A Health Tech Start-up With Minneapolis Roots

After two years of deep-diving into the “not-very-sexy” complex process of her clinical education software platform, ClinicianNexus CEO and co-founder Katrina Anderson ’17 MBA has hit her stride.

Her Minneapolis start-up company is a people-centered platform that connects the clinical education community. It helps foster clearer communication, a more streamlined onboarding and management process, and more positive clinical experiences. More than 2,000 students have joined and completed over 500 rotations among hospitals, nursing schools and medical schools. 

The idea for her company struck her early in the Health Care MBA program at St. Thomas. She and her peers would debate and talk in length about innovation in health care. Learning alongside a small group of students sparked something in her: “I was attracted to the community based learning of St. Thomas -- you do better together than when you’re alone.”

Anderson was the youngest member in her Health Care MBA cohort. Her peers brought all kinds of unique perspectives to class; from a top Twin Cities surgeon to a health care professional who worked outside the country. Her courses taught her to be a critical thinker and helped lay the groundwork for her business idea.

“Everybody loves the idea of innovation,” she continued. “It’s exciting and fun speaking about it. But when you’re in the trenches, innovation looks a lot different. It’s not just a single person executing an idea.”

So far her journey has been challenging but rewarding. She's grateful ClinicianNexus has gotten over the hump of proving their worth to the big players in health care. "Now we're just trying to grow and connect everyone.”

Her advice to disrupt the health care system using innovation? Have the curiosity to "learn and be okay with not being right all the time. If you can stick with it and ask questions, you’ll find joyful ‘a-ha’ moments of solving a problem in health care."