
No, we are not talking about the American TV series, but a Norwegian-developed medtech company that is now entering the market. Care Safety Innovations (CSI) has developed a new technology that will provide safer and more efficient home care. The main product in the venture, Vita Carer Companion (VCC), is a cloud- and AI-based digital platform that healthcare personnel can use on mobile devices in the field.
With smart functions such as real-time communication, GPS tracking, AV recording and transcription, the platform will, among other things, reduce the administrative burden on healthcare personnel and give relatives full insight into what is going on in the care process.
"The technology allows carers to focus more on the patient by automating tasks that are not directly patient-oriented."
Adm. dir. in CSI, Hans-Henrik Merckoll
- The technology allows carers to focus more on the patient by automating tasks that are not directly patient-oriented, says CSI's managing director, Hans-Henrik Merckoll, who recently left the position of CEO in IBM Norway and now leads the initiative.
Support in the field
As an example, Merckoll cites a relative of a demented mother who will be able to have an easier life with this technology.
- She no longer needs to be physically present to get information about her mother. She will get real-time updates and reports immediately digitally, he says.
The technology gives an insight into what happens in the patient's home during a care visit.
- The carer can use GDPR-regulated film and audio recording and receive digital support from external nurses via video to, for example, make a diagnosis, says Merckoll.
Everything that happens during the visit is recorded digitally, and afterwards a visit report is created using transcription, which eliminates the need for manual report writing. The report is then uploaded to the cloud solution, so that relatives also have access.
According to Merckoll, the platform must meet the strict regulatory requirements of both GDPR and Hipaa, which ensure compliance and data security in Europe and the USA.
Billion market
CSI has identified significant market opportunities in the UK and USA, driven by manual and time-consuming work processes in home care, the elderly wave, as well as a lack of qualified healthcare personnel. And now VCC is being taken to the market, after three years of developing the technology.
- We start in Great Britain, where the market for home care is privatised. There are around 11,000 companies that deliver care services to 1.5 million paying patients in the UK, and the market has a value of NOK 80 billion, says the CSI boss.
The company expects the first paying customers in the UK to be in place as early as December. Eventually, the plan is to expand further to the United States.
"Every day, 10,000 Americans retire, and 60-70 percent of them have nursing needs."
Adm. Mr. Hans-Henrik Merckoll
- Every day, 10,000 Americans become pensioners, and 60-70 percent of them need care. In Florida alone, there are over 39,000 private home care companies. We aim to enter the US in one to two years, says Merckoll, who estimates that the home care market in the UK and the US combined has an annual value of over NOK 1,500 billion.
Microsoft and Holte on the team
CSI has got a number of Norwegian IT and health leaders on the team. Leader Lill Sverresdatter Larsen of the Norwegian Nurses' Association is a board member, while Eilif Holte, who among other things has built up the company Holte Consulting, has joined as the main investor.
- The company has so far been financed by investors who have seen the potential in the market and the possibility of scaling. They also wanted to contribute to a commercial solution to the challenges posed by the aging population, says Merckoll.
In 2025, CSI will raise NOK 25–30 million to take the company to the next level.
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