HealthTech

HealthTech startups in India have come a long way. With technologies such as AI, IoT and others bringing tremendous revolution across various industries, healthtech startups now are at the forefront of these technological innovations. From making reasonable healthcare equipment to facilitate effective patient care, healthtech startups in the country are evolving much more and playing a pivotal role in improving the country’s health system. The healthtech sector in India is currently in the growing phase, both in terms of startup scenario and revenue. In 2017, as the technology startups raised US$13.5 billion, of which around US$333 million was raised by the healthtech sector.

Most startups in this field are focussed on improving and enhancing access to better healthcare and critical care. In the wake of COVID-19, these healthtech startups have significantly stepped out with innovative solutions to address and deliver adequate patient care. Clinikk Healthcare, for instance, is providing 24/7 primary care with the help of its network of doctors. The healthtech startup also announced Coronavirus Support Plans including INR 1 lakh insurance cover for people infected with COVID-19 and free teleconsultation channels to the general public.

Most healthtech startups have been working persistently ever since the virus started spreading in India. From developing COVID-19 trackers and more economical ventilator designs to manufacturing ICU equipment, such startups are working around the clock to get rid of the coronavirus threats.

Many companies are also creating health monitoring devices to track a person’s body activity. In this regard, Turtle Shell Technologies’ contact-free health monitor device, Dozee, which tracks heartbeat, respiration, sleep and stress-recovery with medical-grade of 98.4 percent accuracy. The device gives continuous respiration data, even without the need of wires or any technical expertise.

Leading Ways with Innovative Technologies

As the pandemic gripped many healthtech startups to close or reduce their operations, innovative ones are on the verge of a major transformation and set to create virtual health solutions by leveraging technologies like AI, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, robotics and others to respond to the outbreak of COVID-19.

AIkenist, a Bengaluru-based healthtech company, has come up with an artificial intelligence-powered tool, which identifies corona-related pneumonia depending on the patient’s lung damage. The company provides AI-enabled solutions for faster scanning and better detection, with quick turnaround solutions for healthcare problems. Currently, Alkenist offers an AI-based product called Quickscan for MRI scans, and claims it diagnoses the issue four times faster.

Apart from this, Qure.ai, which provides an automated interpretation of radiology exams like X-rays, CTs, and MRI scans for time and resource-strapped medical imaging professionals, has brought additional capabilities that allow detection of findings indicative of COVID-19 and provides a score which assists in categorising patients into high, medium, or low-risk. The company has also developed an app-based solution, called qSCOUT, which can be used for contact tracing and remote triaging of corona patients.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pre-screening and triage tool from AI Health Highway, a Bengaluru-based startup, can also be helpful during the crisis as the solution is based on risk-assessment scores for COVID-19, linked to clinical symptoms, comorbidities, contact history, and more. It captures rapidly emerging current scientific, evidence-based publications and acclaimed published guidelines.

Undeniably, the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled every business across almost every industry, delaying their operations and supply chain networks. In such a crisis, healthtech startups in the country are continuously fighting with innovative solutions and delivering improved patient care.