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New York-based virtual care company Teladoc launched a new platform to help hospitals and health systems combat workplace violence.
Clarity monitoring includes AI-enabled software, hardware and services that allow teams to monitor care settings and direct them to the appropriate resources.
The offering serves multiple use cases, including virtual sitting and now virtual workplace safety innovation.
Clarity utilizes video and audio clues to study facial expressions, recognize threatening gestures and identify aggressive language.
In addition, as an incident escalates, Clarity provides intelligent, timely notifications to the relevant care teams and staff, enabling early intervention.
The platform actively identifies specific safety risks, including someone who might be aggressively stepping into a nurse’s space or meddling with medical equipment.
According to Teladoc, Clarity will be implemented in select hospitals and health systems in Q1 2026.
"The pace of adoption doesn't always match the pace of innovation. As with any transformative technology, the pace of adoption must be at a speed of trust," Andy Puterbaugh, president of hospital and health systems for Teladoc Health, told MobiHealthNews.
"Our devices and technology are already trusted in thousands of hospital rooms to deliver value, from virtual sitting to virtual consults. Adding this new capability allows us to build on that trust, leveraging AI-enabled capabilities to empower earlier intervention and improve the safety of everyone in the hospital room."
THE LARGER TREND
In August, Teladoc acquired Telecare, a company that offers virtual care services in Australia.
Telecare's network consists of more than 200 specialists in 30 specialties.
Teladoc had a presence in Australia prior to the acquisition. It provided virtual health services through insurers and hospitals, including a virtual neonatology solution at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and a virtual telesurgery support system with Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service.
In February, Teladoc signed a definitive agreement to acquire virtual preventative care company Catapult Health in an all-cash deal worth $65 million.
The deal included an additional $5 million in contingent earnout consideration which meant Teladoc agreed to pay additional cash or provide equity interests to Catapult should certain events occur after the sale.
Teladoc said the acquisition supported its integrated care segment strategy, which includes growing its members and services, expanding internationally and advancing its mental health offerings.
In 2024, Teladoc partnered with pediatric virtual behavioral health company Brightline to extend mental healthcare options for children, adolescents and their families via Teladoc's platform.
Through the partnership, members under 18 and their caregivers can utilize Brightline's mental healthcare offerings for a broad range of conditions via Teladoc's virtual "front door."
Teladoc previously offered services to people 13 years and older. Thanks to the partnership, its offerings have expanded to include virtual mental healthcare services for people to 13.
