Nicolas Hansen and Christian Houen on how Aisel's Clinical Community started
When Aisel set out to bring AI into psychiatry, the founders knew innovation couldn't happen from the outside. Real progress would only come by working side by side with the clinicians who use the tools every day.
"We started from the problem perspective" says Christian, Aisel's Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer.
"We interviewed tons of clinicians - there were so many concerns about workflows. When we got closer to the real problems, we started finding solutions. That's when we decided to involve psychiatrists directly in development."
That decision became the foundation of Aisel's Clinical Community - a group of psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical staff who continuously help shape the product.
"When we got closer to our hypotheses, we wanted psychiatrists even closer to the process" Christian explains.
That's when I reached out to Nicolas to bring him in. We talk every week. He's the first person I show new ideas to - I ask, 'What's your reaction? What's your first thought?' Then we take it to a broader group of psychiatrists. That first stage is essential."
From first contact to collaboration
For Dr. Nicolas Hansen, Chief Psychiatrist in Region S, and one of Aisel's medical advisors, it started with professional curiosity.
"I first encountered Christian when he wrote to me on LinkedIn", Nicolas recalls.
"I wanted to see how I could influence the direction it took - I wanted to help create something".
The collaboration quickly grew into an ongoing dialogue:
"It's a weekly practice - open and honest dialogue"
That dialogue defines how Aisel builds its products.
"The way we work, is by having psychiatrists and clinical staff involved from start to finish. That's how we make sure the product fits real clinical workflows." Christian adds.
Professionalism first
For Nicolas, the partnership works because the professionalism always comes before the technology.
"Aisel is very good at maintaining professionalism We focus on content over creation. We spend a lot of time on the professional aspects - asking, 'Would this be good for patients and for clinicians?' It needs to be a good experience."
He believes psychiatrists should take an active role in shaping how AI enters mental health care.
"We need to be frontrunners. We should help plan the development. AI is coming - you'd better get on board or be left behind."
A shared belief in responsible progress
Both Christian and Nicolas agree: AI should never replace clinicians - it should help them focus on what matters most.
"We're in high demand, and we'll keep being that,"
Nicolas says.
"AI is an add-on and a supplement. It allows clinicians to use their time better."
Christian continues: "AI is meant to improve your patient conversations and support the surrounding tasks, so you can spend more time with the patient. It's like when computers were first introduced - it's inevitable."
An open invitation
The Clinical Community remains central to how Aisel designs and refines its platform - an open, collaborative model built on shared learning.
"It's better to help develop it than to buy it later."
Nicolas remarks.
"If you're a psychiatrist and want to start using Aisel, give us a call," Christian concludes.
"We're always looking for more collaborators. We have clear workflows for involving psychiatrists in product development - and it's easy to get started."
At Aisel, building technology for psychiatry means building it together with psychiatry. The Clinical Community is not just a group - it's the foundation of how Aisel ensures that every line of code serves one purpose: helping patients.
If you want to be part of our clinical community, as a tester, user or coder - reach out to christian@aisel.co