​$7 million investment in digital health for osteoarthritis

Chronic diseases, of which osteoarthritis constitutes a significant portion, account for 85 percent of the cost of health care. Patients with osteoarthritis need consistent care with long-term individual support, this make the condition well suited for digital treatment.

Treating more than a thousand patients every week, the e-health company Joint Academy is the biggest healthcare provider in Sweden when it comes to treating patients with osteoarthritis. Now, it is also announced that the eHealth company, Joint Academy, has raised a Series A investment of seven million US dollar with Alfvén & Didriksson as lead investor.

 - Our vision is to become the global standard treatment for osteoarthritis globally. The funding we are now receiving helps us to achieve our goal, says Jakob Dahlberg, CEO at Joint Academy.

According to studies, close to 25 percent of the patients who asked for surgery before the digital treatment changed their mind after a few weeks of treatment. Also nearly a quarter of the patients who initially managed their osteoarthritis through medication were able to drop the painkillers after after the same amount of time.

 - The improved quality of life that our patients exhibit after a few weeks is the difference between feeling well and not feeling well, says Leif Dahlberg, Medical Officer at Joint Academy.

Through digital care for those who suffer from the chronic illness osteoarthritis, the healthcare system can redistribute its resources. The demand for surgery is reduced and the patients themselves choose a long-term solution with proven results. The digital treatment allows physiotherapists to provide more personal care without requiring more of their time and resources. More than 100 physiotherapists are already working with the digital treatment.

 - I like the fact that the treatment is clearly based on science. I also feel that the patients are more involved in their treatment and take responsibility to actually do their recommended exercises, says Emelie Blennow, Physiotherapist at Joint Academy.

Osteoarthritis is a widespread disease in many countries and there is strong need for a treatment that works in the long term. In order to offer the digital treatment also to other countries as well, we need to develop the program further.

 - Now we look forward to scaling up our treatment to be able to take care of millions of osteoarthritis patients and make their daily lives better, Jakob Dahlberg concludes.