Our Story — SureAdhere

About Us

Our Founding

Our journey began in 2009 when a group of innovative researchers at the University of California San Diego embarked on a groundbreaking journey. Collaborating closely with tuberculosis programs in California and Baja California, Mexico, they pioneered the world's first-ever video directly observed therapy (VDOT) intervention. Over the course of six years, the UCSD team meticulously evaluated this innovative approach before spinning off our technology into a social enterprise known as SureAdhere

Learn our story

The Early Days

Our mission was to make VDOT technology readily available for tuberculosis programs across the globe. Working closely with TB providers in resource-limited settings, we embarked on a journey to contextualize VDOT for regions with low connectivity.

Through this collaborative effort, we developed a set of best practices aimed at assisting National TB Programs in successfully implementing VDOT in their programs.

Our collective efforts with TB providers led to a pivotal milestone in 2017 when the World Health Organization (WHO) conditionally approved VDOT as a replacement for Directly Observed Therapy (DOT).

To further validate the effectiveness of VOT The CDC conducted a study comparing VOT to DOT using the SureAdhere platform. The results of this study, combined with the wealth of evidence accumulated since 2010, led the WHO to strengthen its Video Supported Treatment (VST) guidelines.

Joining Forces with Dimagi

In March 2023, coinciding with World TB Day, the CDC published a significant article endorsing VDOT as a comparable alternative to in-person DOT. This endorsement reaffirms the effectiveness and viability of VDOT as a valuable treatment method for tuberculosis.
Our platform played a vital role in conducting the groundbreaking research that led to these remarkable advancements.

In March 2022, SureAdhere achieved another significant milestone. We were acquired by Dimagi, a leader in high-impact digital health solutions. This acquisition further expands Dimagi's portfolio, allowing them to offer a comprehensive range of virtual care platforms.
Together, we are accelerating progress toward Dimagi's vision of a world where
everyone has access to essential services for a thriving life.

As a proud member of the Dimagi family, we are excited about the opportunities this partnership brings. It allows us to combine our expertise and resources to create an even greater impact in the field of healthcare. With Dimagi's support, we are well-positioned to continue our mission of transforming healthcare delivery and improving outcomes for individuals worldwide.

Continued Validation

In March 2023, coinciding with World TB Day, the CDC published a significant article endorsing VDOT as a comparable alternative to in-person DOT. This endorsement reaffirms the effectiveness and viability of VDOT as a valuable treatment method for tuberculosis.

Our platform played a vital role in conducting the groundbreaking research that led to these remarkable advancements.

Our Journey

Leadership

Dr. Collins, a trained Global Public Health expert from the University of San Diego, was a key member of the research team who evaluated VDOT worldwide. Her focus has been on developing & evaluating digital health interventions among vulnerable populations in the U.S. and Mexico.
As a social entrepreneur and infectious disease epidemiologist, Kelly’s career mission has been to support the implementation and scale of evidence-based, high-impact digital health interventions globally. Kelly is the former CEO and Co-Founder of SureAdhere Mobile Technology. Kelly’s 12+ years of experience evaluating digital adherence interventions across 5 continents and 25 countries has resulted in 29 publications, 9 of which she co-authored as an independent researcher prior to the incorporation of SureAdhere. Additionally, as a testament to Kelly’s commitment to building a strong evidence base for digital health interventions which affect global policy decisions, Kelly led SureAdhere while the company supported the implementation of two randomized controlled trials evaluating video observed therapy for TB treatment adherence published in the Lancet and JAMA Open – studies which informed WHO treatment guidelines for TB in 2017 and 2022.