Temple University and U.K.-based digital health company Aide Health have joined forces to develop a technology-enabled approach aimed at improving how patients with type 2 diabetes receive ongoing support outside traditional healthcare visits. The collaboration introduces My Health Aide, a digital health initiative designed to help patients manage chronic conditions through simple, accessible conversations while providing clinicians with additional insights to support better decision-making.
The partnership represents Aide Health’s first collaboration in the United States and brings together academic expertise, healthcare delivery experience, and digital innovation to explore new ways of supporting patients between primary care appointments. The initiative will be led by Janet Lee, assistant dean for clinical research and director of the Laboratory for Implementation and Dissemination Science at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, along with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers.
Digital support platform aims to improve diabetes management and patient engagement
The collaboration focuses on strengthening diabetes management by providing patients with continuous support beyond the physician’s office. Through the My Health Aide platform, patients will receive regular guidance related to medication adherence, condition monitoring, and access to trusted health information. The approach is designed to address one of the biggest challenges in chronic disease care: ensuring patients receive timely support between routine healthcare visits.
Aide Health’s platform was developed specifically for communities that often face barriers to accessing healthcare resources. Instead of relying on complex digital tools, the system uses a simple conversation-based interface that allows patients to interact with the technology in a familiar way. The company said the platform requires minimal data access and is designed to remain usable for individuals with limited digital experience or inconsistent internet connectivity.
The need for more effective chronic disease support remains significant. At Temple Health, diabetes affects approximately 20% of the outpatient population, creating a large patient group that requires continuous monitoring, education, and assistance. While primary care providers play a central role in managing diabetes, healthcare organizations are increasingly exploring additional solutions that can help patients maintain healthier routines outside clinical environments.
The new initiative will initially be introduced across two Temple Health primary care practices where diabetes prevalence is high. Researchers will evaluate whether digital conversations and personalized support can improve medication adherence, glycemic control, and overall patient engagement. The program will also examine how healthcare providers interact with the information generated through the platform and whether it can support more proactive interventions.
Janet Lee said the partnership reflects the importance of creating healthcare technology that is designed around patient needs rather than adding complexity to their care journey. She highlighted that Aide Health’s focus on accessibility and simplicity aligns with the needs of underserved populations, including patients who experience challenges related to social determinants of health.
The platform is intended to support both patients and clinicians. For patients, daily interactions can provide reminders, educational resources, and encouragement to stay engaged with their treatment plans. For healthcare teams, the technology can offer additional visibility into patient progress, helping identify individuals who may require earlier support or follow-up.
Temple and Aide Health explore future of technology-enabled chronic care
Beyond improving individual patient outcomes, the partnership reflects a broader shift within healthcare toward technology-supported models that extend care beyond hospitals and clinics. As healthcare systems face rising chronic disease burdens and increasing demand for efficient care delivery, digital health solutions are becoming an important part of strategies focused on prevention and long-term disease management.
Aide Health said its platform was created to support patients who may struggle with traditional healthcare access models. The company emphasized that the technology was designed for diverse populations, including older adults and individuals living in areas with limited connectivity. This focus on usability is expected to be a key factor in determining adoption and long-term effectiveness.
The collaboration between Temple University, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and Aide Health was developed through Temple’s Innovation Nest (iNest), a startup incubator and research commercialization center that connects academic researchers with technology companies. The initiative later received support through Independence Blue Cross’ 2026 Clinical Care Innovation Grant program.
Through the partnership, researchers will study how artificial intelligence-supported healthcare tools can be integrated into everyday clinical workflows while maintaining patient trust and physician oversight. The goal is not to replace healthcare professionals but to provide additional resources that help improve communication, monitoring, and decision-making.
The collaboration comes at a time when healthcare organizations are increasingly investing in digital approaches to address chronic disease challenges. Conditions such as type 2 diabetes require continuous engagement, lifestyle adjustments, and regular monitoring, making them suitable areas for technology-supported care models.
By combining Temple’s clinical research capabilities with Aide Health’s digital platform, the organizations aim to create evidence around how conversational technology can support better healthcare outcomes. If successful, the program could provide a model for expanding similar approaches across other chronic conditions and healthcare settings.
The initiative highlights the growing role of partnerships between academic institutions and digital health companies in developing practical solutions for modern healthcare challenges. As healthcare systems continue moving toward more connected and patient-centered models, collaborations like this may help shape the future of chronic disease care delivery.
