Meedio is also represented on the German market. In an interview, founder and CEO Runi Hammer explains what sets the Meedio solution apart from other providers and why Germany in particular is such an interesting market.
What makes Meedio special?
Two things: first, we are one of the first and few European tech companies to offer a secure, combined video and messenger solution. Most providers come from America or China - the very countries where the market-leading digital corporations are based today. Their solutions work well in our private everyday lives. However, they have been developed with the mentality and understanding of data protection and privacy that prevail in the respective countries. In Europe, however, we see these issues differently, more strictly. Here, we take the approach that data belongs to the users and only they decide what they want to share - not the communication solution providers.
So with Meedio, we wanted to develop a solution that is in line with the understanding of how Europeans want to deal with data. We are also convinced that it is important that we in Europe also become more independent in terms of digital technologies and develop self-sufficient solutions where the data does not leave the European legal area. Ultimately, it's about protecting a country's critical infrastructure. We have just experienced in the energy sector what it means to be dependent on other regions of the world.
Secondly, we adapt our solution to the requirements of our customers. Video communications and messeging have evolved from generic one-size-fits-all solutions to highly specialized solutions. Each customer is unique and therefore requires individual solutions. And we are able to deliver them. So when you ask, "What makes Meedio so special?" the answer is that we know our customers are special.
Meedio's initial focus in Germany is primarily on the healthcare sector. What makes the German market so interesting for a Danish company?
We are committed to data protection, and Germany is certainly one of the countries with the strictest requirements for data protection and privacy, especially in the healthcare sector. So our solution and our way of thinking about data and digital communication fit the German market very well. Another good reason is that we are helping to develop a messenger service right from the start. In Germany, Gematik is making the specifications for TI Messenger (TIM) available for initial testing this spring. We think that we will be able to adapt our solution very well and quickly to the requirements and obtain approval quickly. Meedio Messenger can then become the central tool.
Meedio is not a huge company, how will you ensure that the software can always be adapted to the needs of the clinics?
The question is rather how the large foreign companies want to ensure the requirements for German data protection in healthcare. It is unlikely that these companies will make extra adjustments to meet the requirements. It's quite different with us. Not only do we have a different attitude to data protection per se, we can also be much more flexible in meeting our customers' needs, taking special features into account, responding to individual processes and workflows, and easily integrating our solution into the existing IT infrastructure in a hospital.
What are the most common concerns hospitals have about video and messenger services?
The most common concerns are related to workflow. Hospitals are not just looking for an IT solution that solves a specific problem. They want a simple solution. Simple in the sense that it fits into their routine. There are many software systems out there, but only a few solutions that take care of the processes in a hospital. And in this respect, smaller companies have an advantage. We are able to integrate our solutions into the existing software environment and into other systems. We work with standard interfaces and are highly interoperable. We actively partner with providers of primary systems, for example, into which we integrate our services. So customers don't have a new, additional piece of software that they have to operate. Rather, we ensure that their existing software is functionally upgraded.
What is the overarching goal in product development?
We want to network all players in the healthcare sector - securely and professionally. I think the TI Messenger will play a central role in this. Incidentally, I think Gematik has done a great job. It has managed to build a very secure network that is at the same time potentially open to all providers by prescribing certain specifications, provided that the specifications are adhered to. We will continue to follow this and see which solutions can further contribute to networking.
What else is convincing about Meedio?
By its user-friendliness, of course. Although video communication, for example, is supposed to make life easier, it is sometimes quite difficult to use. Our goal was a simple solution - also for those who need the help of doctors most and most often: older people. There should be no technical hurdles that prevent these people from benefiting from a video consultation. Another special feature is our queuing system, which allows for a truly professional handling of those waiting.
How can you ensure customer care in Germany?
Germany is a really important market for us, that's why we are going to set up a German organization. I personally have also moved my residence to Germany. If you want to cover a market well, you have to be on site. You have to be close to the customer and be there quickly when needed. With the team here in Germany, we can guarantee that. And I personally am really looking forward to the new experiences here.
15th of March, 2023 by Meike Lerner
