“Alexa, I’m going to sleep.” Like clockwork, she dims the lights and turns off the TV.
Ok, not unusual in today’s world. But the next command is.
“Can you tell my nurse?” asks the hospital patient.
This is just one of the many scenarios that played out at Digital Health CT’s Digital Demo Day, which attracted a packed crowd of approximately 1,000 people Feb. 10 to the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford.
The 10 companies are part of the Hartford-based MedTech Accelerator, sponsored by Hartford HealthCare, Trinity College and the University of Connecticut School of Business.
The goal is to create an innovation “ecosystem” to transform healthcare through technology, and to improve healthcare access, quality, safety and customer experience.
Just 14 weeks into the program, it seems the companies are well on their way. From behavioral health to cancer care, from apps to telehealth, their demonstrations included new, technology-driven approaches to creating access and helping people live their healthiest lives in their local communities.
“We saw 10 amazing startups that could potentially transform how we deliver care to our patients,” said Dr. Barry Stein, Hartford HealthCare’s Chief of Clinical Innovation.
Hartford HealthCare President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey A. Flaks said HHC is privileged to support and invest in ways to attract startup companies to bring their talents and technology to the Hartford region, where they can collaborate with talent-rich organizations and spur economic development.
“It’s great for the state, it’s great for our organization and it’s wonderful for our community,” Flaks said. “It’s also an opportunity for disruption, it’s an opportunity for first movers and it’s an opportunity to take advantage of the emerging trends in artificial intelligence and digital health.”
Watch the entire program here.
Here’s a quick look at the startups, which Hartford HealthCare Chief Clinical Innovation Officer Barry Stein called “the seeds of our future”:
CompanionMx: This Boston startup created a mental-health tool that uses artificial intelligence to detect changes in mood and behavior.
Ellipsis Health: It, too, uses artificial intelligence to screen patients for depression, anxiety and other behavioral health issues. This Silicon Valley startup developed a tool using about 100,000 minutes of labeled speech from more than 10,000 participants.
Clearstep: Imagine not feeling well and turning to a tool that matches your symptoms to the appropriate care, including whether it offers in-network coverage and how much it will cost. That’s Clearstep.
Encapsulate: An automated tumor-on-a-chip system that can grow patients’ cancer cells outside the body and help choose the most effective chemotherapy drug. This startup was founded by three graduate students at the University of Connecticut School of Engineering.
MDI Health: A drug-therapy system that, using artificial intelligence, tracks a patient’s drug information suggests medication treatment while also detecting possible medication-related issues.
QR Fertile: A do-it-yourself, in-home fertility test for men.
BrainCheck: Provides clinicians (neurologists and primary care doctors) with the ability to quickly, easily, and comprehensively assess patients’ brain function and behavioral health and share changes with clinicians.
Lineus Medical: Developing medical devices designed to eliminate harm associated with IV lines.
DeepScribe: For physicians, this medical-transcription tool prepares comprehensive medical notes by simply monitoring the conversation with patients.
Aiva: This startup envisions a larger role in hospitals for Amazon Echo Dot, Google Home and other voice assistants to aid patients, whether calling for a nurse or dimming the lights before sleep.
For more information on Hartford HealthCare Innovation, click here.