Is CardieX talking to FaceMe?
While I don’t have any evidence the two virtual techs are in negotiations, I would suggest they should be.
Why? FaceMe is a start-up developing animated avatar technology that would allow CardieX to massively gear its InHealth health coaching operations.
While still in start-up mode, FaceMe was formed in Auckland, New Zealand in 2010. It has offices in Auckland, Melbourne and San Francisco.
Founder/CEO Dan Tomsett is New Zealand born. So is CDX CEO Craig Cooper.
Sharing Kiwi heritage may give Cooper an edge over virtual tech competitors such as $TDOC/Tele-a-doc/NYSE/MC $4.7b.
US Sales Force
With the help of a recent $18m Series A capital raising by Foster Capital, FaceMe's gearing to form a US sales force, a force that will presumably target the US health coach industry.
FaceMe has recently scored noteworthy contracts. One is with Vodaphone NZ. Others are with $NAB/National Australia Bank-owned BNZ and UBank.
UBank is now using FaceMe’s tech in Australia to coach clients on how to successfully apply for a loan.
Digital human demo
FaceMe is aware that its IBM Watson AI tech has far-reaching medical applications.
Check out this brief YouTube demo of a DH/digital human coaching "Sam", a recovering cardiology patient:
Further, FaceMe is working with depression author Sir John Kirwan to create what Kirwan claims will be “world first” mental healthcare programs featuring DH coaches.
“With some help, everyone can be a little bit better every day. AI is a powerful tool to help make this happen”, says Kirwan.
Available
Here are three FaceMe tech attributes that could help CardieX:
1. No Judgement - Patients avoid talking to a person when they feel they might be judged, but they know a DH will never judge them
2. Available Immediately - DHs are always available immediately, regardless of demand
3. Available Anywhere/Everywhere - DHs are available on any channel: web, mobile or clinic, 24/7
Hire
Right now, there are some 110,000 health coaches in North America. CDX’s InHealth Medical Services affiliate has 100-200 coaches.
Clearly, if CardieX is to make a big coaching impact it needs to hire coaches. Coaches in bulk. This will take time. And money.
If it was able to supplement/complement the services of human coaches with FaceMe DH coaches, it may achieve its target market share much more quickly. And cheaply.
After all, correctly programmed, a FaceMe virtual coach can manage a million conversations simultaneously.
So I hope Craig Cooper - if he hasn't not already done so - confers with Kiwi counterpart Danny Tomsett at FaceMe.
Otherwise, a potent health coaching competitor might gain an emphatic winning edge.
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