An Israeli tech company at the forefront in the mental health sector is now working alongside the NHS here in the North of England.
One in five people suffer from mental disorders, and with waiting lists for treatment at an all-time high, up to five years in the UK, the company’s mental health services are in demand. Israel-based Taliaz, founded by Dr. Dekel Taliaz PhD in neuroscience/molecular mechanisms of psychiatric disorders at the Weizmann institute of science, Israel, and his brother Oren, have created a clinical technology platform called PREDICTIX, that optimizes the mental health treatment and management for the first time, servicing both physicians and patients.
“Mental health waiting lists are a massive problem globally, both in the private and public sectors,” Dekel explained. “This comes from three main factors, massive growth in patients experiencing mental health issues, limited psychiatrists, with only 11 per 100,000 patients and limited clinical tools to assist prescribers. While homicide rates have declined over recent years, sadly, suicide rates stemming from mental health issues have not. Mental health has become a huge issue, especially since the pandemic, and until recently it’s been a taboo subject and there is a huge gap in the sector for professionals able to treat people.
“Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) assessment is just one area, in Leeds the NHS website staggeringly reads for ADHD alone, there are currently approximately 3,300 people on a local list awaiting a diagnostic assessment. Those getting booked in now were referred to the service in December 2020. Due to the gap between demand and capacity, this waiting time is expected to increase moving forward.”
So, what is PREDICTIX and how can it help? Essentially, it’s a support tool, driven by AI (artificial intelligence) to help psychiatrists and GPs improve prescribing success and care, while saving time and reducing costs. Driven by algorithms and deep scientific research, PREDICTIX automates the mental health workflow, providing clinical tools to allow for faster intake. It also improves efficiency for providers and causes improved clinical results for patients during the assessment, diagnosis and follow up stages – a critical component to any patient’s mental health journey.
“So, what is PREDICTIX and how can it help? Essentially, it’s a support tool, driven by AI (artificial intelligence) to help psychiatrists and GPs improve prescribing success and care, while saving time and reducing costs.”
In addition, Taliaz has built around this platform a service component called Healthymind, in which it offers a virtual online psychiatry service which takes the patient from the assessment, through diagnosis and follow up. As Dekel explained: “The product and service means we can see patients within a two week time frame from referral versus the minimum 12 months it takes in the NHS, improve the psychiatrist time with patients allowing them to see double the number of patients, but not compromising on the clinical outcomes as 90% of patients feel better within eight to 12 weeks and don’t suffer a painful trial and error process of 12- 18 months around treatment optimization.
“We’ve been working on the technology for a few years and have received grant funding from the Israeli Innovation Authority and the European Union Horizon 2020 Grant that only 5% of applicants receive. There is a massive need for what we are doing, our technology has recently won first prize at the French Congress of Psychiatry in Paris, and in UK we are working with Heather Rice, a Senior Director in the NHS and her team in Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust which has opened up discussions with additional NHS Trusts and providers in Yorkshire, where we are hoping to implement our technology. All of these partnerships will allow to drive down the waiting lists and improve the diagnosis, medication and support given in both the public and private sectors in the UK.”
Taliaz has been working closely with Colin Glass, OBE from WGN Business Advisors and Chair of UK-Israel Business (North-East) and Judith Parry from NorthInvest. Along with Adiel Levin, Taliaz VP Business Development and Strategy, Dekel will be back in the UK this month and opening its branch office in the North to expand its HealthyMind service so more organizations can understand the capabilities, whilst seeking investment to continue development.