Stash’s 10th Anniversary — A message from our founder
Time flies.
As I reflect on the past decade of Stash, it’s been quite a ride down memory lane, taking me back to how it all began.
I can still vividly remember my first day at the muru-D office in Singapore. As one of 20 startups selected from over 200 to pitch for the final 10 slots, the experience was nerve-wracking. I had to present my business idea to a room full of investors and mentors — warm but tense. I pitched, made them laugh, inspired belief, and secured their investment. We got in. The rest, as they say, is history.
Summarizing a decade of our existence is no small task — the team we’ve built and the value we’ve added are immense. So, let me use this opportunity to highlight key milestones from our journey, share my outlook for the next decade, and express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has trusted us along the way.
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When I founded Stash, hospital back-office operations in the Philippines were entirely paper-based, manual, and error-prone. Delays in processing and payments were the norm. Nearly all hospitals and clinics handled claims through tedious paper trails — slow, messy, and physically exhausting. Collection reports often took over a month to prepare, rendering them obsolete by the time they were ready.
Today, we’ve transformed that landscape. This year alone, we’ve processed over 70 million patient data records and 2 million claim records, totaling more than PHP 10 billion (US $176.3 million) in value. We’ve slashed average claims filing times by 90% and reduced the RTH rate by 87%. While challenges arise occasionally, we’ve consistently delivered exceptional value far exceeding costs for our hospital clients nationwide.
Beyond that, we’ve developed bespoke digital platforms for top companies in the Philippines and even supported a Fortune 500 firm with a medical study that boosted revenue for one of their product lines. Today, we empower more than 200 healthcare facilities with claims management, revenue cycle optimization, and data insights. One of my proudest achievements as a founder has been building a tight-knit team — a true band of brothers and sisters — who, through thick and thin, have accomplished so much with so little.
Looking ahead, our mission remains unchanged: to connect healthcare systems and make them better in the process. The next decade promises even greater innovation, deeper impact, and stronger partnerships as we continue digitizing and streamlining healthcare across the region.
To our clients, partners, team members, and supporters: thank you from the bottom of my heart. Here’s to the next 10 years of Stash — may they be as transformative as the first.
Ernani Omar Cruz
Founder & CEO
