Bia Health Secures $2.15 Million to Cut Low-Value Medical Care
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The Québec startup is deploying an AI assistant to help clinicians avoid unnecessary diagnostic tests and interventions.
Québec City-based Bia Health has raised $2.15 million CAD to scale its AI assistant, designed to help healthcare providers determine diagnostic plans and reduce low-value care. According to reporting from BetaKit, the funding includes $1.4 million in debt from Montréal-based Finalta Capital, with equity led by Anges Québec and participation from Desjardins via its Startup en résidence program.
Bia Health CEO and co-founder Anne-Sophie Paquet told BetaKit that the company aims to reduce unnecessary interventions, imaging, and referrals, which she estimates represent 30 percent of healthcare in Canada. The AI tool is intended to provide evidence-based recommendations to help clinicians apply medical knowledge at the point of care, rather than replacing clinical judgment. The company claims that widespread adoption in primary care could save Québec up to $100 million annually.
Bia Health is currently executing a six-month pilot program with Santé Québec in the Capitale-Nationale – Universitaire region. This test involves 100 clinicians specializing in musculoskeletal care, including conditions such as bone fractures and osteoarthritis. Paquet noted that the company is focusing on this category to establish a market foothold before expanding.
While the company is starting in its home province, it intends to enter the U.S. market. BetaKit highlighted a study from the Journal of the American College of Radiology indicating that unnecessary medical imaging costs the U.S. healthcare system approximately $12 billion USD ($17 billion CAD) each year. Paquet stated that Bia Health is an established enterprise currently generating $500,000 in annual recurring revenue.