The privacy-respecting patient surveillance

Healthcare is one of humanity's biggest challenges, with a shortage of caregivers, an ageing population, and increasing rates of chronic diseases. Innovative solutions are needed to address these pressing issues, and that's where digital-health startups like QUMEA come in. QUMEA provides an early warning system to optimise caregivers' workflows in hospitals and care institutions so that they can focus on what matters most: the patient.

How can technology prevent patients from getting into critical situations? QUMEA's solution for contactless mobility monitoring involves using a 3D-radar sensor mounted on the ceiling of the patient room. This sensor anonymously collects data by interpreting electromagnetic waves, allowing for the detection of even the slightest human movements in the room. The processed data is sent to the QUMEA cloud, where artificial intelligence is used to analyse it. Critical events are identified in real-time, and alerts are sent to caregivers to assist when necessary.

The comprehensive system monitors:

● bed exit attempts and fall detection
● stand-up attempts from a chair/wheelchair
● entry/exit of room or toilet/presence in the room
● sudden unrest and mobility behaviour analysis

In addition, it monitors activity and restlessness, for example, for evaluating sleep quality, therapy effects, or pressure ulcer risks.

QUEMA's technology provides caregivers insights into what happens to the patient behind closed doors, ensuring that a nurse can be physically there when human help is needed. The technology gives the patients the privacy they deserve, and nurses save time required for the essential part of their job: individual caretaking and treating. "We currently have more than 30 institutions working with our system, and many nurses report that they do not want to work without QUMEA anymore," explains Cyrill Gyger, founder and CEO of QUMEA. "That makes us proud." 

Wards using QUMEA reported, on average, a 63% decrease in patient falls with reduced stress levels and increased peace of mind for caregivers. These results are already impressive enough not to question the High Potential Label given to QUMEA. But the health-tech startup takes it even further: It helped hospitals reduce prevention costs by 80% resulting in a return on invest in less than eight weeks. All this while building a highly profitable SaaS business. Making money by lowering the costs of their customers and elevating the safety of the patients is a heroic achievement. Compelling to the experts was their well-thought-through business and the long-term contracts that customers have signed, which were valued as a substantial financial safety.

Factors of this sort led to being awarded the SEF High Potential Label. It's a beneficial step to realising their internationalisation plans because achieving that milestone requires additional funding. The label gives the company the credibility needed to get debt-financed. "We will need further substantial capital for our expansion strategy. Of course, we will look for Venture Capital, but we also want to include debt financing. That way, we can slow down the dilution - a chance we don't want to miss," explains Cyrill.

With these preconditions, the superhero QUMEA should be able to land in DACH, Nordics, and the US as planned.