With aging populations and increasing waitlists, the global healthcare industry is under significant and growing pressure. Yet, at-home diagnostics could present a viable solution.
Driven by a vision of better, fairer, and faster healthcare, Paul Christie, CEO of medtech company, Tachmed is reimagining the world of diagnostics through the forthcoming launch of a low-cost, AI-powered device that enables users to self-test for a range of conditions — anytime, anywhere.
Here, we speak to Paul to explore how this advanced technology is not only tackling some of the biggest challenges in global health but also shaping the future of diagnostics through decentralisation, automation, and secure data integration.
What’s your core mission at Tachmed, and how does that align with the biggest healthcare challenges we face today, particularly in terms of accessibility and speed of diagnosis?
The core mission of Tachmed is to deliver a better, fairer and faster healthcare service through the power of our intuitive digital health platform and ground-breaking tech device – TachShield – which will enable people to self-test for a range of medical conditions remotely. These range from chronic illnesses such as cardio, obesity and other inflammatory illness biomarkers to infectious diseases such as dengue, flu, Covid-19 and other viruses.
The TachShield test takes seconds, costs less than lab-based diagnostics and meets the UN’s sustainability goals for 2030. This means it has the very real potential to not only revolutionise how people access healthcare, but to also transform healthcare systems worldwide.
One of Tachmed’s goals is to reduce the strain on healthcare infrastructure. Can you elaborate on how your technology supports this, especially in lower-resource or high-demand settings?
Unlike any other device on the market, TachShield instantly and securely delivers accurate data to relevant parties via machine learning and AI, giving healthcare practitioners real-time information to prescribe medication and deliver treatment options.
Its capability to deliver this data at scale makes diagnostics both accessible and affordable to individuals worldwide – regardless as to where they are located or how they access healthcare services.
Many diagnostics companies talk about decentralisation. What does decentralised diagnostics mean to you, and why is it important for the future of global health?
Modern health systems are increasingly pushing diagnostics out of secondary health facilities into people’s homes as part of a re-evaluation of primary health service delivery. This push is being driven to reduce costs and increase the likelihood of early detection disease.
Improving timescales and outcomes for patients, Tachmed is committed to delivering technology that facilitates the broadest ranges of diagnostics at home, via local primary health providers and in community health clinics.
Our approach and TachShield solution aligns with cost savings and productivity gains for healthcare professionals at every level.
Could you walk us through how Tachshield actually works i.e. from use to data collection and integration?
Yes – we always use the example of the Nespresso machine for health.
We are focused on the TachShield device becoming part of the family home tech complex, while integrating health management with lifestyle behaviours.
Like Nespresso, TachShield comes hand in hand with a pod or cartridge system that is so easy to use, a child could test themselves. Once a test has been administered that data is securely encrypted and transmitted by firmware to the patient’s account in the cloud. The patient or parental guardian can then allow their healthcare professional to access that information. Critically this data can power automated services such as online Dr evaluation, prescription writing and distribution of medicine through online pharmacies.
More importantly for serious illness, the same automation can link in with booking follow on appointments with healthcare professionals, particularly when there is a sense of urgency.
Data security and patient privacy are major concerns with connected health devices. How have you approached these issues with Tachshield and across your product range?
TachShield is GDRP and HIPAA compliant, however we don’t plan to stop there. We Take data security really seriously, where our tech teams are focused on setting new standards, not just meeting them in these fields.
We also pride ourselves on the highest levels on encryption on patient data with Tachshield’s cloud architecture hosted on AWS secure servers.
Beyond diagnostics, what broader role do you see digital health playing in shaping how healthcare is delivered in the next 5–10 years?
Diagnostics is about better data, which is more frequently collected and communicated to relevant stakeholders in health eco system. As digital health becomes more prevalent, this data will make an increasingly meaningful impact on patient behaviour and in predicting risk of any deterioration in their health status.
Put simply, the opportunity for digital health to take a preventative role as well as to spot disease earlier will become much more demonstrable in the coming years through real world evidence.
Looking ahead, what are your ambitions for Tachmed over the next few years, both in terms of product development and global impact?
Tachmed is more than just TachShield. While our initial goal is for TachShield to be in every home and accessible to all, long-term we want everyone to have an equitable opportunity to manage health proactively and reduce incidents of serious disease.
The idea for TachShield was founded while I was working in Africa and as brand, we are 100% committed to aiding universal access to healthcare systems. TachShield gives everyone an equal starting point to optimise the status of their health, together with a pathway to a better and healthier lifestyle.
Finally, if you had one message for policymakers about the future of diagnostics, what would it be?
My main message would be to keep standards high and listen to the market. By leveraging the power of technology, Governments worldwide can provide accessible healthcare for all.