A new approach to prevention: digital health checks at scale

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Preventive healthcare is one of the biggest challenges facing Latin America. Chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes are rising rapidly, yet access to early detection and continuous monitoring remains limited.

In Mexico, diabetes now affects around 16% of adults, which translates to more than 13 million people. It is the second leading cause of death in the country, and the public health system spends an estimated US $708 per patient annually on treatment, amounting to hundreds of millions each year. The situation is similar in Argentina, where diabetes prevalence is around 14%, equal to about 4.3 million adults, and the economic burden is roughly USD 1,775–1,809 per patient each year, depending on whether they are treated in the public social security or private healthcare system. 

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Against this backdrop, VivaWell and Shen AI have partnered to deliver digital-first, clinically relevant health monitoring that can scale to millions - starting in Mexico and Argentina, where VivaWell already serves over 150,000 people.

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As Eduardo Iglesias, Founder & CEO of VivaWell, explains:

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"We created a care pathway that includes data from different sources, and Shen AI is one of the steps we use to get precise diagnosis. We are convinced that artificial intelligence is transforming Health Care and its current and future results depend on the combination of Health and Data Science with the on-the-ground experience. AI allows to detect risk earlier at a fraction of the cost. This is the reason why Shen AI and VivaWell working together are a very powerful partnership."

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Remi Koscielny, co-founder & CEO of Shen AI, added:

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"We have the same vision with Eduardo, we are both convinced that our two companies working together have the potential to create a huge impact in health prevention. Today we are transforming the way that thousand soon millions across in Latin America can understand their  health situation and take action."

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The challenge: scaling prevention in LATAM

The statistics underline how urgent the challenge is. Diabetes alone is responsible for billions in healthcare spending in Mexico and Argentina, with similar trends across the region. Despite this, prevention and early detection often remain inaccessible or underutilized, especially outside large urban centers.

VivaWell’s mission is to change that by combining digital platforms with provider networks and corporate health programs. The team was looking for a way to integrate efficient, non-invasive health checks into their ecosystem without relying solely on wearables or clinics.

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The partnership

Shen AI’s SDK provided exactly what VivaWell needed: fast, contactless health monitoring that fits into web and mobile platforms. With just a 30-second face scan, users can check vital signs like heart rate, HRV, breathing rate, and stress - no devices, no wires, no extra appointments.

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This capability allows VivaWell to:

- Expand preventive health services across large populations

- Integrate digital health checks into annual exams and corporate programs

- Support early risk detection at scale, particularly for chronic conditions

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Eduardo highlights the complementarity:

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"Shen AI helps us get accurate readings in the moment, while we continue with lab tests and medical visits when needed. It’s not replacing - it’s enhancing."

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Implementation and user experience

Integrating Shen AI into VivaWell’s digital platform was smooth and well supported. The SDK allowed easy deployment across both web and native apps.

Eduardo shared:

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"The integration process using the SDK was quite easy to use and had very good support from Shen’s technical team. After performing thousands of face scans, we can confirm that the user experience is intuitive."

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By making the health check quick and effortless, VivaWell lowered barriers for both individuals and employers to adopt preventive screening.

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Outcomes and impact

The partnership is already showing results. VivaWell is providing digital health services to more than 150,000 people across Mexico and Argentina, and the numbers continue to grow.

With Shen AI embedded, VivaWell is:

- Increasing engagement in preventive health checks

- Offering scalable, cost-efficient monitoring to employers

- Building the foundation for large-scale chronic disease pre-screening

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Eduardo sees a particularly big opportunity in diabetes prevention:

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"If we can bring this to millions of people for a fraction of the cost, the impact is huge - not just for health, but for the economy."

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The human side of partnership

Beyond the numbers, VivaWell values the close collaboration with Shen AI. Eduardo notes the trust and direct communication with Shen AI’s founders as key to success:

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"Our partnership with Shen AI has enormous potential, they understand our needs, respond quickly, and we’re aligned on the same vision."

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Looking ahead

VivaWell and Shen AI share the belief that prevention should be accessible, affordable, and part of everyday life. Together, they are proving that digital health can deliver at scale - not by replacing existing care, but by enhancing it.

The partnership is set to expand further, bringing preventive health checks to even broader populations across Latin America and beyond.

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