This article is sponsored by Oxehealth. In this Voices interview, Behavioral Health Business sits down with Todd Haedrich, the new Chief Executive Officer of Oxehealth, to discuss how the company’s contactless patient monitoring technology is bringing behavioral health care into the 21st century. Haedrich also shares the three major datapoints demonstrating the effectiveness of Oxehealth’s technology, including this staggering one: a hospital used Oxehealth’s platform to prevent 30 self-harm incidents in a year.
Behavioral Health Business: You are new to Oxehealth. What was your introduction to the company, and what life and career experiences do you most draw from in your role today?
Todd Haedrich: I’ve been in technology for 30 years, with a focus on health care innovation during the last 20. I’m American and based in the States, but was over in the UK recently, and I got a call about Oxehealth’s CEO role. I’d been leading a digital health startup in the U.S., and the initial pitch from Oxehealth caught my attention: the combination of breakthrough technology and the ability to make a difference in a very important part of health care that’s been underserved was just incredibly compelling.
Like too many of us, unfortunately, my family was tragically touched by the impact of poor mental health. What is wonderful about Oxehealth is that we’re in a unique position to help prevent self-harm and many of the challenges this industry faces. I’m super proud to be able to lead this business and transform behavioral health care for others so that they don’t have to go through what my family went through.
Why do you think technology in behavioral health lags behind the rest of health care, and how does Oxehealth help close the gap?
Haedrich: A big change in innovation in health care was the HITECH Act back in 20091, 15 years ago. Behavioral health was left out of that act, and that was a huge setback for technology innovation in the industry. We saw a rapid transformation in EMR adoption in general healthcare, while behavioral health did not receive the same support.
So, my view is that technology and innovation in this business are at least a decade behind. It’s a travesty, and one that we at Oxehealth are addressing by being innovative and delivering a better environment for our patients. I think we can be a tip of the spear for innovation in the entire behavioral health industry.
What does Oxehealth’s patient monitoring platform do? What makes it unique?
Haedrich: Patient monitoring is incredibly important. To date, the only way to take accurate vital sign readings is through some type of wearable device. We’ve transformed that. We have developed a non-contact medical-grade device with FDA clearance. That is critical. We enable our users to collect vital sign information in a completely contactless environment.
And that’s not the only information the platform provides. It also assesses patient activity, delivering situational awareness that you don’t otherwise get. In an environment where the clinician is often working blind, this is hugely important.
The fact that we can bring incredibly important objective data to the table in a highly sensitive way that doesn’t disturb the patient is transformative. We give providers the insights they need to take action when they need to take action, not when the clock ticks the right way.
What are the major datapoints showing how behavioral health providers benefit from the platform?
Haedrich: The number one thing for us — and in all of behavioral health — is safety. That’s safety for the patient and safety for the caregiver. We spend a ton of time talking to our customers and talking to patients to make sure the outcomes are real.
Three datapoints tell the story.
First, 90% of the clinicians we’ve surveyed say it helps them deliver better care. Second, more than 80% of the patients we’ve interviewed say they feel safer. Lastly, one of the hospitals we work with said that, because of the platform, they were able to have the awareness to intervene and prevent 30 self-harm incidents last year.
Tell us about the platform’s new sleep monitoring module, which has recently received FDA clearance. How will the module help clinicians and behavioral health providers?
Haedrich: If you spend any time on any ward, when you walk in the morning, the first thing a doctor asks is, “How did the patient sleep?” There was never a source of objective data that enabled you to clearly answer that question without disturbing the patient in one way or another.
Our technology changes that. Now you know how long your patient has slept and when they’ve slept. That new data can deliver incredible insights to tell you whether a patient is improving on their care journey in your facility.
What is the Oxehealth innovator program? Who is it for and what does it involve?
Haedrich: Oxehealth was born out of the UK, and we’re effectively a standard of care there, drawing from our relationships with half of the NHS providers. But we’re new to the States. I’ve just come on board and we’re dedicated to investing in the U.S. and growing here. Through the innovator program, we’re looking for behavioral health provider partners who are forward-thinking and open to exploring the possibilities of technology and innovative approaches to caring for the patients.
This is a way for us to find an initial group of facilities and providers who want to collaborate with us, both on research by joining our advisory board and by talking to us about U.S. care protocols and how they may differ from the UK. All of this work will ensure that we enter the U.S. in the best way possible.
Finish this sentence: “The behavioral health industry in 2024 will be the year of…”
Haedrich: Accelerating innovation and true recognition that we need to support the entire care journey of a mental health patient from hospital to home with better tools and technology.
To learn more about Oxehealth’s contactless patient monitoring platform, click here to get in touch with the team.
The Voices Series is a sponsored content program featuring leading executives discussing trends, topics and more shaping their industry in a question-and-answer format. For more information on Voices, please contact [email protected].
