Building Trust, Not Just Tech: AK Azaiez on AI, Kindness, and the Future of Behavioral Health

What if the future of therapy isn't about replacing therapists, but giving them an AI co-pilot they control?

Dr. Anna Chacon welcomes Akram "AK" Azaiez, founder and CEO of Eggmed, an AI-powered EHR platform revolutionizing behavioral health technology. Originally from Tunisia, AK transitioned from financial services to Silicon Valley product management before launching Eggmed—a platform born from his personal experiences as both a therapy consumer and as the son of a parent with Alzheimer's. How does a small startup compete with established EHR giants? AK believes the answer lies in building trust through superior user experience, clinician-centered design, and authentic understanding of provider pain points in mental health practice management.

The conversation explores Eggmed's unique features including front office AI automation, advanced revenue cycle management, and seamless interoperability. AK discusses the strategic spinoff of Retio, an omnichannel AI workflow builder for practices with existing EHRs. Topics range from HIPAA compliance challenges to the ethics of AI in therapy, policy barriers to healthcare access, and the importance of in-person connections in an increasingly automated world. What role will AI play in the future of therapy? AK shares his vision for AI as co-pilot, not replacement, for clinicians.

Akram "AK" Azaiez is the founder and CEO of Eggmed, an AI-powered EHR platform designed specifically for behavioral health practices. Born and raised in Tunisia, AK moved to California at 21, completing his education before launching a career in financial services and tech product management in San Francisco. His personal journey with mental health—both as a therapy consumer and through his father's decade-long battle with Alzheimer's—inspired him to create Eggmed. Today, AK leads a diverse 13-16 member team across Eggmed and its spinoff company Retio, focusing on building technology that supports clinicians through kindness, innovation, and genuine understanding of healthcare workflows.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) From Tunisia to Silicon Valley: AK's journey into healthcare tech
• (05:25) Networking at health conferences and the value of in-person connection
• (10:25) Building with heart: kindness as a core leadership principle
• (16:34) The AI co-pilot vision: supporting therapists without replacing them
• (23:37) Navigating HIPAA, GDPR, and the compliance challenge
• (28:49) Advice for clinician entrepreneurs and healthcare innovators
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About the show: Welcome to Skin Deep, a podcast designed for dermatology professionals. Host Dr. Anna Chacon, a distinguished dermatologist and author, shares her unique experiences and offers valuable insights on the future of dermatology, including telemedicine and teledermatology in reaching underserved communities. Dr. Chacon provides actionable recommendations for dermatology practices, emphasizing compassion, patient education, and staying current with advancements in the field.

About the host: Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Indigenous Dermatology, specializes in treating patients in remote and rural communities. As the first dermatologist serving Alaska's Bush region, she travels by bush plane to reach isolated communities. Dr. Chacon holds medical licenses in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, providing both in-person and teledermatology services.

Resources:

Website: https://www.eggmed.com/

LinkedIn:

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - How AI Will Replace Therapists in 2020
• (00:02:24) - Immortal: Egg Med is my baby
• (00:03:22) - EGMED and Egg Med: Company Spinoffs
• (00:04:57) - Egg Med: What You Did Before Working in Product
• (00:05:41) - The First Year of Health
• (00:07:06) - What Makes Our EHR So Different?
• (00:09:47) - How To Automate Sales & Inbound With AI Scribes
• (00:10:38) - Egg Med: What is it?
• (00:11:00) - How to Get More Out of a User Feedback
• (00:12:05) - How Did You Raise $8 Million For Your EHR?
• (00:13:33) - Developing an EHR for Behavioral Health
• (00:14:42) - When to expand in Europe?
• (00:16:41) - What other certifications are required to be HIPAA compliant?
• (00:20:51) - AI in Therapy
• (00:22:59) - Mental health crises: AI and the future
• (00:24:41) - Egg Med's Collaborations with Nonprofits
• (00:25:43) - What Values Guide Your Decision-Making?
• (00:26:51) - Egg Med: The Process of Building a Startup
• (00:27:40) - Egg Med: What's Next for the EHR?
• (00:29:04) - Edumed CEO on Healthcare Tech
• (00:31:39) - The Role of Convenience in Digital Health
• (00:32:52) - Egg Med: Data Security and Clinician Trust