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TheraKey: Digital therapy support
with generative AI

A woman holding a tablet and viewing the TheraKey website on the screen.

TheraKey-Logo

Further development of the already strong information portal on the individual therapy support program.

Healthcare & Life Sciences
Digital Experience Platforms
Magnolia

therakey.de

The TheraKey from Berlin-Chemie is a pioneering project in the field of doctor-patient communication. Launched in 2012 as an information portal, with the help of IBM iX it soon developed into an individual therapy support program for a variety of chronic diseases.

The portal is continuously evolving – with the new generative AI chatbot ISA for example, which combines artificial intelligence and scientific data to provide personalised responses to questions about chronic lung disease (COPD). IBM iX has been monitoring the project since 2018 and was responsible for its relaunch in 2020.

A pioneering project in digital therapy support

 

Bild zeigt die TheraKey-Website mit integrierter Chat-Funktion

Orientation and support for patients

For many people, chronic disease is a part of everyday life. After the establishment of the internet, it soon became the primary source for advice and support, but the information can be difficult to assess and the sheer quantity of sources is overwhelming.
In addition, therapy for chronic diseases often suffers from a lack of adherence to therapy goals. Seizing the opportunity presented by digital tools, Berlin-Chemie made it its mission to support both patients and healthcare professionals with therapy options and validated, product-neutral information

A digital therapy support programme

The TheraKey from Berlin-Chemie is an innovative digital platform that provides patients, medical professionals and relatives with scientifically validated information to supports therapy management. Users simply enter a personal code and configure a profile to receive relevant information about their illness. TheraKey supports eight indicators, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes and asthma and COPD. The technology beding it is Magnolia, a powerful digital experience platform (DXP).

Tailored information and improved quality of life

Through this personalised portal, users receive information tailored to their specific illness. Protocols, tasks, quizzes and recipes keep users on track and simplify the work of medical professionals. This makes therapy support more effective and can improve the quality of life for patients and their relatives. New features are added to the portal continuously – for example, the generative AI chatbot ISA, which combines artificial intelligence and scientifically validated data to provide fast, direct answers about COPD.

ISA – a generative AI chatbot for effective COPD therapy support

Berlin-Chemie’s chatbot ISA (shot for “Intelligent Swift Assistant”) allows patients to ask specific questions about their illness and receive personalised answers according to their needs. It is based on generative AI and scientific data on COPD and can be used as a support in therapy.

Through the TheraKey patient portal, ISA has access to a comprehensive database which contains more than 720 articles on COPD. There are clear boundaries and guidelines in place to ensure the chatbot’s responses are accurate and relevant. Fine-tuning and precise pre-prompting also ensure the chatbot provides appropriate, well-founded information.

It provides patients with structured text paragraphs, using numbered lists and bullets, and highlighting important information in bold. At the end of each answer, ISA also adds helpful links to further articles, quizzes, PDFs and prescriptions in the Therakey patient portal, allowing patients to dive deeper into their medical issues. In addition, ISA can answer questions in eight different languages based on medically verified data and content, allowing patients to learn more about their chronic disease in their native language.

The makers of the app collaborated with the prestigious Frauenhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT to ensure it fulfils the highest data protection standards. No sensitive information is stored on the app.

„The combination of generative AI and scientific validated data enables a tailored therapy support, that has the potential of sustainably improving therapy assistance. With the help of IBM iX, we were able to develop a chatbot, that brings personalized therapy support to a new level.”
Jan Hulshoff Pol
Head of Digital Healthcare Marketing, Berlin-Chemie

TheraKey features at a glance

Personalisation from the outset

On a personalised homepage, users have access to high-quality, relevant and independent information. Patients receive recommendations based on the information they enter in their profile, although providing this information is voluntary and not a prerequisite for using TheraKey. Data protection standards were set according to current regulations with the help of the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology, IDMT.

Motivation through interaction

Through a variety of simple tasks, users are encouraged to explore the portal and discover new content. Progress tracking and personal feedback motivate users to keep using the app. Quizzes provide a fun way for patients to test the knowledge they have gained.

Guided therapy programmes

In 2024, a range of interactive content forms and features including a new audio player, specific tasks and quizzes were added for the 12-week-programme focusing on COPD. These features ensure a user-friendly, informative and visually appealing experience in the app.

Family and relatives section

In the section for family and relatives, a group of designated next-of-kin can access all information related to the TheraKey user’s therapy. Relatives get a quick overview and targeted information on issues around the illness. There are also practical aids on coping with life changes brought by the disease – because it is easier to overcome challenges together.

Professional section

The section for doctors offers quick access to all indications, patient tools and download-material through their own favourites and bookmarks. The stated goal is to improve doctor-patient-communication and to streamline processes in the doctor’s practice. There are also analogue and digital support materials related to TheraKey to assist the medical team.

TheraKey’s unique selling point

One outstanding unique selling point of the TheraKey portal from Berlin-Chemie is its exclusivity. In Germany, the company is the only provider in its industry that offers a free, comprehensive patient portal for chronically ill patients in this form.

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