Q&A with Anna Baecklund, CTO & Founder at Oppioo

Anna Baecklund,
Anna Baecklund, CTO & Founder at Oppioo, is a Data Scientist Leader, A skilled communicator capable of explaining complex issues with clarity to diverse audiences. With MSc in engineering physics, Anna is responsible for leading innovation using data science including the development of new insights, advanced modelling techniques, and AI capabilities. With Oppio, An AI companion app, she aims to motivate cancer patients who want to speed up and improve their rehab.

AI-enabled precision health tools can identify potential risks and suggest preventative interventions.

MEDIA7: You have a long career experience in diverse fields ranging from teaching physics and mathematics to being a Data Scientist Leader. How has all this experience helped you play your current role at Oppioo?
ANNA BAECKLUND:
My diverse set of experiences has helped a lot working with Oppioo; all from product development, to data handling, and to pitching to investors. After receiving my MSc in engineering physics, I worked as a quantitative analyst and data scientist in finance for several years before starting as head of data science at a major Swedish retail firm and CTO at Oppioo. As a result, I have a solid knowledge of data analysis as well as handling personal data and security issues – which is important not only in finance and retail but also in MedTech. As technology focuses more on integrating applications, processes, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, a CTO must follow the frontier of big data, streaming analytics, and cloud technology to remain innovative and stay competitive.Diverse skills allow you to think about specific problems in a different and often more strategic way. By being able to look at a problem from different angles and draw on a wealth of (not immediately relevant) experience, you can come up with innovative and creative solutions.All this experience is beneficial for developing an ai-driven patient-centered digital companion.


M7: You have recently partnered with 180 Degrees Consulting. Tell us about some developments at Oppioo that all of you are excited about
AB:
We have partnered with two great teams at 180 Degrees consulting and the London School of Economics. We are working together to get deeper market and customer insights that will be valuable in the development of both our product and business model. We are excited about the business opportunity this understanding gives us.


Limit time-wasting activities and people. Try to draw boundaries so that you can devote quality time to high-priority people and activities.



M7: What are the challenges that you face regarding handling AI technologies at Oppioo?
AB:
At Oppioo we want to improve the health of cancer patients, improve the patient experience and reduce the costs of health care. To do so, we need to work with patient data which means a lot of legal challenges. Medical data is sensitive and subject to privacy regulations that vary across jurisdictions. Companies that develop AI solutions for health care and medicine can run afoul of privacy laws if they’re not careful, and the MedTech industry is still finding the balance between access to data and protecting sensitive health data. Apart from data privacy concerns, there is also the issue of regulations. We want to be classified as a medical device to be able to give AI-driven individual healthcare advice to patients. However, it’s a time-consuming and difficult process to obtain CE marking. In fact, most of the challenges in AI are not technical applications of AI. There is the question of the quality and usability of data. In other industries, data is generally reliable and accurately measured (such as velocity data to predict highway traffic).  In healthcare, data can be subjective, and often inaccurate.


M7: What’s top of the list for what Oppioo wants to achieve by the end of this year and as you start moving into the next year?
AB:
At the end of this year, we aim to launch our product and get our first paying users. We are developing our platform together with cancer patients and health care providers to make it patient-centered. This is the biggest milestone we want to achieve and will be the start of our funding round. Next year will start with a post-product launch where we focus on understanding how well our product is accepted by end-users so that we can improve it. We will also continue building our community and expanding and strengthening our collaborations.


Diverse skills allow you to think about specific problems in a different and often more strategic way.



M7: Few years down the line, how do you see AI changing the world around us? Especially in the healthcare industry?
AB:
The future of AI in healthcare can be defined as better medical outcomes achieved through more accurate diagnosis and advanced treatment, as well as more informed and engaged patients empowered with easy access to healthcare support. AI will help us develop precision medicine and individualized healthcare with the patient in the center.  Precision health is a relatively new solution focused on preventative care which is based on patient data collected from genetic information, wearable devices and electronic health systems. Using information such as a patient’s lifestyle, genetic makeup, environment, and biometric healthcare data, AI-enabled precision health tools can identify potential risks and suggest preventative interventions.


M7: What are some of your preferred marketing channels given your target customers?
AB:
We want our users to start using Oppioo as early as possible during the cancer treatment, ideally already at the diagnosis stage. Hence Oppioo initially needs to be present where the newly diagnosed cancer patients are looking for information, such as health care providers, cancer societies, the regional or national care guides and social media groups. Therefore, established collaborations with reliable organizations and a frequent presence in social media channels are keys to our distribution chain. We are dependent on our network of collaboration partners, and every time we want to enter a market we need to find collaboration partners, such as local physiotherapists, health care providers etc. that are willing to promote the benefits of using Oppioo from an early stage of the cancer treatment.  The user can of course use Oppioo without these collaborations as well, but we believe that the best results will be reached when the user is supported by health care providers.


M7: Congratulations on being listed as one of the top ten talents in the Tech Vertical in the Swedish Nova 111-list. What is your secret to maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life?
AB:
Thank you! I’m honored and grateful to have been included as one of the change-makers in Technology in Sweden.
My first advice is to work with something you enjoy since you spend so many hours of your day at work. But a more in-depth answer is that it’s very, very difficult to maintain a healthy balance even if you like what you work with. I think that work-life balance can be seen as a cycle, not an achievement; something to thrive for, that constantly changes with life. With that being said, I have a few life-hacks that I tend to come back to. The first is exercise and meditation.You can start small, e.g. by booking walking meetings instead of sitting in front of the computer. Ask yourself what’s currently causing you stress. Rethink your priorities, and put in time in the calendar now and then to reflect. A rational understanding of the decisions and priorities driving your life is important but equally important is emotional reflexivity - that is, the capacity to recognize how a situation is making you feel. Awareness of your emotional state is essential in order to determine the changes you want to make in your work and in your life. And last but not least: limit time-wasting activities and people. Try to draw boundaries so that you can devote quality time to high-priority people and activities. I personally like the Pomodoro Technique to help me focus.

ABOUT OPPIOO

Oppioo is a patient-centered product that supports patients to plan and execute physical activity in conjunction with the treatment plan. Oppioo predicts what activity gives optimal effect and when during the cancer treatment based on patient data and the patient’s energy level. To do so, Oppioo collects activity data from the user’s smartphone and user feedback to create a personalized automated coaching plan with the help of AI models. Oppioo allows for sharing data with health care providers.

More C-Suite on deck

James Bates on Shifting Perspectives: From AI as a Job Threat to AI as a Vital Workforce Aid in Healthcare

Media 7 | October 19, 2023

Step into the transformative world of healthcare with James Bates, an accomplished CEO, entrepreneur, and board member who has driven high-growth plans for leading technology companies. As the Chairman and Founder of AdviNow Medical, James has conceptualized a groundbreaking vision, raised capital, and launched the world's first Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality-driven automated medical visit system. Join us for an illuminating conversation with James Bates, a visionary leader in healthcare technology.

Read More

'AI is only as smart as the data and the people behind it', says Kyle Ryan

Media 7 | May 17, 2023

Kyle Ryan believes that innovative concepts, data-driven insights, precise engineering, and efficient execution combine to create great products. He also believes that leadership is essential for innovation. Read on to know his thoughts on the role of leadership and technology in healthcare industry.

Read More

Q&A with Matthew Sappern, CEO at PeriGen

Media 7 | September 30, 2021

Matthew Sappern, CEO at PeriGen, had served as a corporate officer for Eclipsys Corporation before and during its merger with Allscripts. Leading up to the merger, Sappern served as Eclipsys Senior Vice President of Professional Services, responsible for the company’s $100M consulting, implementation and training P&L. Sappern joined Eclipsys in January 2003, as VP of product development in the software engineering division. Over a time of three years, he came to run 75 percent of the development operation and oversaw the delivery of three critical enterprise software releases in record time for the company.

Read More

James Bates on Shifting Perspectives: From AI as a Job Threat to AI as a Vital Workforce Aid in Healthcare

Media 7 | October 19, 2023

Step into the transformative world of healthcare with James Bates, an accomplished CEO, entrepreneur, and board member who has driven high-growth plans for leading technology companies. As the Chairman and Founder of AdviNow Medical, James has conceptualized a groundbreaking vision, raised capital, and launched the world's first Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality-driven automated medical visit system. Join us for an illuminating conversation with James Bates, a visionary leader in healthcare technology.

Read More

'AI is only as smart as the data and the people behind it', says Kyle Ryan

Media 7 | May 17, 2023

Kyle Ryan believes that innovative concepts, data-driven insights, precise engineering, and efficient execution combine to create great products. He also believes that leadership is essential for innovation. Read on to know his thoughts on the role of leadership and technology in healthcare industry.

Read More

Q&A with Matthew Sappern, CEO at PeriGen

Media 7 | September 30, 2021

Matthew Sappern, CEO at PeriGen, had served as a corporate officer for Eclipsys Corporation before and during its merger with Allscripts. Leading up to the merger, Sappern served as Eclipsys Senior Vice President of Professional Services, responsible for the company’s $100M consulting, implementation and training P&L. Sappern joined Eclipsys in January 2003, as VP of product development in the software engineering division. Over a time of three years, he came to run 75 percent of the development operation and oversaw the delivery of three critical enterprise software releases in record time for the company.

Read More

Related News

Health Technology, AI

Emory Healthcare and Andor Health Unite for Virtual AI Healthcare

Andor Health | November 07, 2023

Emory Healthcare has collaborated with Andor Health to mitigate the risks of patient falls and address other safety concerns within the hospital setting while implementing virtual patient observer technology within its healthcare facilities. Andor Health, the creator of ThinkAndor, will employ generative AI technology to access data from various systems, including ambient listening and real-time visualization, to identify common safety risks such as falls and self-harm. In addition, Emory Healthcare will commence a pilot program for the virtual sitter technology in November at two of its hospitals. This program will involve the remote monitoring of at-risk patients on medical and surgical floors, as well as in the emergency departments. Jason Atkins, RN, Vice President and Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for Emory Digital, a part of Emory Healthcare, says. Andor Health's virtual patient observer/virtual sitter technology expands our virtual health initiatives across Emory Healthcare while reducing the burden of nurses and other team members. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Andor Health's virtual observers collaborate with registered nurses stationed in a control center to employ voice-activated technology to engage in remote conversations with at-risk patients. These interactions involve reminding patients to remain in their beds, prompting them to seek assistance, or offering relevant guidance. Raj Toleti, Chairman and CEO of Andor Health, emphasized that recent technological advancements, such as generative AI-based virtual sitting and ambient monitoring, offer promising opportunities to alleviate operational challenges, mitigate staff shortages, and reduce costs. These innovations enable healthcare systems to concentrate on providing high-quality patient care. Healthcare organizations like Emory Healthcare can efficiently monitor patients and optimize staff effectiveness through large-scale virtual sitting, harnessing the capabilities of virtual hospitals as supplementary support. About Andor Health Andor Health believes in transforming how healthcare teams establish connections and cooperate. Its cloud-based platform, using both machine and human intelligence, accesses information within electronic medical records and provides immediate, actionable insights to healthcare teams, whether they are within or outside the organization. By enhancing communication processes, its solutions expedite the time to treatment, reduce clinician fatigue, and improve patient outcomes. About Emory Healthcare Emory Healthcare is one of the prominent academic health systems in Georgia. At the systemic level, it maintains 2,796 licensed patient beds and hosts a cadre of over 3,450 physicians who practice across over 70 specialized fields. Moreover, it extends its reach by serving a broader population through a collaborative initiative at the St. Francis–Emory Healthcare Hospital in Columbus, ten regional affiliate hospitals, and a closely coordinated network of physicians.

Read More

Health Technology

Emory Healthcare Teams Up with DrFirst to Enhance Medication Adherence

Emory Healthcare | November 06, 2023

Emory Healthcare aims to improve prescription affordability and medication outcomes by offering comprehensive, real-time data, including patient out-of-pocket drug costs. Emory is optimizing clinician workflows and enhancing patient medication adherence with Fuzion through DrFirst's three medication management services. UPMC Health System employs AI-driven virtual assistants to address medication nonadherence, engaging high-risk patients via SMS or robocall messages before and between prescription fills. Emory Healthcare and DrFirst have collaborated to address medication adherence by providing comprehensive data at the point of care, including options for patients to assess out-of-pocket drug costs. Emory aims to aid patients in achieving prescription affordability and enhancing their medication outcomes. Emory Healthcare has implemented three medication management services available within the Fuzion platform by DrFirst, which offer clinicians access to medication histories. This initiative aims to streamline clinician workflows and enhance medication adherence among patients. This development holds importance in its potential to decrease adverse drug events for Emory Healthcare patients and provide them with AI-driven information about prescription costs during medical visits, thereby fostering transparency and informed decision-making. DrFirst's advanced medication management platform can enhance electronic prescribing workflows by optimizing the usability of clinical data. This platform is capable of electronically completing prior authorizations and addressing claim rejections. Furthermore, it provides real-time prescription drug benefits and pricing information, enabling physicians to discuss medication costs with their patients and potentially transition to more cost-effective therapeutic alternatives. This can reduce prescription abandonment rates and, consequently, enhance overall health outcomes. G. Cameron Deemer, CEO of DrFirst, said. For many patients, especially those with chronic conditions, taking their medications as prescribed is vital to positive health outcomes and staying out of the hospital. [Source – Healthcare IT News] DrFirst believes that precise and comprehensive medication data contributes significantly to patient safety. Additionally, presenting an entire year's worth of patient medication history can expedite medication reconciliation procedures for healthcare providers. Furthermore, providing drug-allergy, dosing, and duplicate therapy alerts directly to clinicians at the point of care supplies them with valuable information. The integration of technology aids in rendering clinical data more user-friendly and facilitates smoother workflows, ultimately aiding clinicians and patients in achieving improved medication outcomes. Emory Healthcare is set to implement HIPAA-compliant automated patient messaging for electronic prescription alerts. This system will allow patients to review their prescriptions and receive relevant patient education materials, among other features. As for the broader trend, the adoption of AI for improving medication adherence has demonstrated its effectiveness, leading to positive outcomes in both clinical and financial aspects.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

Weave Introduces AI-Driven Voicemail Transcriptions for Healthcare Providers

Business Wire | October 31, 2023

Weave a leading all-in-one experience platform for small and medium-sized healthcare practices, today announces the addition of AI-driven voicemail transcriptions to its platform. Now available to Weave’s 27,000+ customers, Voicemail Transcription automatically transcribes voicemails from patients allowing for efficient, visible, and private reading experiences. With this update, users will now see the voicemail transcription when they click on the Voicemail tab within their Desktop Application or within the mobile app, improving overall user experience by making it faster to consume messages without having to listen to the audio, which can often be difficult in busy settings. said Branden Neish, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Weave. AI has exploded in popularity over the past year, and we’re taking steps to ensure Weave is delivering state of the art offerings that empower our customers to enhance patient experiences and deliver top of the line care. AI will only continue to grow in popularity and daily use, which will have a transformative impact on the future of the healthcare industry. Weave customers that have already implemented AI into their practices claim they save an average of an hour a day with the technology. [Source:Business Wire] In a new customer and consumer report conducted by Weave, the company found that patients are accepting of AI in healthcare settings and they see it leading to enhanced care and patient experiences. In fact, the majority of consumers (65%) are open to providers using AI tools in their practices. The report also found that consumers and providers are aligned with how they think AI will impact the healthcare industry, with two in three consumers (67%) and 3 in 4 (75%) healthcare providers believing that AI is likely to become a prevalent tool in healthcare. "Artificial Intelligence is the catalyst for a new era in healthcare,” says Dr. Matt Nejad, DDS of Beverly Hills, CA. “Weave's AI-enabled voicemail transcripts are a leap in this direction, providing automation and actionable insights that empower providers to focus on what truly matters: patient care." This announcement follows months of AI-driven activity from Weave to enhance features that allow healthcare providers to deliver quality care and improve patient experiences, including Email Assistant and Response Assistant. About Weave Weave is a leading all-in-one customer experience platform for small- and medium-sized healthcare businesses. From the first phone call to the final invoice and every touchpoint in between, Weave connects the entire customer journey. Weave’s software solutions transform how local businesses attract, communicate with and engage customers to grow their business. In the past year, Weave has been named a G2 leader in Patient Engagement, Optometry, Dental Practice Management and Patient Relationship Management software.

Read More

Health Technology, AI

Emory Healthcare and Andor Health Unite for Virtual AI Healthcare

Andor Health | November 07, 2023

Emory Healthcare has collaborated with Andor Health to mitigate the risks of patient falls and address other safety concerns within the hospital setting while implementing virtual patient observer technology within its healthcare facilities. Andor Health, the creator of ThinkAndor, will employ generative AI technology to access data from various systems, including ambient listening and real-time visualization, to identify common safety risks such as falls and self-harm. In addition, Emory Healthcare will commence a pilot program for the virtual sitter technology in November at two of its hospitals. This program will involve the remote monitoring of at-risk patients on medical and surgical floors, as well as in the emergency departments. Jason Atkins, RN, Vice President and Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for Emory Digital, a part of Emory Healthcare, says. Andor Health's virtual patient observer/virtual sitter technology expands our virtual health initiatives across Emory Healthcare while reducing the burden of nurses and other team members. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Andor Health's virtual observers collaborate with registered nurses stationed in a control center to employ voice-activated technology to engage in remote conversations with at-risk patients. These interactions involve reminding patients to remain in their beds, prompting them to seek assistance, or offering relevant guidance. Raj Toleti, Chairman and CEO of Andor Health, emphasized that recent technological advancements, such as generative AI-based virtual sitting and ambient monitoring, offer promising opportunities to alleviate operational challenges, mitigate staff shortages, and reduce costs. These innovations enable healthcare systems to concentrate on providing high-quality patient care. Healthcare organizations like Emory Healthcare can efficiently monitor patients and optimize staff effectiveness through large-scale virtual sitting, harnessing the capabilities of virtual hospitals as supplementary support. About Andor Health Andor Health believes in transforming how healthcare teams establish connections and cooperate. Its cloud-based platform, using both machine and human intelligence, accesses information within electronic medical records and provides immediate, actionable insights to healthcare teams, whether they are within or outside the organization. By enhancing communication processes, its solutions expedite the time to treatment, reduce clinician fatigue, and improve patient outcomes. About Emory Healthcare Emory Healthcare is one of the prominent academic health systems in Georgia. At the systemic level, it maintains 2,796 licensed patient beds and hosts a cadre of over 3,450 physicians who practice across over 70 specialized fields. Moreover, it extends its reach by serving a broader population through a collaborative initiative at the St. Francis–Emory Healthcare Hospital in Columbus, ten regional affiliate hospitals, and a closely coordinated network of physicians.

Read More

Health Technology

Emory Healthcare Teams Up with DrFirst to Enhance Medication Adherence

Emory Healthcare | November 06, 2023

Emory Healthcare aims to improve prescription affordability and medication outcomes by offering comprehensive, real-time data, including patient out-of-pocket drug costs. Emory is optimizing clinician workflows and enhancing patient medication adherence with Fuzion through DrFirst's three medication management services. UPMC Health System employs AI-driven virtual assistants to address medication nonadherence, engaging high-risk patients via SMS or robocall messages before and between prescription fills. Emory Healthcare and DrFirst have collaborated to address medication adherence by providing comprehensive data at the point of care, including options for patients to assess out-of-pocket drug costs. Emory aims to aid patients in achieving prescription affordability and enhancing their medication outcomes. Emory Healthcare has implemented three medication management services available within the Fuzion platform by DrFirst, which offer clinicians access to medication histories. This initiative aims to streamline clinician workflows and enhance medication adherence among patients. This development holds importance in its potential to decrease adverse drug events for Emory Healthcare patients and provide them with AI-driven information about prescription costs during medical visits, thereby fostering transparency and informed decision-making. DrFirst's advanced medication management platform can enhance electronic prescribing workflows by optimizing the usability of clinical data. This platform is capable of electronically completing prior authorizations and addressing claim rejections. Furthermore, it provides real-time prescription drug benefits and pricing information, enabling physicians to discuss medication costs with their patients and potentially transition to more cost-effective therapeutic alternatives. This can reduce prescription abandonment rates and, consequently, enhance overall health outcomes. G. Cameron Deemer, CEO of DrFirst, said. For many patients, especially those with chronic conditions, taking their medications as prescribed is vital to positive health outcomes and staying out of the hospital. [Source – Healthcare IT News] DrFirst believes that precise and comprehensive medication data contributes significantly to patient safety. Additionally, presenting an entire year's worth of patient medication history can expedite medication reconciliation procedures for healthcare providers. Furthermore, providing drug-allergy, dosing, and duplicate therapy alerts directly to clinicians at the point of care supplies them with valuable information. The integration of technology aids in rendering clinical data more user-friendly and facilitates smoother workflows, ultimately aiding clinicians and patients in achieving improved medication outcomes. Emory Healthcare is set to implement HIPAA-compliant automated patient messaging for electronic prescription alerts. This system will allow patients to review their prescriptions and receive relevant patient education materials, among other features. As for the broader trend, the adoption of AI for improving medication adherence has demonstrated its effectiveness, leading to positive outcomes in both clinical and financial aspects.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

Weave Introduces AI-Driven Voicemail Transcriptions for Healthcare Providers

Business Wire | October 31, 2023

Weave a leading all-in-one experience platform for small and medium-sized healthcare practices, today announces the addition of AI-driven voicemail transcriptions to its platform. Now available to Weave’s 27,000+ customers, Voicemail Transcription automatically transcribes voicemails from patients allowing for efficient, visible, and private reading experiences. With this update, users will now see the voicemail transcription when they click on the Voicemail tab within their Desktop Application or within the mobile app, improving overall user experience by making it faster to consume messages without having to listen to the audio, which can often be difficult in busy settings. said Branden Neish, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Weave. AI has exploded in popularity over the past year, and we’re taking steps to ensure Weave is delivering state of the art offerings that empower our customers to enhance patient experiences and deliver top of the line care. AI will only continue to grow in popularity and daily use, which will have a transformative impact on the future of the healthcare industry. Weave customers that have already implemented AI into their practices claim they save an average of an hour a day with the technology. [Source:Business Wire] In a new customer and consumer report conducted by Weave, the company found that patients are accepting of AI in healthcare settings and they see it leading to enhanced care and patient experiences. In fact, the majority of consumers (65%) are open to providers using AI tools in their practices. The report also found that consumers and providers are aligned with how they think AI will impact the healthcare industry, with two in three consumers (67%) and 3 in 4 (75%) healthcare providers believing that AI is likely to become a prevalent tool in healthcare. "Artificial Intelligence is the catalyst for a new era in healthcare,” says Dr. Matt Nejad, DDS of Beverly Hills, CA. “Weave's AI-enabled voicemail transcripts are a leap in this direction, providing automation and actionable insights that empower providers to focus on what truly matters: patient care." This announcement follows months of AI-driven activity from Weave to enhance features that allow healthcare providers to deliver quality care and improve patient experiences, including Email Assistant and Response Assistant. About Weave Weave is a leading all-in-one customer experience platform for small- and medium-sized healthcare businesses. From the first phone call to the final invoice and every touchpoint in between, Weave connects the entire customer journey. Weave’s software solutions transform how local businesses attract, communicate with and engage customers to grow their business. In the past year, Weave has been named a G2 leader in Patient Engagement, Optometry, Dental Practice Management and Patient Relationship Management software.

Read More

Spotlight

Oppioo

Oppioo

Oppioo is a patient-centered product that supports patients to plan and execute physical activity in conjunction with the treatment plan. Oppioo predicts what activity gives optimal effect and when during the cancer treatment based on patient data and the patient’s energy level. To do so, Oppioo col...

Events

Resources