DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – For years, Alabama’s lack of access to mental healthcare has become a topic of discussion.
Roughly 2 in 9 adults will experience mental health challenges at some point in their lives.
This was the case for Troy grad student Vamsi Jupudi.
His search for personal help brought along an idea that a Houston County trio will soon bring to life through a business that could become part of a solution.
Artificial Intelligence and mental health are two of the most talked-about subjects of the new age.
Jupudi, alongside fellow Troy graduate student Jadeep Patel and healthcare technology executive John Budala, have found a link between the two, which they hope can help people.
“It is an extension of a therapist, not a tool to replace a therapist,” Jupidi said.
With the help of Troy University’s Idea Bank and Sorrell College of Business, Troy graduate students Jupudi, Patel, and Budala have developed Cognera Health. In this innovative system, artificial intelligence and human expertise merge to provide mental healthcare.
The idea behind the business comes from personal experience with Alabama’s mental healthcare access challenges.
“For the first time, I experienced mental health issues, so I did not know where to reach out and who to reach out to. It was a time of finding resources and where to get help for myself,“ Jupudi said.
“We realized there was a broken system, so we got together as a team and said let’s fix it,” Budala said.
Cognera Health is a tool designed not only for patients but for healthcare providers.
“On the patient’s side, this is a buddy that sits next to them, asking questions, taking notes, and looking at moods. For practitioners, it helps with burnout. Suppose a practitioner takes 40 minutes to review for a session. In that case, we will provide that in 5 minutes or less because we know all the information from past sessions and the application using AI really correlates that information to help achieve the right treatment plan,” Budala said.
From an idea to developing a business and financial plan, Cognera Health is garnering attention from investors and healthcare providers as this group revolutionizes the future of mental healthcare in Alabama.
“Our endeavor is to build trust and ensure practitioners have the right tools, faith in AI, and the augmented solutions we provide. At the end of the day, I want to see that this tool is a default tool for them and also provide that faith and confidence in terms of delivering capabilities that ultimately will save lives,” Budala said.
Recently, the business was one of several finalists in Alabama Launchpad, a competition for startups, bringing this business to a larger stage.
The business is expected to launch in the coming months.
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