STAT+: Sword Health contracted to provide AI-supported physical therapy for an entire country
Why this matters: health reporting relevant to everyday decisions and well-being.
Can artificial intelligence-powered care solve medical problems at national scale? A modest-sized European country is about to find out. Portugal’s National Health Service this month inked a deal with digital health company Sword to make its physical therapy care available to the country’s entire population of 10 million people. After receiving a referral from a doctor, patients will receive unlimited access to Sword’s virtual therapy, which leans heavily on artificial intelligence to help guide and supervise care. Founded a decade ago in Portugal, Sword Health has become one of the most prominent digital health companies offering chronic condition care in the United States. The new deal comes amid growing debate about how the government should support and pay for AI-based care stateside.Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…