According to the World Health Organization, approximately ten percent of all people infected with the coronavirus are affected by post-COVID-19 conditions. In Germany, this figure is around 1 million people, and in the European Union, it is approximately 18 to 20 million.
Currently, providing care for these patients is challenging due to the wide range of symptoms and the necessary complex and interdisciplinary collaboration. With the new consortium project "SymptomAI," the University Hospital Marburg (UKGM), the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM), and the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) are developing a digitally supported care structure for post-COVID patients. The "SymptomAI" project is funded with a total of approximately €1 million from the Distr@l funding program of the Hessian Ministry for Digitalization and Innovation, as well as from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 21+.
“This project creates a solution that puts patients at the center, shortens pathways, and enables needs-based care. Digital technologies thus create real added value for people. Thanks to ‘SymtpomAI,’ the combination of modern AI methods with medical expertise sets new standards in the care of post-COVID patients,” says Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus.
Post-COVID syndrome refers to health problems that persist for weeks or months after a COVID-19 infection, or that arise for the first time. Due to the wide range of possible symptoms, medical classification is often difficult, and many affected individuals seek guidance within the healthcare system. Early, structured diagnostics are crucial to ensure patients receive appropriate treatment more quickly. The core of the "SymptomAI" project is a digital interaction platform that, for the first time, systematically connects outpatient routine care with specialized treatment structures. It serves as a central digital point of contact, consolidating information, supporting medical assessments, and coordinating care pathways.
“Post-COVID manifests itself very differently, which often makes medical classification difficult. The platform enables a structured digital preliminary assessment and helps patients to find the right point of contact more quickly,” explains project manager Prof. Dr. Birgit Markus, Senior Consultant in the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine at UKGM.
The digital interaction platform forms the central element of the project and integrates a web-based application, a mobile app, and sensor-based applications. Patients can use it to continuously document their health status, record symptoms, and stay in contact with their treating physicians. Supplementary data from wearables such as smartwatches provide insights into activity and sleep patterns, as well as the course of the illness in everyday life, and support a more individualized medical assessment. Accompanying training courses and exchange formats further promote close collaboration between research, primary care, and specialized treatment. The project is initially running as a pilot phase at the University Hospital of Marburg until May 2027; if the trial is successful, a regional expansion of the care concept is planned.
The “SymptomAI” project is supported by an interdisciplinary consortium of medicine, computer science, and digital health research in Central Hesse. The University Hospital and the University of Marburg are responsible for clinical diagnostics, care, and patient-centered research. The Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen under the direction of Prof. Dr. Volker Groß, is developing the digital platform architecture, including mobile applications and user-centered interaction concepts. The Institute for Medical Informatics at Justus Liebig University Giessen (Prof. Dr. Keywan Sohrabi) contributes its expertise in AI-supported data analysis, data integration, and data protection. Together, the partners pursue the goal of sustainably integrating digital technologies into the care of people in the post-COVID era.