PatchAi is an Italy-based digital health startup focused on improving patient engagement involved in clinical research and patient support programs (PSP). Roche is a major player in the pharmaceutical industry in the international pharmaceutical landscape. In 2020, together they started a project for a digital health solution for oncology in Italy.
The agreement gave birth to PatchAi for Smart Health Companion, a platform for patients and clinicians launched in July 2020 for a digital PSP in Italy. The solution integrates a virtual assistant that engages users through empathic conversations that make use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
PatchAi for Smart Health Companion (SHC) integrates an empathic virtual assistant that engages patients through conversation, using artificial intelligence and machine learning. This platform also helps in self-managing the patient’s condition by tracking and sharing daily diaries, managing therapies while generating valuable Real World Evidence via Co-PRO (Conversational Reported Outcomes). The data is collected and analyzed to improve patient experience, medical team workflows, and support care delivery.
This project represents a further step in driving the digital transformation of healthcare in Italy. It paves the way for the sustainability of the health system, for the optimization of the provision of health services, guaranteeing patient involvement at every stage. During the Covid-19 pandemic, international health systems were affected on a large scale, seeing the abrupt disruption or drastic modification of standard care pathways. For example, the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) recorded -30% of first visits for diagnosis and -36% of physical visits during the Italian pandemic. Thanks to the adoption of SHC, healthcare professionals can rely on a reliable digital telemedicine solution to assist their patients in real-time through video consultations, for the collection of Patient-Reported Outcomes and other health data.
Preliminary data on patients using the PatchAi solution show protocol adherence up to 95%, significantly higher than other applications on the market today and up to 9 times higher than paper solutions. This achievement further highlights the ability to support patients and clinical teams through a modular solution.
“We are delighted to have accomplished this project by working at the forefront of achieving today what patients will need in digital health. With this achievement, we continue to strive to play an active role in redefining and revolutionizing patient engagement in digital healthcare. We will collaborate with healthcare professionals to support patients quickly and effectively by translating the concept of “patient centrality” into programs that demonstrate its reliability and effectiveness from an economic-health point of view “says Alessandro Monterosso, CEO, and Co-Founder of PatchAi.