National Scoliosis Clinic teamed up with Index.dev in August 2024 to hire remote tech talent and accelerate the development of their AI-based spinal scan app.
From building out their engineering team to handling a mid-project talent replacement, the collaboration helped them move faster and stay focused on their mission: making non-surgical scoliosis care more accessible through modern technology.
Specialisation: Health Care, Health Diagnostics, Therapeutics
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States
Market: USA
Website: https://nationalscoliosisclinic.com/
Project Tech Stack:
- React Native, TypeScript (Mobile App)
- Python, ML (Backend Automation)
- Figma, Sketch, Adobe Suite (UI/UX)
- WordPress (Legacy Support)
Project
National Scoliosis Clinic is a U.S.-based medical provider offering non-operative treatment for scoliosis through custom braces and EOS imaging.
Their mission is clear:
Make scoliosis care accessible and effective without surgery or injections.
Over the past five years, they’ve been developing a next-generation platform powered by AI-based 3D scan analysis to evaluate posture, monitor spinal curvature, and deliver more personalized, non-surgical treatment. It’s a major step forward in making scoliosis care smarter, faster, and more widely available.
Challenge
As National Scoliosis Clinic’s technology goals expanded, so did the complexity of their AI-powered spinal scan analysis app. To keep moving forward, they needed to bring in a few key tech roles, quickly and without unnecessary complexity.
They were looking for:
- A Tech Lead to guide development and lead a cross-functional team building the mobile app.
- A UI/UX Designer to create an intuitive experience for both patients and clinicians.
- An AI/ML Developer to improve their scan analysis software with automated posture and spinal evaluations.
They needed professionals who could work during PST hours, understand the nuances of a medical product, and take initiative from day one.
That’s why they turned to Index.dev, with a specific focus on talent from Latin America, particularly Brazil, where the time zone fit and cost made sense for their team.
“We needed people who could plug in, understand what we were building, and work well with the team without much hand-holding. That’s exactly what we got,” said Jonathan Beebe, who served as Fractional Team Lead at the time.
Solution
Index.dev kicked off the process by understanding the project’s scope, tech needs, and team dynamics. From there, they moved quickly to deliver the right candidates, not just based on skill, but also communication style, availability, and attitude.
1. Rafael F.
Stepped in as Senior Team Lead, with over 10 years of software development experience and 7 years focused on mobile apps. His background included work on financial systems and AR/VR, as well as delivering 40+ new features for apps with over 100,000 monthly users. Rafael took the lead on both technical direction and team coordination.
2. Pedro P.
Joined as the AI/ML Specialist, bringing 15+ years of AI research experience, including deep expertise in 3D image processing and medical imaging. With a dual background as a researcher and MLOps engineer, he was well-suited to develop their scan analysis software.
3. Mauricio A.
With 15+ years in UI/UX and a strong background in healthcare, Mauricio helped turn complex clinical workflows into simple, user-friendly digital experiences. He played a key role in shaping the early design of the app. After several productive months, he and the client agreed to wrap up the collaboration smoothly.
4. Herick M.
To ensure continuity, Index.dev brought in Herick, a talented designer from Brazil with 5+ years of experience in UX/UI and product design, as Mauricio’s successor. He brought fresh energy and a user-centered mindset to the team, starting part-time and quickly transitioning to full-time thanks to his strong performance and alignment with the project’s needs. His user-first approach and passion for mentoring new designers made him a strong cultural and professional fit.
The team worked closely with internal stakeholders, contributing to both app development and product strategy.
Impact
With the new team in place, National Scoliosis Clinic quickly picked up speed, and that showed in the results.
Improved team efficiency
The new Tech Lead brought structure and clarity to the development process. The team adopted better workflows, improved communication, and moved more decisively on feature development.
Faster progress on core features
With an AI developer onboard, the team began automating complex 3D scan analyses. The new AI models brought more consistency and speed to how posture and spinal curves were analyzed, critical for real-world clinical use.
Seamless talent replacement
When a designer had to be replaced, Index.dev quickly filled the gap. A replacement was onboarded with zero disruption to the timeline, essential for a fast-moving healthcare product.
Cost-effective hiring
The clinic was able to secure senior-level talent at a reasonable rate, allowing them to expand their capabilities without overspending.
Most importantly, the National Scoliosis Clinic stayed focused on what they do best—developing breakthrough medical technology—while Index.dev took care of building and maintaining a strong technical team.
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“The level of talent we got for the budget was outstanding. We hit milestones faster and with more confidence.”
— Michael Gardner, Co-founder & CEO, National Scoliosis Clinic
In the end, this partnership allowed the National Scoliosis Clinic to continue its mission with a strong, dedicated team, proving that with the right talent, technology can truly change lives.
Why It Worked
What made the difference?
Timezone-aligned talent
All candidates were based in Brazil, making real-time collaboration with the U.S. team easy and efficient.
End-to-end support
Index.dev took care of onboarding, legal setup, and even handled a mid-project designer replacement without slowing things down.
Human-first approach
Talent wasn’t just technically sharp. They were proactive, curious, and aligned with the clinic’s mission.
…
If you’re building in a high-stakes field like healthcare or AI, you know how costly delays and hiring mistakes can be. National Scoliosis Clinic found a way to avoid both.
They focused on innovation.
Index.dev focused on finding the right people to help them get there.
Ready to build your team with talent that fits? Discover how Index.dev can help you.
