Q&A with MiMIAT Health: Tech-Driven Chronic Care

By Henry Duah

Managing a chronic condition can be overwhelming, but MiMIAT Health is contributing to changing the narrative for chronic patients. MiMIAT Health is a digital platform that empowers patients with an intuitive, free app to track symptoms, diet, and key health metrics, helping them take control of their well-being. Available on both iOS and Android, MiMIAT Health has already launched entirely free in Spain, Kenya, and Sweden. The app is currently offered in Spanish, Catalan, and English, and it plans to expand into Swahili soon.

In our exclusive Q&A with Suraj Kumar Lachmandas (Founder and CEO), we dive into the story behind MiMIAT Health, its groundbreaking approach, and what’s next for chronic care. It is worth noting that MiMIAT Health has been selected for the prestigious Google Startups for Sustainable Development program. Read on to discover more!

Can you provide an overview of MiMIAT Health’s mission to redefine chronic care?

MiMIAT Health is a pioneering digital platform on a mission to redefine chronic care management by democratizing access to actionable health data. Our free app empowers patients with chronic digestive conditions to track critical metrics, such as symptoms, dietary habits, weight, and stool data, capturing detailed trends and flare-ups. This longitudinal data helps patients identify triggers and manage their conditions proactively, reducing the frequency and severity of exacerbations and ultimately improving quality of life.

Clinically, the real-time, integrated dataset provided by MiMIAT Health will enable healthcare professionals, including public and private providers, dietitians, and nutritionists, to perform precise assessments and tailor personalized interventions. By bridging the gap between patient self-management and clinical expertise, our platform supports timely, evidence-based care that minimizes flare-ups and optimizes treatment outcomes.

What inspired the creation of MiMIAT Health and its focus on chronic conditions?

MiMIAT was born from my personal experience as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patient. I was diagnosed at 19, back in 2018, when I was just a second-year university student. Fast forward to 2023, when I decided to embark on my entrepreneurial journey; my first thought was: “How can I help patients communicate better with their doctors while tracking their daily lives to find patterns?”

IBD has shaped my life in profound ways, keeping me grounded while also showing me firsthand what real suffering feels like, or as I say, to see “hell in life”. In 2021, due to a medication change, I experienced a massive relapse. Since it was summer, many doctors were on vacation, delaying my urgent intervention. Within just 2–3 weeks, I lost 14kg, to the point where I could see my ribs. Thankfully, after switching medications, it took me over six months to recover and regain my health.

Throughout my battle with IBD, my parents have been my rock, but my mum, in particular, was my absolute cornerstone. She cared for me through every moment, and I truly owe my recovery to her. So, when I decided to start my own company, I wanted to honor her in two ways.

First, I named the startup after her. Her name is Mira, but as a toddler, I used to call her Mia or Mimi – this became MiMIAT. Second, I wanted to replicate the same level of care she gave me for other patients. That’s why I decided firmly: MiMIAT’s app would remain entirely free for patients worldwide. Those living with chronic conditions already face immense financial burdens, and we believe technology should ease that load, not add to it. Our goal is simple. And that is to help patients without the pressure of payment and, ultimately, to improve their health and quality of life.

What unique challenges in chronic care management does the app address?

MiMIAT Health addresses critical challenges in chronic care management by overcoming data fragmentation and incomplete monitoring. Traditional methods often rely on sporadic, self-reported entries that fail to capture the nuanced, longitudinal changes in chronic digestive conditions. The platform generates a comprehensive, multi-dimensional dataset by continuously tracking multiple parameters, such as symptom severity, dietary intake, body weight, and soon stool metrics. This detailed record enables early detection of flare-ups and subtle shifts in disease progression, supporting precise clinical assessments and timely interventions.

Moreover, the integrated nature of the data facilitates coordinated, multidisciplinary care by bridging gaps between patients and various healthcare providers, including gastroenterologists, dietitians, nutritionists, and primary care clinicians. MiMIAT Health transforms chronic disease management into a proactive, data-driven process, enhancing clinical decision-making and improving patient outcomes.

How have users responded to MiMIAT Health’s early-stage features?

The feedback we have received has been overwhelming, coming from patients, healthcare providers, and business partners alike. One of the most praised aspects has been our app’s simple and intuitive user interface (UI), making it highly accessible and easy to navigate. Beyond usability, the fact that we’ve kept the app entirely free has been deeply valued by patients who already face significant financial burdens and healthcare providers who feel comfortable recommending it to their patients without hesitation, knowing there’s no cost barrier.

Another key aspect that has resonated with our users is the app’s availability in Spanish, Catalan, and English, reinforcing our commitment to inclusivity and ensuring that language is never an obstacle to accessing better health management. Overall, the feedback we’ve received has validated our approach and provided invaluable insights, helping us identify areas for improvement and guiding our subsequent iterations.

How has user feedback shaped the current and future features of MiMIAT Health?

At MiMIAT, we take user feedback very seriously, whether from patients, healthcare providers, partners, or our advisors. When we first launched, the app focused solely on symptom and diet tracking, but our goal was always to iterate based on real user needs. As we gathered insights from all stakeholders, clear patterns emerged, highlighting the critical need for weight tracking and stool tracking to complete the digestive health module. Recognizing its importance, our tech team quickly got to work, and within less than two months, these features were developed and launched.

Beyond major features, we also listen to the details that matter to our users. For example, a few patients expressed disappointment that fructose and sorbitol intolerance had not been included as a condition. Even though these conditions affect a smaller patient population, we strongly believe every user should feel represented. That is why we promptly added it to our database, ensuring no one feels left out.

Language accessibility has also been a key focus. Although our initial plan was to launch in Spanish and Catalan, as Spain was our first market, we quickly realized that many immigrants and expatriates living in the country do not speak either language fluently. We included an English version just before the official launch to address this. More recently, after expanding to Kenya in late 2024, we began working on a Swahili translation. The translation has been completed and is currently under review. Our partners were especially excited about this step, emphasizing that our commitment to inclusivity and adaptability sets us apart. Swahili will be available in the app in the coming weeks if everything goes as planned.

Are there plans to use AI or other technologies to further personalize chronic care for users?

As I always say, patients are the heart of MiMIAT. At this stage, we do not plan to integrate AI-driven diagnostic or recommendation systems to personalize chronic care for users. While artificial intelligence holds promise in areas such as data analysis and risk stratification, its application in our scope carries significant risks. Research has shown that patients with chronic conditions often exhibit elevated levels of health anxiety (HA), making them particularly vulnerable to potential false positives or misinterpretations generated by AI tools. Such inaccuracies could exacerbate patient stress and lead to inappropriate self-management decisions.

Given these challenges, the nuanced interpretation of patient-reported data is best conducted by experienced healthcare providers, who can accurately assess clinical subtleties and tailor interventions accordingly. Our current model focuses on collecting comprehensive longitudinal data, enabling the tracking of symptoms, dietary habits, weight, and soon stool metrics to support clinician-driven decision-making. This approach ensures that any personalization of care remains grounded in human expertise, minimizing the risk of misdiagnosis while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and care quality.

We will continue monitoring advancements in AI, but any future integration will only be implemented if it is fully safe for our patients. It would serve solely as a supplementary tool, rigorously validated to support, rather than replace, clinical judgment.

How do you envision MiMIAT Health transforming chronic care management over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, I envision MiMIAT Health evolving into a comprehensive chronic care management platform by integrating additional disease modules, extending beyond digestive conditions to include diabetes, cardiovascular, and respiratory disorders. Our platform will support advanced monitoring and enable personalized, evidence-based interventions by capturing multi-dimensional, longitudinal patient data. This integration will transform patient self-management into a proactive process, reducing exacerbations and optimizing clinical outcomes.

Simultaneously, we will enhance user engagement with features like live chat, teleconsultations, and remote patient monitoring, ensuring that our service remains accessible even in remote areas with low-bandwidth connectivity. Our adaptive network architecture will guarantee reliable performance across varied network conditions, extending our reach into underserved regions across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Additionally, MiMIAT Health is committed to building an impact-driven community by collaborating with healthcare providers, academic institutions, business partners, other start-ups, foundations, and governmental agencies. By fostering a multidisciplinary ecosystem, we aim to drive continuous innovation, promote knowledge sharing, and support sustainable improvements in chronic care management. This initiative, called Impact4Community, will be launched in the following weeks, and details will be provided through our website, social media, and an official press release to our partners.

In essence, our strategy centers on expanding our clinical modules, enhancing connectivity and communication, and launching the Impact4Community initiative that will establish robust, community-driven partnerships, ensuring that MiMIAT Health redefines chronic care management globally through technology, inclusivity, and evidence-based care.

Get innovation insights from The FutureList weekly. Subscribe to our newsletter here