Ten years back, no one would have envisaged that a small device that fits in the palm of your hand would be able to provide affordable medical-grade cardiac risk assessment in real time. In 2018, iMedrix made this possible with KardioScreen, a mobile-connected solution that makes use of AI, ML and cloud computing to offer real-time cardiac risk assessment for a myriad heart conditions.

“KardioScreen provides results of the same accuracy as traditional ECG machines in under five minutes, with remote cardiologist review and advice being made available in a matter of minutes,” says Srikanth Jadcherla, co-founder & CEO, iMedrix. “It is bringing healthcare to tier-II & III cities and under-served areas at 75% less cost.”

An architect at Intel whose work won him the coveted Intel Achievement Award, Jadcherla had a ringside view of the desktop-to-laptop transformation. With heart disease being the leading cause of death worldwide, he foresaw the potential of mobile technology in the healthcare sector.

The worldwide data on cardiovascular disease (CVD) is alarming – an estimated 17.9 mn people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths, with over three-quarters occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Of these, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke.

KardioScreen was conceived with the mantra of “Medical is the new Mobile,” says Jadcherla. “Our core purpose, in the larger goal of providing access to medical-grade cardiac risk assessment and care to everyone, is: bringing the right patient, access to the right treatment, at the right time,” says Ashvanni Srivastava, the COO of the startup.

A solution that has US FDA clearance, KardioScreen also offers ECG acquisition at the click of a button, says Jadcherla. “Granted a US patent for its tech advancement and innovative methodology, KardioScreen’s capacity to deliver medical-grade ECGs in real time, in harsh operating conditions and without the intervention of skilled operators, gives it a significant edge over most available solutions. Most important, the cost per ECG is up to 75% lower. It thus makes affordable best-in-class cardiac care available to everyone, anytime and anywhere.”

A game changer of sorts in resource-constrained settings, KardioScreen is being used for the last three years by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the Mission Delhi Cardiac Trauma Helpline motorcycle ambulance project. “With outreach programmes across India and AMEA (Asia, Middle-East, and Africa) for the underserved, we are truly democratising real-time cardiac risk assessment,” says Srivastava.

The pandemic has enhanced the adoption of digital tools and next-gen technology by doctors and hospitals, with better healthcare being offered at homes, and primary care and occupational health centres. “Now available in the comfort of one’s home, remote patient monitoring (RPM) solutions like KardioScreen are in the direct line of sight of hospitals, public health agencies, and consumers,” says Jadcherla.

iMedrix is already a partner of choice on ‘Access to Care’ programmes for global medtech leaders like Medtronics, Philips, Siemens, NCD Alliance, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), World Health Organisation South East Asia (WHO SEA) and Apollo Hospitals and leading healthcare providers and public health agencies in ASEAN, the Middle East and Africa.

In just four years since its commercial launch and with less than $10 million of funding, iMedrix has come to represent frugal innovation. “With over 500,000 lives touched across 14 countries, a figure that is expected to rise to 5 million by 2024, our purpose is to have a KardioScreen on every doctor’s desk and in every home health kit, making cardiac risk assessment available at less than the price of a cup of tea,” he adds.

Startling Facts

*Around 17.9 million people died from CVD in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths

* Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke

*Women in India have 20% less access to cardiac healthcare

* Out of 14.7 mn people, only 7,074 get treatment or care for cardiac issues; some are not aware that they have a problem, for many others it gets too late