Technology is reshaping the dynamics of the entire world including healthcare. Today, due to advancements in technology, the medical sector has been able to serve the common people with smooth and quick facilities. Research and development in the healthcare sphere have evolved with time and this has benefitted various organizations, hospitals, and related ventures.
One such company, helping the healthcare sector to progress, is Oviva. With the use of medical technologies, Oviva focuses on providing personalized support to help make long-term improvements to the patient’s health.
Patient-Centric Services
A digital health company, Oviva helps people with conditions such as obesity, diabetes and food allergies. It focuses on improving the overall health conditions of these people through medical nutritional therapy. Oviva has recruited a brilliant team of professional dietitians who ensure such conditions are reversed back to normal.
Oviva currently is the leading digital provider of type 2 diabetes treatment in Europe. The aim of this treatment is to offer an evidence-based digital solution to stop the progression of type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions. Further, it is said to aid in reversion of these conditions.
Oviva offers both, face to face sessions as well as remote support to the clients. Through a secured smartphone app, the professional dietitians guide the client and keep a track on the progress. Tailored nutrition advice and personalised coaching are offered to the patients through the phone. Another benefit of the app is that the client can log meals with photos. Other options like recording the activity, tracking weight, and asking questions are available. Their dietitian then provides tailored feedback, support and advice to help people achieve their goals.
When compared to other face-to-face therapy, Oviva’s technology-supported treatment has consistently demonstrated higher patient uptake, retention and outcomes at lower costs. Having treated around 90,000 patients to-date across the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland and the UAE, it is consistently doubling each year for the last 3 years.
The Journey
Kai Eberhardt, the CEO of Oviva is an insightful personality who is working towards providing exceptional services through Oviva. He is constantly working on the goal to revolutionise access and outcomes for people with health conditions related to diet, whilst improving value to the health system by lowering the costs of delivery.
The journey of Oviva has been inspirational.
Kai started taking an interest in healthcare when he was diagnosed with cancer, while he was pursuing his degree in physics. Luckily, he was treated successfully and thereafter has led a healthy life.
After that Kai started working in medical technology. He worked on medical imaging technology from the technical side. He also wrote numerous publications and gained a patent as well. Later, he joined McKinsey and supported primarily medtech companies in gaining reimbursement, launch and distribution for their products.
After 5 years and as a junior partner, Kai started Oviva with a technical and a medical co-founder. The idea came from the medical co-founder who saw the patients’ unmet needs every day, in particular, the barriers to access helpful therapy.
Speaking about driving motivation, Kai mentions, “I am motivated to help patients live healthier and happier on a large scale. How technology has changed our lives already is the big innovation of our day and it has much to offer in improving healthcare. It’s great to be at a time where I feel I can contribute to that innovation and improve the status quo.”
Growing through Challenges
The biggest challenge faced by any budding company in the healthcare domain is to satisfy regulations and the needs of multiple stakeholders. They are always involved in decision making of any new technological update, research and development or implementing new strategies. In the current healthcare space, if a company cannot offer something unique yet efficient, there is no option to sustain the ever-developing healthcare domain.
One needs to navigate and have a benefit to regulators and payers for reimbursement for the patients to actually access the treatment. That’s when patients will be recommended to the doctors. In the case of Oviva, human therapists. Each business has its own incentives and constraints, not all are perfectly aligned and can differ from country to country, especially reimbursement and regulations.
The greatest achievement for Kai is the trust of patients. He says, “We have treated over 90,000 patients now with great outcomes compared to conventional therapy. We could evidence that with now 6 peer-reviewed publications. And we are just getting started.”
Keeping the creativity and motivation high within Oviva’s team is also a requirement for success. This can be achieved most by being very close to the patient, doctor and the rest of the market. Day-to-day meetings with decision-makers are the most important, granular insights. Otherwise, exchange with peers and reading whatever between the lines also becomes important.
In the near future, Kai envisions Oviva to provide greater benefits to many more patients with better technology and granular data on what is effective. Oviva has the potential to transform the lives of millions of people across the globe for the better.
