By Stacey Paris McCutcheon
After seeing inadequate mental healthcare profoundly affect family and friends, Maurice Chiang, MS ’20 was determined to find a better way. Guided by the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign’s need-based approach to innovation, Chiang worked with a team of fellow Stanford graduates to build a new model for mental healthcare delivery.
The Prairie Health co-founders: Top L: Benson Kung, Top R: Maurice Chiang, Bottom L: Aaron Kappe, Bottom R: Jin Woo Yu. (Image credit: Courtesy Prairie Health)
Chiang, along with Benson Kung, BS ’20, Aaron Kappe, MBA ’20, and Jin Woo Yu, BS ’20, developed a system that uses data to inform treatment decisions, telemedicine to improve patient access and care continuity, and a direct-to-consumer approach to bypass traditionally poor mental health insurance coverage and misaligned care incentives. Their goal: drive better outcomes for patients at a significantly reduced cost.