July 20, 2024
i-Cubed Launches Innovation Spotlight Series with First Guest: Alleviate Health
On July 16, i-Cubed, the center for clinical research innovation at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), introduced its new interactive event series, the Innovation Spotlight. The series aims to highlight clinical research startup companies emerging across Duke University and foster engagement and discussion among innovators, subject matter experts, and colleagues. This inaugural event, held at the Durham Centre, featured Alleviate Health, an early-stage startup founded by undergraduate Duke University Engineering and Computer Science students.
During the session, i-Cubed Operations Director Donna Parker spoke with Saathvik Boompelli, Alleviate Health's Co-Founder, about his AI-powered participant recruiting tool and the technology behind the tool, as well as what drew him to the field of clinical research and his plans for the future.
Alleviate Health’s AI chatbot accelerates participant pre-screening by analyzing informed consent forms (ICFs) prepared by trial sponsors. This helps exclude ineligible patients, streamlining the process and saving sites and study coordinators significant time and resources.
"Any patient that is excluded is one more patient the study coordinator doesn’t have to call and follow up with," Boompelli explained. The chatbot’s conversational user-friendliness reduces drop-off rates, especially among older or less tech-savvy individuals. Importantly, the chatbot is designed to remain on script and can escalate to a human representative when asked questions outside the ICF scope, ensuring Institutional Review Board (IRB) compliance and client comfort.
The tool's adaptability to diverse participant demographics and non-English speakers was also highlighted. Boompelli mentioned working with a site in Texas to provide fully conversational Spanish support, resulting in higher engagement and inclusion rates.
When asked to define success, Boompelli responded, "Success is... I don't know what success is yet. But I'm very grateful I get to work on this. It's already successful."
Looking ahead, Boompelli envisions expanding Alleviate Health’s capabilities. "The goal is to keep riding the wave of AI innovation," he said, aiming to support AI voice calling and expand into doctors' offices and home healthcare to automate patient conversations.
The event attracted over 25 in-person attendees and even more via Zoom, including students from the DCRI Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program. The audience engaged in a Q&A session with Boompelli, addressing critical topics such as IRB responses, HIPAA compliance, and the chatbot's false positive rate.
Boompelli also inspired the students in the audience with his closing note, saying, "You guys are at the ideal age to start something. You have the technical expertise and the opportunity to join something early-stage. Don’t shy away from starting something of your own; it’s a very rewarding experience."
As Alleviate Health continues to develop its AI-powered recruiting tool, i-Cubed is providing invaluable support by connecting the startup with essential resources, mentorship, and industry contacts. This collaboration exemplifies how innovative ideas can revolutionize clinical research, streamlining processes, and enhancing participant engagement. i-Cubed's commitment to fostering such groundbreaking advancements ensures that promising technologies like Alleviate Health’s chatbot can reach their full potential. If you have a transformative idea for clinical research, connect with i-Cubed to explore opportunities for innovation and collaboration.
Watch the full recorded session here.
i-Cubed's Innovation Spotlight will continue quarterly; stay tuned for more updates!
