A new company, founded by a prolific University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) inventor and entrepreneur, is working to close gaps in global health care by offering patients in underserved regions access to second opinions from UAB physicians and surrounding healthcare providers.
The new company, SecOpp, was founded by Ashish Shah, M.D., Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Heersink School of Medicine, and his wife Purvi Shah. The Shahs earlier founded a UAB startup, PeriOp Ortho, which is dedicated to improving surgery experiences and outcomes for both patients and physicians.
Ashish Shah’s vision for SecOpp was shaped by both his international work and personal experiences.
Ashish Shah (right) during the launch of SecOpp in India with Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel.
“While teaching in Asia and the Middle East since 2011, I became aware of the unmet needs of patients there,” he said. “When my own mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I saw firsthand how helpful and accessible physicians in the U.S., especially at UAB, could be. That made me determined to extend the same kind of support to patients around the world.”
With the support of the Bill Harbert Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HIIE), Ashish Shah was able to develop SecOpp as a company while continuing his work as a surgeon.
Since officially launching in July 2025, SecOpp has collaborated with more than 300 oncologists and surgeons in India and has already served more than 50 patients through consultations.
SecOpp focuses on guiding patients after they have already received a diagnosis, helping them better understand their options. While the service is currently cash-based and only offered outside the United States, the team’s nonprofit initiative ensures that access is not limited to those who can pay. “Our goal is to give everyone the same opportunity,” said Ashish Shah. “We want to guide patients toward what is right and possible for them, no matter where they live.”
The company has built a growing team of five U.S.-based staff members and five more overseas and currently works with at least 15 UAB-based physicians, primarily in oncology and orthopedics. Ashish Shah said he plans for the business to expand into additional specialties, including neurology and cardiology, as demand increases.
“The mentorship and approval we received from HIIE about a year ago gave us the foundation to move forward,” he said. “Their guidance has helped us build a sustainable model that bridges gaps in health knowledge and access. We see ourselves not just as a telehealth service, but as a leader in education and collaboration across international health systems.”
Learn more about SecOpp at www.secopp.com.
-- Oct. 17, 2025