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Personalization and precision. These are the two challenges to be faced when adopting different technologies and betting on digitalisation across all health sectors. “The confluence of new technologies such as internet of things [IoT por sus siglas en inglés] artificial intelligence, data analysis or connectivity 5G drives the digitization health sector ”, assures in this interview to D + I Andrés Saborido, global director of Wayra, the hub Telefónica open innovation program, on the occasion of the World Health Day
And it is that in the past 12 months, the adoption of technology in this sector has accelerated due to the change in our habits during the pandemic. Saborido points out, however, that she is from Telefónica “many years of investing in e-health given its importance to billions of people and the great digitization possibilities that shows”.
In fact, the head of this Spanish multinational accelerator recalls that Tedcas was one of the first investments they made in Spain when they launched Wayra in 2011, a technology contactless (contactless) to improve the interfaces that doctors use and avoid contamination risks.
For example, Telefónica has invested in this decade, mainly through Wayra and the Telefónica Ventures network of funds, more than five million euros in about 60 startups, with the aim of bringing its innovations closer to its customers, following “the model of what is now known as open innovation”.
In this sense, he predicts that the future, and present, of this sector “will be powered by data with cloud-hosted solutions and the use of artificial intelligence clinical decision support, assistance automate processes and promote participation of the patient ”.
How startups lead innovation in health
Saborido recognizes that startups are partially leading the way in developing innovation in the health sector, particularly in these five areas: medical diagnostic technologies; remote medical consultations; seeking physical and mental well-being; elderly care and hospital management.
Advances in genetics and data analysis have favored the medical diagnostic technologies with solutions such as those of the start-ups MadeOfGenes (genetic analysis), TestCard (urinalysis), Loop medical (painless blood collection), iGluco (glucose without injection), Arkangel.ai (diagnosis based on artificial intelligence) or Idoven.ai (cardiology at home to study).
Perhaps one of the strongest trends during the pandemic was that of remote medical consultations“The recent launch of Movistar Salud here in Spain, in partnership with Teladoc, is a clear example,” said Saborido.
Similarly, companies that have invested in Latin America also stand out in this area, such as in Colombia the investment in 1DOC3, a health platform that connects its users with doctors and offers them personalized attention anonymously and via text chat, or in Brazil in BemCare , with strong growth.
According to the bLook for physical and mental well-beingWayra’s global director points to a phenomenon where “more and more people are using technology to control their health”. This shows how we evolve from the goal of seeking treatment for disease to research into patient well-being.
“More resources are being allocated from the end of the health care value chain (treatment and follow-up) to the beginning,” says Saborido, adding that this is because “there is an increasing focus on healthy lifestyles and prevention.” .
They stand out in this area disruptive therapeutic solutions focused on both mental and physical health. “Companies such as Koa Foundations, Thrive Therapeutic Software, Vittude, Pzizz, Quit Genius are helping to deal better with stress, sleep or addictions.”
This interview also highlights the technology from companies such as Second Nature, Baobab Circle, Albert Health or Vinehealth Digital Limited, which are focused on physical health by addressing weight issues, diabetes and hypertension or even helping to track cancer patients.
In addition, in the field of physical and mental well-being, Saborido notes “a great growth in solution orientation women’s health (Baby2body, she’s fine, Chorus Health) y al fitness (Fitco, Gympass, Volava) ”.
On the other hand, another sub-sector that has been recording “high growth” in recent years is that of elderly care with monitoring solutions (Aerial, MySphera, Sensara); smartbands (Neki and Durcal); volunteer work (adopt a grandparent); virtual healthcare providers (TuCuVi), or education to extend a healthy life span (Rosita).
Finally, and more focused on the B2B market (for the acronym of company to company), Wayra’s head points out that many solutions have emerged that prevent the hospital management such as Visionable, Hospify, MySphera, Proradis or OssoVR.
In Spain, for example, MySphera and Telefónica are working together on the Digital hospital of the future, in which they “implement a new system identification, location and traceability of patients“, Which makes it possible” to shorten waiting times in emergencies and improve efficiency in the use of hospital resources. ”
Another recent example is that of the British Visionable and its project Smart ambulance, aimed at helping stroke patients. Is about an affiliated ambulance enabling EMTs to help patients quickly by connecting with experts in the hospital.
“All this thanks to the collaboration with O2 and the 5G network, which enables the transmission of images and high-speed video conferencing in high resolution.”
Agreements with major companies in the sector
“Over the years we have also invested heavily in this sector by establishing vertical programs in the UK in partnership with Novartis or GE Healthcare
These are collaborative projects in which Wayra intends to strengthen its “deep technological knowledge with the deep industry knowledge that leading companies have” such as these firms.
Based on these agreements, Saborido explains, the startups in its ecosystem can access to “data and experience in medical care, which are more difficult to obtain due to regulations than in other industries ”and they also get a faster route to the market.
For example, it highlights that one of the distinctive elements of the program with GE Healthcare, launched in late 2020, ‘the strong link with the industry, with customers and real problems ”.
During the six months of acceleration, the program works around three axes: innovation, adoption and integration of technology of startups through proofs of concept that, if successful, will facilitate entrepreneurial access to GE’s global network of distribution partners in 160 countries ”.