viatolea app recognizes food intolerances, thus reducing complaints and costs

Pauline Nöldemann, Managing Director & Founder of PYRA MEDI GmbH, wants to use her app viatolea - a certified medical product - to help patients with chronic pain and food intolerances to reduce their symptoms in the long term by changing their diet. At the same time, health insurance companies benefit from cost savings. Pauline war participant of Insuring Digital Health in 2024.

How would you explain your solution in three sentences to a professional colleague from the health sector?

The viatolea app offers a 10-week program for the detection and treatment of food intolerances.

We use a combination of smart algorithms and human expertise to analyze our patients' food diaries and make sustainable changes to their diet. In this way, we help them to build up health literacy & reduce complaints in the long term. We support health insurance companies in providing more targeted care and saving up to 70% of their costs.

What problem motivated you to start the company?

I am affected by food intolerances myself and have been on a long journey to find out what I cannot tolerate. In the process, I have experienced the clear gap in care myself, which we have now been able to prove with data: For example, gastroscopies and colonoscopies are performed in just under half of cases, even though they could be avoided. Out of my own need, I developed a digital nutrition and symptom diary. At the time, I was working as a software developer in an IT consultancy, where I met my future co-founder Yannick. We have since developed a digital medical product from this prototype.

viatolea app

How do you convince a pharmaceutical company, a health insurance company or another potential client to set up a pilot project with you?

We are not just another health app, but a certified medical device with a hybrid approach. Our app is a digital companion, complemented by the authentic human expertise of our coaches. As one of the first start-ups in this field, the health insurance company can take the lead in innovation with our solution and thus address its health-conscious and digital target group in particular.

The results of our initial studies are clear: after using the app, patients benefit from less discomfort, improved quality of life and increased health literacy. That's a big step forward compared to regular care!

We also offer considerable economic benefits by reducing treatment costs. The low-threshold app makes it possible to avoid expensive, ineffective alternative treatments for many patients. The majority of users no longer visit a doctor after using the program, which saves additional costs.

Who are your current customer (groups) and who do you want your potential customers to be?

Our target patients have chronic gastrointestinal complaints and a suspected food intolerance. This does not have to be reported by a doctor, but can also be self-reported. Our service is particularly popular with the young and health-conscious target group.

In the case of health insurance companies, we focus particularly on innovative health insurance companies that want to strengthen their competitive and cost position in the market by offering attractive additional services. The first selective contract in accordance with §140a SGB V has already been concluded, i.e. we have already worked out the contractual basis well and can start a cooperation directly.

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can 5-HT support you?

Our aim is to reach as many patients as possible with our solution. To this end, we would like to establish further partnerships with health insurance companies.

We are also planning to include other intolerances in our range and to further expand our nutritional analysis platform and integrate it into existing care in the best possible way.

5-HT is a great support, especially on the way to more cooperation with health insurance companies, e.g. with the organization of the IDH (Insuring Digital Health) event.

You took part in Insuring Digital Health in October 2024. What is your impression of the event and what have you gained from participating (so far)?

The event was superbly organized and is unique in this form in Germany. We had plenty of time to present our care innovation to the insurance companies and to clarify initial questions directly. Afterwards, there were discussions at eye level and it was a very collaborative exchange with a focus on better care.

We received a lot of feedback on our solution and our participation helped us to focus on the relevant issues. As a result, we were able to complete the medical device certification quickly and have already won the first selective contract. We are still in contact with many of the participating health insurance funds and are planning the path to healthcare together!

Pauline Nöldemann presenting at the 5-HT event Insuring Digital Health Oct 2024 in Mannheim.