Australian startup, ResApp Health is seeking to enhance clinical outcomes in telehealth amid the upsurge in consultations due to COVID-19 restrictions – launching an AI-powered cough test.
The company’s ResAppDx is a clinically validated respiratory cough test via a smartphone app, to help doctors diagnose common respiratory diseases remotely, in order to facilitate earlier and better targeted treatment.
“ResAppDx is especially useful in the current climate, as clinics try to limit their exposure to patients with respiratory symptoms by encouraging telehealth consultations,” says ResApp Health CEO, Tony Keating.
The app is part of an array of solutions being developed across the globe to enhance telehealth, an industry which has seen massive growth in the wake of COVID-19.
According to a recent market intelligence study published by BIS Research, the global telemedicine market was estimated at $US21.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $US123 billion by the end of 2030, with annual market growth of more than 17 per cent for the period.
ResApp Health says while telehealth appointments have proven vital in providing patients with access to professional health advice from home, they have presented limitations, such as offering physical examinations.
The company says ResAppDx uses AI-powered analysis to identify unique features in cough sounds, allowing doctors to remotely assess patients’ respiratory health through established telehealth platforms.
Keating says while the pandemic has seen significant industry growth, the broader health, social and economic impacts can’t be ignored.
“Telehealth has boomed during COVID-19, with both clinicians and patients enjoying the convenience and safety of remote care,” he says.
“However, COVID-19 has been a bit of a two edged sword. There are some real benefits for the industry, it has shined a light on telehealth dramatically, so we’ve seen adoption rates increase globally.
“It has also seen a greater focus on respiratory and infectious diseases as well, areas of health that I guess, are not as sexy as cancer,” he says.
“However, at the same time it’s a global pandemic, with a slowdown in business, difficulty with travel, people having to work at home, so it is a balance. And there’s the human factors as well.”
ResApp Health believes digital healthcare is here to stay, citing figures, which show more than one third of patients say they would prefer telehealth over in-person consultations with easing of restrictions.
Following the Australian launch, ResApp Health is continuing its expansion plans, working with authorities across the globe to successfully introduce the technology into new markets and health systems.
For more information on how ResAppDx works for healthcare professionals, please visit: https://www.resappdx.com.au/#how