Israeli company uses AI to help therapists spend less time writing notes and more time focusing on patients

Israeli company Eleos Health has developed AI tools to help therapists summarize patient sessions much more quickly and efficiently, freeing up time and attention for patients, according to reporting by Globes.

Eleos has already launched similar projects in English and Spanish, but the war showed that a Hebrew version was needed.

Eleos CEO and co-founder Alon Yoffe says that "until now, therapists went everywhere with a notebook, now they have a computer that automatically summarizes 80-90% of things immediately when the meeting ends...but the value is not just in saving time. Patients saw an improvement in symptoms, because therapists are much more present in the room. They don't need to write down everything or remember things."

The need for mental health treatment tools has become more acute since the massacre and the war, with exploding numbers of soldiers and civilians in need of help and treatment at various levels.

The Directorate of Defence Research & Development at the Defense Ministry has issued a call for technologies and treatments to help soldiers, families, and the army as a whole quickly diagnose and effectively treat post-battle PTSD, anxiety, and other related mental ailments.

As the call itself notes, this effort comes due to a surge in mental health issues arising from months of intensive combat in the Gaza Strip, and aims to treat the problems as quickly and effectively as possible.

The IDF has also developed an app containing a simple psychological test meant to help prevent soldiers from developing PTSD when they go into combat.

The idea is simple: soldiers who try and divert attention from threats are at a higher risk of developing PTSD, according to the Protective Edge study and subsequent replications.