Diagnostics giant partners with local digital health company to boost heart disease care

MedTech & Diagnostics News: In a move set to enhance cardiovascular care in Australia, a local digital therapeutics company specialising in heart disease has joined forces with a leading diagnostics company. The Roche Diagnostics–Cardihab partnership aims to enhance the quality and standards of care, ultimately delivering better outcomes for individuals living with cardiovascular conditions across the country.

Cardihab was spun out from the CSIRO in 2017 after raising $1.35 million in venture capital. At the core of their offerings lies the company’s scientifically validated Digital Cardiac Rehabilitation (DCR) solution, which leverages smartphone apps and web portals to empower healthcare providers in delivering convenient, flexible, and engaging cardiac rehabilitation services to patients.

Recognising the crucial role this partnership plays in their mission to provide value-based healthcare throughout the patient journey, Roche Diagnostics sees the optimisation of care for people living with cardiovascular disease (CVD) as paramount. This approach has shown promising results in reducing hospital readmission rates, costs, and the overall burden of disease on patients’ quality of life.

Allison Rossiter, Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics Australia, said “We are committed to improving care access and outcomes for cardiac patients across Australia by leveraging our strengths and augmenting our offerings to deliver patient centric integrated solutions. We see Cardihab as a great organisation to collaborate with in realising this vision.”

Roche Diagnostics’ interest in improving access to early CVD diagnosis is also revealed through the company’s recent application to the MSAC for the use of NT-proBNP assays in the non-hospital setting, enabling timely detection of heart failure.

Helen Souris, CEO of Cardihab, expressed excitement regarding the partnership with Roche Diagnostics, emphasising their shared passion for transforming the healthcare landscape in Australia.

“We are thrilled to partner with Roche, who share our passion for making a difference to the way care is delivered in Australia, and who value collaboration to drive change through innovative approaches. The complementary nature of Roche’s Diagnostic portfolio together with Cardihab’s digital therapeutic solutions will accelerate our ability to realise our purpose of providing patients with the care they need in ways that work for them,” Ms Souris said.

Notably, Cardihab recently secured a grant from the Queensland government, enabling the Mater Private Hospital Townsville Cardiac Rehabilitation team to serve as the central hub for the delivery of virtual cardiac rehabilitation. This innovative approach will extend its reach throughout the entire state of Queensland, with referrals coming in from Mater Brisbane, Mater Rockhampton, Mater Mackay, and Mater Bundaberg.

Cardiovascular disease encompasses a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. Shockingly, it stands as one of the leading causes of death and disability in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, CVD accounted for a staggering 25% of all deaths in the country in 2019, underscoring the urgent need for transformative solutions in cardiovascular care.

By combining cutting-edge digital therapeutics with advanced diagnostics, the Cardihab-Roche Diagnostics partnership seeks to empower healthcare providers, improve patient outcomes, and ultimately make a profound impact on the lives of countless Australians battling cardiovascular conditions.

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