Our Philosophy
How we earn your trust as a technology partner
Mental healthcare needs technology partners built on therapeutic ethics, not extraction economics. We’re guided by a utilitarian principle: maximize benefit for therapists and patients, not just returns for investors. That means clinician governance, transparent operations, and a commitment to permanence over exit.
What we reject
Independence is the point
We reject the consolidation playbook—no practice roll-ups, no data monetization, no undermining the independence we’re built to protect.
Autonomous practices are in a strong position to develop close therapeutic alliances which generally lead to better outcomes. Yet provider autonomy is slowly slipping away for too many practices which, all too soon, will operate at the will of larger entities.
By staying independent, we remain in a better position to help practices also remain autonomous, and in a better position to thrive.
Our ethical framework
Built on therapeutic ethics, not extraction economics
MediSprout is clinician-governed technology for independent mental healthcare. We make business decisions using the same ethical principles that guide licensed therapists.
Clinician governance
Therapists hold binding authority over decisions that affect their independence — not investors, not us.
Results-oriented
Does this expand access to quality care? Does this strengthen therapist autonomy? Does it create benefit for the mental health ecosystem—not just our investors?
Responsible data utilization
We analyze aggregate, de-identified data to understand what helps therapists succeed — and share those insights freely. Never to monetize or manipulate.
Non-negotiables
What we won’t do, regardless of potential profit
- Sell, broker, or monetize individual practice or patient data
- Use data to manipulate, extract, or create artificial scarcity
- Acquire practices or roll up independents
- Use predatory pricing or lock-in tactics
- Compromise therapist governance for investor demands
Nurturing a relationship
It starts with care ethics
To get this right, we can’t do it alone. We’ve established an ongoing relationship with the therapeutic community. We listen, adapt, and remain responsive to the real needs of practicing therapists. When we analyze data, we do so transparently, with governance oversight, and we share what we learn openly.
Five operational commitments
How we live our ethics, day to day
Five binding commitments — not aspirations.
Removing economic barriers
The principle
Technology costs shouldn’t block access to care or practice growth. Any cost should justify itself by offering value.
How we do it
- Core EHR and practice management: free, always
- First 4 video visits/month per provider: free
- Only charge when practices are actively serving patients ($49/month for unlimited video visits)
- No bait-and-switch, no hidden fees, no unnecessary annual price increases that force migration
- Transparent pricing — you know exactly what you’ll pay and why
Why it matters
Price is consistently cited as a barrier to starting a private practice. By making our core platform free, we remove that barrier. We make money when your practice thrives, not by extracting rent from therapists just starting out. We will seek ways to reduce costs anywhere we are able.
Our commitment
We will maintain free access to core features and provide transparent pricing for premium services. Any pricing changes to the core features that exist today will be announced with 90 days’ notice.
Clinician governance
The principle
Therapists should have binding power over decisions that affect their independence.
How we do it
Our Clinical Integrity Board (CIB) has veto authority over issues affecting:
- Patient data
- Clinical notes
- Clinical judgement
- Therapeutic relationships
Who they are
Five to seven healthcare clinicians and professionals, diverse by:
- Specialty (trauma, addiction, family therapy, etc.)
- Practice size (solo to group practices)
- Geography (urban, suburban, rural)
- Identity and lived experience
How it works
- Quarterly meetings to review strategic decisions
- Emergency veto power for urgent concerns
- Term limits with rotating seats for fresh perspectives
- Considerations and decisions published for review
Why it matters
This isn’t advisory in name only — it’s binding governance that ensures we remain accountable to the community we serve, not just our investors.
Our commitment
We will maintain the CIB structure in perpetuity. Any attempt to dissolve or circumvent it requires unanimous Board approval — which means therapists control whether this protection can ever be removed.
Permanent independence
The principle
We build for decades, not exit timelines.
How we do it
We reject the private equity playbook:
- No practice acquisitions: We build tools, not empires. We will never buy practices or consolidate independents.
- No growth-at-all-costs: We grow sustainably, prioritizing stability over rapid scaling.
- No exit-driven decisions: We don’t optimize for acquisition. We optimize for long-term community trust.
- Selective about capital: If we take investment, it’s patient capital from partners who respect our mission, governance structure, and commitment to therapist independence.
Why it matters
The mental health field has watched private equity and venture capital roll up practices, extract value, and sell. Therapists lose autonomy, patients lose continuity, and care suffers. We refuse to participate in that model.
Our commitment
We will never acquire practices. We will only partner with investors who legally commit to respecting our CIB veto rights and our ethical boundaries. Any ownership change requires CIB approval.
Ethical data utilization
The principle
Data should serve care, not profit.
The distinction we make
Most platforms treat your data as their asset to monetize. We treat it as a community resource to maximize care outcomes.
Data monetization
Extracting value from you (selling data, targeting ads, brokering information).
Data utilization
Creating value for you (improving outcomes, sharing insights, advancing the field).
What we do
Analyze aggregate data to improve therapist success
- “Practices using X scheduling approach see 23% fewer no-shows”
- “Therapists who send automated reminders have 15% better retention”
- Use de-identified, aggregate data to understand what works and make better, more informed business decisions
Share insights freely
- Publish findings in blog posts, research reports, conference presentations
- No paywalls, no proprietary hoarding of community intelligence
- Help all therapists improve, not just MediSprout users
Use data to improve the product
- “67% of therapists abandon this feature — let’s investigate why”
- Remove friction, optimize user experience
- Build based on evidence, not guesswork
Partner with researchers
- Work with academic institutions studying therapy outcomes
- Therapists opt-in to contribute de-identified data
- Results published openly, benefit entire field
Provide opt-in benchmarking
- “How does your practice compare to similar practices in your region?”
- Help therapists understand if their pricing/efficiency is competitive
- Anonymized, aggregate comparisons only
What we will never do
- Sell or broker individual practice or patient data
- Use data to create artificial scarcity or manipulate pricing
- Share insights that benefit one practice at another’s expense
- Conduct secretive or unapproved data analysis
- Use behavioral data to drive addiction or over-engagement
- Target therapists with dynamic pricing based on desperation signals
- Sell treatment patterns to insurers or pharmaceutical companies
How we govern it
Clinical Integrity Board reviews all data projects
- Quarterly review of what data we’ve analyzed and why
- Veto power over any project that doesn’t serve utilitarian good
- Approval required for research partnerships
- Must justify how each project maximizes benefit
Full transparency
- Annual public report on data utilization
- Plain-language explanations of all data projects
- Open invitation for community feedback
- Immediate disclosure of any data concerns or breaches
Therapist control
- You control what data you contribute to aggregate analysis
- Easy opt-out from benchmarking or research participation
- Your individual data is never shared without explicit consent
- You own your data — you can export and delete it anytime
Why it matters
Good care requires understanding of what works. But that understanding should benefit the entire community, not just our bottom line. By using data ethically and sharing insights openly, we turn collective experience into collective wisdom.
Our commitment
We will never monetize your data. We will use aggregate, de-identified data only to improve care outcomes and practice efficiency, with full transparency and therapist governance. Every data project will be justified against our utilitarian principle: does this maximize benefit for the mental health ecosystem?
Transparent operations
The principle
Trust requires visibility and accountability.
How we do it
Clear communication
- Explain our business model openly (how we make money)
- Announce changes with adequate notice (90 days for pricing)
- Honest about trade-offs and limitations (we’re not perfect)
- Plain language, no corporate speak
Public accountability
- Annual report on governance and ethics decisions
- Published Advisory Board meeting minutes
- Data utilization transparency report
- Community feedback mechanism with documented responses
Easy exit
- No long-term contracts or cancellation fees
- Export all your data in standard formats anytime
- Simple offboarding process
- No hostage-taking if you decide to leave
Why it matters
Transparency isn’t just good ethics — it’s good business. When we’re open about our decisions, motivations, and mistakes, we build trust. When we make it easy to leave, you know staying is a choice, not a trap.
Our commitment
We will maintain open communication about our business, publish annual transparency reports, and make leaving as easy as joining. We will respond to community concerns publicly and honestly.
What our philosophy means for you
Whether you’re launching your first solo practice or running an established group
Technology that removes barriers
Free core platform, transparent pricing, no lock-in.
Governance that protects your independence
Clinical Integrity Board with binding veto power.
Data practices that serve care
Insights shared freely, never monetized.
A partner designed for the long term
Built for decades, not exit timelines.
A commitment we won’t sell out
Legally structured to keep that promise.
Living our ethics
A binding commitment, not a marketing play
We publish this philosophy not as marketing, but as a binding commitment.
Hold us accountable
If we violate these principles, call us out. We’ve built structures to ensure consequences, but community accountability matters too.
Challenge us when we fall short
We’re not perfect. When we make mistakes, we want to hear about them and make it right.
Help us evolve
As the field changes and new challenges emerge, help us think through how to apply these principles in new contexts.
Share your feedback
We’ve created formal mechanisms such as the CIB and annual reports, but informal feedback matters too. Email us, post publicly, start conversations.
Ways to take action or explore further
Trust is earned. Here’s how to test ours.
FAQ
Questions we expect, answers we offer
How can you offer core features for free? What’s the catch?
There’s no catch. We make money from video visit subscriptions ($49/month for unlimited, after your first 4 free each month). Many therapists doing only in-person visits pay us nothing. That’s intentional — we’ve designed for efficiency and removed the profit-maximizing features that drive up costs for other platforms.
What if you need to raise prices?
Any pricing changes require 90 days’ notice. We’ll explain why, show our math, and give you time to decide if you want to stay. We’re committed to keeping core features free.
What happens to my data if you shut down?
You own your data. You can export everything anytime in standard formats. If we ever shut down, we’ll provide extended notice and migration support. Your patient care won’t be held hostage.
How do I know the CIB is real and not just for show?
We publish meeting minutes (with confidential items redacted), document their veto decisions, and compensate them for their time. This transparency reveals their decision-making process, allowing you to decide if it’s authentic or merely performative.
What if you get acquired?
Any ownership change requires CIB approval. We’ve legally structured it so they can block acquisitions that would compromise our principles. If someone offers us a billion dollars to sell out, therapists control whether that happens.
Can I really trust this?
Trust is earned. If we do this right, we hope to earn yours. While we’ve built in structural accountability, ultimately the trust we earn from you will come by consistently delivering on our promise. Watch what we do and how we behave, not just what we say. And if we break your trust, leave — and tell others why.