Company Interview / PainChek using AI to cut care dependency

Key points:

Independent Scottish trial shows PainChek app cuts care dependency by up to 27% Projected UK health system savings of up to $134 million annually PainChek (ASX:PCK) targets global expansion, including imminent US entry Over 110,000 aged care beds under contract worldwide

Australian medtech firm PainChek (ASX:PCK) is gaining traction in the UK aged care sector after a successful trial in Scotland. Philip Daffas, from PainChek, states that the company’s pain assessment app resulted in up to a 27% reduction in dependency and care needs, alongside a significant decrease in medication use among aged care residents. The Scottish evaluation forecasts potential annual savings of up to $134 million for the healthcare system, with the findings currently being reviewed by the Scottish Government for possible reimbursement and roll-out across all 38,000 aged care beds in Scotland.

Daffas points out that 80% of aged care residents live with chronic pain, and 60% cannot reliably verbalise it. PainChek’s technology, cleared in multiple global markets, uses AI to analyse facial expressions on smart devices, generating automated pain scores. The approach reportedly reduced the risk of falls and long-term hospital stays, with projected national cost savings split between falls prevention and lower dependency scores.

PainChek recently expanded with a new infant product using both facial and vocal assessments, aiming to enhance accuracy. The company has more than 110,000 beds under contract in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, and is targeting the US aged care market, emphasising cost reduction and improved patient outcomes as key drivers for government funding and future growth.