Oncology-focused social media platform Belong.Life has announced a strategic partnership with AI-enabled patient engagement company Equiva, in which Belong's conversational AI offerings will be integrated into Equiva's platform. 

Belong's conversational AI mentors include Dave, a cancer care focused AI, and Fred, a mentor for sustainable weight loss, better health and lifestyle enhancement.

Belong.Life's AI companions will be provided via Equiva's in-hospital and home-based digital platforms to deliver "scalable, smart and empathetic patient support."

The AI health mentors will be accessible to patients and caregivers through tablets or mobile phones. Patients can ask health-related questions in real time, prepare for doctor visits, translate medical documents and summaries, receive guided support related to hospital discharge, access a list of questions they can ask providers, and receive customized emotional and behavioral coaching.

"By integrating Dave and Fred into Equiva's widely deployed platform, we are putting powerful, intelligent and compassionate support in the hands of patients exactly when and where they need it," Eliran Malki, CEO of Belong.Life, said in a statement.

"This partnership supports our mission to humanize digital healthcare experiences and to provide scalable, smart solutions that bridge the gap between patients and their care teams."

Nir Altman, CEO of Equiva, noted that the partnership goes beyond advanced technology because it is about access and improving outcomes. 

"By embedding AI into patients' daily interactions, we are unlocking new ways to educate, empower and engage," Altman said in a statement.

THE LARGER TREND

In 2022, Belong.Life launched an online community dedicated to individuals living with chronic myeloid leukemia. The community, hosted on the Belong-Beating Cancer Together app, includes support groups, navigation tools about the condition and access to professionals. 

The service helps users organize their medical records, participate in a clinical trial matching program, and track their symptoms and conditions over time. 

In 2023, Gilda’s Club Twin Cities, part of the national non-profit Cancer Support Community (CSC) network, partnered with Equiva Health to provide stand-alone devices configured for at-home use as part of an oncology-specific initiative aimed to address health disparities via discounted broadband funded by a $14.2 billion Federal Communications Commission internet access program.

The same year, Equiva expanded its health equity-focused partnership with the CSC.

CSC network partner sites in Arizona, Kentucky and California joined two CSC sites that offer a program developed specifically to improve access to psychosocial oncology care, including education, resources and support services for individuals in medically underserved communities.

Equiva also introduced Equiva Peri-Op Connect in 2023, a platform that aims to improve surgical experiences and outcomes by expanding access to education and support resources for patients and caregivers.