Proximie, a startup that lets clinicians virtually “scrub in” to provide support for procedures from afar, struck a partnership with Teladoc. The telehealth giant will integrate Proximie’s software in its virtual care platform for hospitals and health systems. While the agreement will initially focus on the U.S., they plan to extend it globally.
Founded by surgeon Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram, London-based Proximie uses augmented reality to let surgeons supervise operations remotely, with the ability to show their peers where to make an incision or how to use a particular technique using physical gestures. Essentially, it lets them bring their expertise to the OR without actually being there.
With the Teladoc integration, Proximie could be used for surgical mentoring, proctoring and technical expertise. Surgeons and other healthcare professionals can also get feedback through the platform.
The deal would also be a boon to Proximie’s business. With Teladoc’s network of more than 600 healthcare systems, it would have a faster route to market than going it alone.
Proximie isn’t the only company turning to virtual tools to make surgeries run smoother. San Francisco-based OssoVR built a virtual reality platform for surgical training. It recently rolled out a feature for users to assess their knowledge of specific workflows, and how to react when things don’t go as planned during a procedure.
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