Startups eye post-pandemic ‘tele-health’ revolution

Startups eye post-pandemic ‘tele-health’ revolution

LISBON: From mental health apps to a helmet that can shock a patient’s brain remotely, startups at this year’s Web Summit are betting on a major shift towards “tele-medicine” as the world emerges from the pandemic. Using technology to treat patients virtually was a major theme at one of the world’s largest tech conferences, which returned to Lisbon this week after COVID-19 forced it to move online in 2020. “These days, most people use their phones for a lot of everyday needs-why shouldn’t healthcare be part of this?” said Johannes Schildt, whose company Kry lets patients book on-screen medical appointments. “The pandemic has accelerated adoption of these new technologies,” Schildt told AFP.

Sweden-based Kry, which operates in five European countries, is far from the only app designed to do away with the need to physically visit a doctor. And not all of these startups focus on physical health. US-based Calmerry is among a growing number of e-counseling companies that offer video sessions with mental health therapists. Most public healthcare systems offer limited access to such services, or none at all. With subscriptions starting at $42 per week, Calmerry’s co-founder Oksana Tolmachova said a key goal was to make therapy more affordable.

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