The AIT telehealth platform connects patients with the relevant healthcare professionals. The key is to facilitate communication between patients and healthcare professionals that is as straightforward as possible, and, building on this, to implement treatment management through clearly defined processes – with traceable documentation and data transmission that complies with data protection regulations.

The AIT technology was first rolled out in practice in Tyrol under the name ‘HerzMobil’. Studies showed a 65 per cent reduction in the risk of death within 12 months and a 39 per cent reduction in the risk of readmission to hospital within 6 months. In addition, HerzMobil Tyrol proved to be cost-effective compared to standard care. More recently, HerzMobil has also been piloted in the provinces of Carinthia, Styria and Lower Austria.

In clinical practice, the system is operated and further developed by the AIT spin-off telbiomed, based in Graz. It has a modular design and can be easily adapted to other chronic conditions – for example, in the areas of wound management, eating disorders, post-transplant care, diabetes or telerehabilitation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the platform was adapted within a very short time for home quarantine and as a health diary for medical staff, and was also deployed in Germany, Brazil and Australia. An Australian study showed that the effective and earlier detection of deteriorations, thanks to telehealth care, led to shorter hospital stays and lower mortality rates.

With its telehealth platform, AIT has developed a pioneering technology that plays a central role in modern healthcare. The development of such solutions has earned AIT considerable international recognition. In addition to organising the annual dHealth conference, which serves as a central platform for the Austrian digital health community, the researchers have also won numerous awards, such as the prestigious Living Standards Award from Austrian Standards.