Feedback Medical’s partnership with the HEAL Foundation in India has helped around 2,000 patients to date through its community tuberculosis (TB) screening project in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, under a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative with Viatris.
Bleepa® as a digital bridge
Working as the technology partner for the HEAL Foundation, we have deployed Bleepa® as the ‘digital bridge’ linking the portable X-ray device in a mobile health van to the cloud-based AI screening tool supplied by 5C Network. Bleepa® has facilitated smoother X-ray and AI based screening of around 2,000 patients to date as part of active TB case finding in the area.
Once the X-ray is completed, our Feedback Connect software acquires the image directly from the X-ray imaging software and sends it to the Bleepa® cloud. Here it is anonymised for data privacy before sending it to 5C Network’s AI tool, which processes and interprets the images and sends a structured report back to the Bleepa® app. Both the images and reports are accessible in Bleepa® to the team from multiple locations around which they can easily communicate and can refer X-ray positive patients to labs for follow up tests. Auto reports and notifications are sent by Bleepa®, which helps the HEAL programme office to review, track and monitor the TB screening programme remotely.
TB screening services in remote communities
Bleepa® connects fixed and portable X-ray devices deployed in the heart of the community with the cloud-based AI server, labs, hospitals, and TB programme office to improve coordination, provide real-time notifications of TB positive patients and better oversight for managing large TB screening programmes. Bleepa® removes the barrier of digital connectivity, linking to any third-party AI server and X-ray imaging software, creating the digital bridge bringing all stakeholders together for a real-time view, greater oversight and collaboration.
With Feedback Medical’s field-based diagnostic and pathway capabilities and HEAL Foundation’s pioneering, on-the ground approach, the collective aim is to deliver community-based TB screening projects, funded initially by third-party donors, to support the Indian government’s goal of eradicating tuberculosis by 2025.
The focus is to bring a 21st century screening service to every community in India, even to the most remote of communities, by developing and driving a digital model that is able to scale at pace and build the case for increasing the role of technology to deliver TB screening in India, which has a population of over one billion.
A strong partnership for faster TB diagnosis
“I am very excited about our partnership with HEAL and foresee the positive impact that Bleepa® can deliver to the lives of people in India. With Bleepa® as the digital bridge between systems, providing an efficient interchange of information, the Government of India’s TB elimination efforts in India can accelerate more rapidly.
“The state TB office can use Bleepa® to create TB screening corridors across districts. And private CSR groups can use this as a plug and play digital bridge to link X-ray to AI and connect all the key stakeholders in TB screening programmes to speed up diagnosis for patients.”
Managing Director, Feedback Medical India
“We are delighted that our partnership with Feedback Medical as our technology partner has reached this significant milestone for our community TB screening programme in Gorakhpur. Its Bleepa® technology gives us a real-time view of AI screened X-ray results of TB positive patients so that we can take prompt follow-up action in a patient’s care pathway.
“In addition, Bleepa® enables us to manage and deliver programme oversight remotely, providing greater support in harder-to-reach communities.”
Founder Chairman, HEAL FoundationSupporting CSR projects
HEAL Foundation, as a non-governmental organisation, is the intermediary that receives funds from donor organisations, such as Viatris, for their CSR projects. The HEAL Foundation provides project management and on-the-ground delivery of the TB screening projects – with Feedback’s local subsidiary, Feedback Medical India PVT Ltd, delivering the end-to-end technology for TB screening and referral pathways.
HEAL Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation registered under the Indian Trust Act. As a trust, it aims to engage key stakeholders of the healthcare industry in India.
Viatris is a global healthcare company uniquely positioned to bridge the traditional divide between generics and brands, combining the best of both, to more holistically address healthcare needs globally.
5C Network is at the forefront of multimodal AI technology applied to medical imaging. Its core product, the Bionic suite, is actively used in clinical practice, with regulatory approval for a wide variety of use cases across India’s largest hospital groups and several marquee hospitals. They control the entire end-to-end AI pipeline—from data collection to model deployment—ensuring highly accurate, effective diagnostic solutions that drive improvements in clinical outcomes.
To find out more about the impact of our TB screening programme get in touch here