"Leading By Example” is a series from U.S. Business Action to End HIV highlighting inspiring business leaders accelerating progress toward an end to the HIV epidemic in the U.S.
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This month, we are pleased to spotlight Ramin Bastani, CEO at Healthvana.
I’m the CEO of Healthvana, a technology company focused on improving the lives of patients. Since 2015, our amazing team and platform have helped tens of millions of patients across the country — and over 600,000 in their sexual health — make better decisions about their health. We’ve worked with partners including the largest county in the U.S. and the largest HIV healthcare provider to make care easier to access and understand — and our next phase is AI-powered telehealth, which we recently launched, focusing on PrEP and patients living with HIV.
Healthvana’s work has been featured at places like the White House, on Capitol Hill, the Milken Global Conference, and Stanford University — as well as in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, and Fox News.
HIV remains one of the most expensive — and preventable — chronic conditions in the U.S., with an estimated $1 trillion cost over the next decade. And yet, it still carries significant stigma — with too many people facing fear, judgment, and/or lack of access when trying to get care.
That’s where businesses can make a real difference. We can move faster, reach more people, and bring tools like AI and telehealth to reduce barriers and meet patients where they are — especially as public health and HIV budgets are decreasing.
No single organization can solve this on its own. But when different types of businesses bring their unique strengths — whether that’s technology, communication, or funding — we move closer to working in new ways to truly end HIV.
AI acts more human than humans have time to act — and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful. Our AI meets patients where they are, with no stigma and no judgment. It lets people communicate in the way they feel most comfortable — and responds 24/7 with education and endless empathy.
In our recently released Stanford-led study spanning 15 months, 15 states, and 50 clinics, our AI supported patients in over 50,000 conversations inside their patient portal. Importantly, patients who used the AI were 3x as likely to start PrEP and 2x as likely to stay on it. Nearly 80% of users were from communities most impacted by HIV — Black, Latino, LGBTQ+, and younger patients.
What’s striking is both the speed and depth of trust. Patients — in a HIPAA-compliant setting — open up about incredibly personal topics tied to their sexual health, including sexual assault, suicide, and mental health.
One person sent 120 messages in just a few hours. Another has exchanged over 2,000 messages with the AI over time. These aren’t one-off questions — they’re long-term conversations built on trust.
That kind of trust is hard to earn — and it’s changing how people engage with their health.
Because no one can solve this alone. Ending the HIV epidemic takes coordination across sectors — public and private, local and national. Being a part of this Coalition gives us a space to learn, share what’s working, and move faster together.
We’re grateful for the incredible efforts of the U.S. Business Action to End HIV coalition.
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