The current situation of our healthcare system is marked by protracted queues and the Coronavirus pandemic’s disruption of the standard service functions. Domas Pleškus and Mantas Bacevičius, the startup founders, offer the solution to the mentioned problems with the help of Information Technology, according to a press release.
"Remote work, food delivery, shopping online are the elements of everyday life that no longer surprise anyone; that is why we think that medicine should be easily accessible as well," states D. Pleškus.
"Fleming" is an IT startup, and our mission is to create a new standard of the provision of healthcare. Everyday health parameters are already being traced by personal smart devices worldwide, and we are developing a digital tool that will enable medical specialists to use the data to investigate patients' health problems and make solutions," adds M. Bacevičius.
The title of the app has its own story. Alexander Fleming (1881 – 1955) was a famous Scottish microbiologist, best known for the discovery of penicillin, a drug that caused the medical revolution. "A. Fleming inspired us to create a technological solution which could help doctors and patients to work on a joint aim – maintaining health," tells D. Pleškus.
"Fleming" users will be able to contact medics quickly and easily via messages or video calls and share their medical information. Artificial intelligence is the startup's most sophisticated project that will allow patients to check their ailment symptoms and continuously monitor health parameters: smartwatch and app data will be combined into a modern personal health profile. "We want to provide real-time consultations in all scopes of medicine from any place in the world," says M. Bacevičius. In the first version of the app, users will be able to book 24/7 consultations of general practitioners; there are plans to add doctors from other specialities in the future.
Remote healthcare solutions have become increasingly important over the last couple of years. Currently, the general size of Europe’s market for such medical services is around 8.4 billion euros. It is expected to grow to 19 billion in 2025. The market is still relatively new, and Lithuania is entering it together with the major powers of the European region such as Great Britain, Germany, and Scandinavian countries. The European leaders are changing the healthcare delivery standards, Lithuania is also joining, offering a technological alternative.
The Fleming medical artificial intelligence project received 1.310.030 EUR funding from the European Regional Development Fund and is conducting medical-technological research together with medical and IT professionals from the Vilnius University of Applied Science.