Healthleap, a South African startup, has secured $38 million to develop AI that flags hospital patients at risk of undiagnosed conditions. By combing through patient records, the platform spots signs of malnutrition, delirium, and other illnesses before they worsen. Its customers include major hospitals like Penn Medicine and Cedars-Sinai, and the software promises a 5x return on investment. With its expanding capabilities, Healthleap aims to cover over 40 major health conditions and move into outpatient care.

The company's approach is to analyze patients' medical records, focusing on notes and lab results. Every night, the system runs through every adult inpatient's file, looking for tell-tale signs of malnutrition, weight loss, and other issues. In the morning, the care team gets a risk score and additional information to help them prioritize. For example, Healthleap's malnutrition program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania resulted in $23.8 million in savings, mostly from shorter hospital stays.

Healthleap's CEO, Josiah Meyer, says the startup has grown significantly, from three hospital partners to over 50 in a year. The company is using the latest funding to expand its product and further its mission to improve patient care. Its next step is to add more conditions and support outpatient and home care. With the potential to catch illnesses early, Healthleap could revolutionize how hospitals manage patients.