Does it make sense to practice rehabilitation in a digital way?
I took the decision at the beginning of this year, to give invited authors and start-ups a chance, with the aim of sharing thoughts, projects, visions, the latest publication every three months. I think it is a reasonable and organised way to give promotion to projects which are working well (and a lot) in Life Sciences & Healthcare sector.
I have been collaborating at BioTech Expert Network and Capital Cell for a few months. Our role as Project Expert, and it depends on our agendas, is to revise value deck from different start-ups with its value propositions. Our evaluation is involved in statistical scale with others from different experts, and at the end of the process in case of getting a positive result these start-ups will take part in raising capital rounds at Capital Cell.
While we are writing these lines, Rehand will have already got its objective in this investment round, although you still have some time — today- to invest in its Project.
Jesús Blanquero is CEO at this startup, which launched Rehand in 2020 and as a fantastic leader, he got in touch with me, with the aim of having a virtual meeting and presenting his platform. One of the most important CEO responsibilities is to sell his project in a proper way and he has this clear idea.
Musculoeskeletal (MSK) pathologies have a great impact, prevalence and incident over global population and Rehand value proposition around digital rehabilitation makes sense and represents a new market in this sector.
Jesús, my audience is yours:
MSK pathologies are a great problem at public Healthcare level, a big use or resources and disability benefits. Several international clinic guidelines and systematic reviews, recommend prescribe programs of exercises and strategies to self-manage pain, apart from education to live with these conditions, paying special attention to high potential in cost savings. However, the systems to prescribe this kind of exercises are obsolete, and have been the same for years: paper.
That´s the reason why in ReHand we have decided to move forward developing a digital tool thinking about helping healthcare professionals with the idea of prescribing tutorial exercises for patients, using their own devices (tablets, mobile phones, etc.)
We started in wrist- hand- finger segment and, with a sample of 663 patients, trials showed a quicker clinical recovery using ReHand, in comparison with conventional treatments. Furthermore, this trial proved an optimization in resources at Hospital management level. Those patients treated with Rehand needed an average of nine physio sessions less and also less than two rehabilitation medical review. These results mean a -41% variation rate in these patients in a Rehabilitation Service, which impact in waiting list. It was estimated a cost saving of 670€ (by patient) in these Services.
These results were published in “Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation”, this is the most recognized scientific publication at international level in this field.
However, beyond this scientific and technical work and award recognitions, Rehand team consider as a milestone in 2022, the fantastic feedback about the new module for the whole body using artificial intelligence (IA).
To extend this technology and obtained results to other physical areas was the next reasonable step. Physicians from different specialities asked our team to move forward with ReHand mindset to other body areas. And we did so.
More and more hospitals and medical centres, with more than 1.500 patients used this technology in 2022, reaching 25.000 sessions and practicing 800.000 exercises.
We generate a new module based on ReHand, RehBody applying AI algorithms to the frontal camera in the individual patient device. At practical level, patient needs to be in front of the camera of his/her Smartphone, tablet or laptop; and AI indicates the best way of doing each exercise in an optimal way, collecting at the same time data for the healthcare professional.
In February 23, we opened an investment round on Capital Cell platform (which has already achieved success), leader platform in healthcare crowdfunding and our aim is to expand these best practices and results to other countries with the objective of going beyond the current 100 Healthcare Centres and their patients who are using this technology nowadays. To achieve these milestones, we have been supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, Ship2B o Fundalogy (Unicaja Foundation), entities which are referrals in investment impulse of social impact at European level.
EDUCATIONAL PILLS:
Medical Affair International Master. Program which is part of Educational offer by Biotech and Pharma School. In memoriam Professor Cesar Nombela. Certified by Avila Catolic University. Information.
Advanced Management Program. IE Business School. Educational executive programs. Information.
READING PILLS:
GPT-4 is here: what scientists think. Nature.
Prevention as a service. Dr. Ramon Rafiei.
(BOOK.ES) Piensa claro. Kiko Llaneras.
Apple Makes Major Progress on No-Prick Blood Glucose Tracking for Its Watch. Bloomberg.
Longevity company Biophysical Therapeutics emerges from stealth. Longetivity Tech.
Using AI to Detect Breast Cancer That Doctors Miss. New York Times.
STARTUP PILLS:
Last minutes to invest: Hawk Biosystems & ReHand. Capital Cell.
EVENT PILLS:
The future of work with AI. Microsoft.
Garth Graham, Head of YouTube Health, shared how this fact drove the features that we launched on the #YouTube platform this year. Hear more from Garth: https://goo.gle/3Jlfla1
(ES) El camino interior. Mario Alonso Puig. RTVE.
