TimelyCare is a company that provides complete clinical care, advanced technology, and expert guidance to improve college students’ physical and mental health. And as the leading virtual health and well-being solution for students, TimelyCare provides a comprehensive virtual solution that expands the breadth of campus resources and empowers students to be well and thrive. Pulse 2.0 interviewed TimelyCare CEO and co-founder Luke Hejl to learn more.
Luke Hejl’s Background
Hejl is an entrepreneur at the intersection of higher education, healthcare, and digital transformation. And Hejl said:
“My career journey began in advertising and marketing after graduating from Abilene Christian University. I enjoyed the relationship aspect of account management and working with healthcare clients. Joining Doctors in Training as one of its first employees fueled my entrepreneurial spark. After a few years, a previous client recruited me to be the general manager of a digital marketing agency, where I later became CEO and served in that role until (and while) launching TimelyCare in 2017.”
Formation Of TimelyCare
How did the idea for TimelyCare come together? Hejl shared:
“My co-founders (Chris Clark and Alan Dennington, M.D.) and I founded TimelyCare with a vision to help students be well and thrive in all aspects of their lives, and that remains the organization’s driving focus. We identified higher education as an underserved market where students often waited weeks for campus health center appointments.”
“With the increased adoption of virtual care and our previous healthcare experience, we understood a looming national shortage of primary care providers created a huge market opportunity for a telehealth company focused exclusively on college students. In 2017, TimelyCare pioneered the first campus-wide telehealth program that offered students access to virtual healthcare at no cost. We quickly recognized the need to add 24/7 access to mental health services as part of our offering.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for TimelyCare so far? Hejl reflected:
“There are too many to count! One that stands out was launching services in 2018 to our first partner school, Abilene Christian University, which is known for innovation (having also been the first Apple campus) in addition to being our founders’ alma mater. While TimelyCare is honored to serve more than two million students at more than 300 campuses nationwide, as an Austin native, I was delighted when both the Texas State University and the University of Texas systems recently decided to partner with TimelyCare to expand the reach of their campus resources and create a connected system of care.”
“As a Texas-based company with colleagues living across the state, TimelyCare is proud to serve the neighboring universities we call our alma maters, our hometown teams, and the institutions of higher education we trust to educate our own children.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have you faced in building the company? Hejl acknowledged:
“Our team sold a concept into higher ed that didn’t previously exist to people who initially worried TimelyCare would replace their jobs. One of the first challenges we overcame was to quickly refine our messaging to make it clear that TimelyCare wanted to partner with campus staff to take great care of students together. We expand the breadth of campus resources by complementing, not replacing, resources. This partnership message remains critical to best serving students as well as our company’s success.”
“The toughest business challenge has been scaling TimelyCare without sacrificing the commitment to people, quality and financial health. While the company has grown, programs have evolved, and impact has increased, the founding vision to help students be well and thrive has not changed. Nor have the core values of passionate people, accountability, innovation, growth, quality of service and positive impact. TimelyCare has proven that a laser focus on serving students first is key to meeting and exceeding the board’s high expectations for year-over-year revenue growth, customer retention and quality of service.”
Core Products
What are TimelyCare’s core products and features? Hejl explained:
“TimelyCare partners directly with colleges and universities to provide 24/7 on-demand, equitable care to students at no cost to them. The TimelyCare solution includes:
– On-demand and scheduled medical care
– Scheduled counseling
– TalkNow, 24/7 on-demand emotional support and crisis management
– Basic needs support
– Psychiatry services
– Faculty and staff support
– Peer support
– Digital self-care content
Evolution Of TimelyCare’s Technology
How has TimelyCare’s technology evolved since launching? Hejl noted:
“We have informed our roadmap by staying ahead of students’ changing health and wellness needs. Our company has evolved from a pioneering, medical-only telehealth provider to one that now includes an unparalleled portfolio of services including mental health counseling, medical care, basic needs assistance, peer support and self-guided wellness content.
“For example, TimelyCare has invested in more tools students can use to improve their health and well-being on their own time and in their own way, including a library of digital self-care content – yoga, meditation, Instagram-style videos; the addition of self-care journeys; and cultivation of the TimelyCare peer community – It’s like Reddit with guardrails – a safe and anonymous space where students can get support from and support each other. With AI flags and 24/7 care moderation, we can ensure students get the next level of care when they need it. All of our technological advancements tie back to our mission to improve the health and well-being of college students and our vision to empower students to be well and thrive in all aspects of their lives.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of TimelyCare’s most significant milestones? Hejl cited:
“Mental health is the number one reason students drop out of college, and two-thirds of students say mental health resources provided by their colleges and universities make them more likely to graduate. As colleges and university leaders seek solutions that improve student well-being, engagement and retention, they turn to TimelyCare more than anyone else. Here are a few ways to highlight the impact TimelyCare has on students each and every day:
– TimelyCare passed a huge milestone in June, now trusted to serve 2 million students at more than 300 different campuses.
– 75% of students using TimelyCare reported mental health improvements, including 100% of students who presented as a potential suicide risk
– More than half (53%) of students who sought mental health support said they would have done nothing if TimelyCare were not available.
– 40% of visits occur after hours, underscoring the need for 24/7 support.
– 1 in 10 U.S community college students have TimelyCare access.”
Customer Success Stories
Upon asking Hejl about customer success stories, he replied:
“Our mental health team treats suicidal students and saves lives every day. I am so grateful for their professional training, compassion, calm and collaboration with campus partners in these moments that matter most. Our licensed mental health counselors often share powerful stories about students who used TimelyCare when they were considering or planning to take their own lives. Fortunately, they reached out for help, and our providers offered the lifeline students needed in that critical moment.”
Funding
After asking Hejl about funding and revenue, he revealed:
“TimelyCare has received more than $65 million in funding so far, most recently our Series B from JMI Equity. While we keep revenue numbers pretty close to the chest, TimelyCare has proven that a singular focus on serving students first is key to exceeding its board’s high expectations for annual recurring revenue and being recognized frequently for growth, leadership and innovation. For the second year in a row and in our first two years of eligibility, TimelyCare has landed in the top 200 on the Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is TimelyCare pursuing? Hejl assessed:
“There are nearly 20 million students enrolled in colleges and universities across the country, and TimelyCare is now available to more than two million of them at more than 300 campuses. Even as the market pioneer and leader, significant opportunity remains to expand access to care for all students, as do opportunities to introduce TimelyCare into new markets.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates TimelyCare from its competition? Hejl affirmed
“College students’ needs are unique. Why limit them to one-size-fits-all virtual health and well-being resources designed for the general population?”
“We are the market leaders for a reason. TimelyCare is higher education’s most trusted virtual health and well-being solution because we are the only one that gives students access to a spectrum of services created and designed for them to improve their health, well-being, and student outcomes – all in one place.”
“Our unparalleled suite of resources empowers students with immediate access to peer support, self-guided wellness content, TalkNow on-demand emotional support and crisis management, scheduled counseling, on-demand and scheduled medical care, basic needs support and psychiatry services all through our highly rated app or online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
“From their phones, computer, or tablets, students have access to the resources and care team that will serve their unique needs – based on their personal experiences – with the confidentiality, agency, speed, and freedom of choice they’ve come to expect in their everyday lives.”
“Additionally, TimelyCare is the only virtual care company focused on higher ed to achieve industry gold-standard URAC accreditation for Telehealth, which sets quality and safety standards for patients.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of TimelyCare’s future company goals? Hejl concluded:
“We remain highly focused on growth, quality and product experience goals that improve the health and well-being of students.”
