Chennai doctors leveraging AI to monitor patients outside hospital, launches iLive Connect

A doctor-led, AI-enabled healthcare ecosystem has launched in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This marks a strategic step to expand its presence in southern India while strengthening preventive care.

It is designed to extend medical supervision beyond traditional hospital settings. It focuses on improving outcomes for patients with chronic conditions, reducing the likelihood of disease progression, and lowering the risk of sudden cardiac events.

The ecosystem is based on iLive Connect, a small wireless biosensor patch combined with a wearable wristband that monitors vital parameters like heart activity and blood pressure in real time. Patient data is tracked 24x7 by a team of experienced doctors at a remote command centre, who promptly alert patients and their families if any abnormalities are detected.

The launch event in Chennai was attended by around 40 doctors, including Dr Thillai Vallal, Managing Director of Venkateswara Hospitals; Dr M.A. Raja, Director and Senior Consultant in Medical Oncology at MGM Healthcare; Dr Amit Kumar, a critical care physician; Dr Prashanth Krishna, Managing Director of Prashanth Group of Hospitals; and Dr Manoj Sivarama Krishnan, Senior Interventional Cardiologist at Kavery Hospital.   

Dr Rahul Chandola, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon and founder of iLive said that the platform will gradually launch in other southern states as well. Highlighting the urgency of such solutions, he noted that India faces a significant cardiovascular burden, with approximately 8,000 deaths occurring daily due to heart disease. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 heart attacks occur each day, with 3,000 to 5,000 resulting in fatalities, often without prior warning.   

Dr Chandola emphasised that traditional, symptom-driven approaches to care are increasingly proving insufficient, particularly as cardiac conditions are now frequently detected in younger and asymptomatic individuals. In response, clinicians are turning to continuous monitoring platforms like iLive Connect, which enable real-time tracking of physiological parameters and early detection of potential risks.

According to Dr Chandola, continuous monitoring across more than 1,000 patients has demonstrated the ability to detect subclinical and transient abnormalities that may be missed during conventional episodic evaluations.

"Realtime physiological data allows earlier recognition of cardiac instability, enabling timely intervention and potentially preventing acute events," he said.

Dr Viveka Kumar, co-founder of iLive Connect and a senior cardiologist, described the platform as an extension of clinical care beyond hospital walls. It allows doctors to remotely monitor patients and make informed, data-driven decisions even in non-hospital settings.

A notable feature of the system is its multi-day heart health screening capability, which is particularly beneficial for individuals without visible symptoms. By continuously assessing patients over five to seven days in real-world conditions, the platform captures a wide range of cardiac and systemic data, helping identify intermittent or stress-related abnormalities.

This approach offers a more comprehensive health profile compared to single-point diagnostic tests, supporting early risk assessment and preventive care strategies.

The technology also addresses a critical gap in the post-discharge phase, especially during the first two to four weeks when patients remain vulnerable.

Continuous monitoring during this period enables early detection of deterioration and facilitates timely clinical intervention, potentially reducing readmissions.

"Such systems ensure continuity of care and help minimize unrecognized complications during recovery," Chandola noted.

Beyond cardiac care, the platform is being used in the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, he said.

It is also proving beneficial for geriatric patients, particularly those living independently, by providing ongoing physiological monitoring and access to medical support, Dr Kumar said.