After more than three decades in the technology industry—and over 20 years devoted specifically to health care and behavioral health technology innovation—Todd Haedrich brings a wealth of experience, empathy, and vision to his newest role as CEO of Oxehealth. His career has been defined by a commitment to solving complex problems with cutting-edge solutions, and when the opportunity to lead Oxehealth came calling, he knew it wasn’t just another job offer. It was a mission.
“I’d been leading a digital health startup in the U.S.,” Haedrich explains, “and I got a call about Oxehealth’s CEO role while I was in the UK. The initial pitch caught my attention immediately: breakthrough technology combined with the ability to make a difference in an underserved part of healthcare. It was incredibly compelling.”
For Haedrich, this wasn’t just a matter of professional curiosity—it was deeply personal. “Like too many of us, my family was tragically touched by the impact of poor mental health,” he shared. “It’s heartbreaking. And it fuels my belief that we have a responsibility to do better. What’s wonderful about Oxehealth is that we’re in a unique position to help prevent self-harm and address many of the challenges that behavioral health has faced for years. I’m proud—truly proud—to lead this company.”
A History of Being Left Behind: Why Behavioral Health Tech Lags Behind
To understand the importance of Oxehealth’s work, it’s important to understand the problem it’s solving. Behavioral health technology innovation has historically been underserved not just in terms of funding or resources—but in innovation.
“A major turning point in healthcare technology was the HITECH Act of 2009,” Haedrich explains. “It drove enormous innovation in general healthcare by incentivizing the adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). But behavioral health was left out of that act. And that decision set the field back by years.”
While hospitals and primary care practices embraced digital transformation, behavioral health facilities—already operating with thinner margins and limited infrastructure—were excluded from that same wave of support. The result? A decade or more of stagnation in behavioral health technology innovation.
“Technology and innovation in this space are at least ten years behind where they should be,” says Haedrich. “It’s a travesty. But it’s also an opportunity. At Oxehealth, we’re making it our mission to close that gap—to be the tip of the spear for behavioral health technology innovation. Because this industry, and the people it serves, deserve better.”
A Contactless Revolution: The Power of Passive Patient Monitoring
At the core of Oxehealth’s offering is a truly transformative idea: contactless, medical-grade patient monitoring. Traditionally, if a clinician needed to track a patient’s vital signs—like heart rate or breathing—they had to use wearable devices or perform manual checks. That process can be disruptive, especially in behavioral health settings where maintaining a calming environment is essential.
Oxehealth’s platform turns that approach on its head. Using advanced computer vision and signal processing technologies, the system allows clinicians to capture vital signs without touching the patient—a completely passive, FDA-cleared approach that can be integrated seamlessly into existing care environments.
“This is about more than just convenience,” Haedrich emphasizes. “It’s about dignity, safety, and accuracy. In many behavioral health settings, clinicians are essentially working blind. Our platform provides them with objective data in real time, without disturbing or upsetting the patient. That’s incredibly powerful.”
But it goes beyond vital signs. The system also assesses patient activity—providing situational awareness that helps care teams detect distress, agitation, or potential risks before they escalate. This feature underscores the power of behavioral health technology innovation in giving clinicians more tools to make informed decisions.
“Think of how impactful that is,” Haedrich says. “A clinician can know what’s going on in a room, even if they’re not physically present. And that awareness—delivered passively and respectfully—means better, faster interventions when they matter most.”
Safety, Trust, and Results: The Data Behind Oxehealth’s Impact
For any new health technology to succeed, it must prove itself not just in theory, but in the real world—with patients and providers alike. Oxehealth has done just that.
“We talk to our customers constantly,” Haedrich shares. “We want to know: is this working? Are outcomes improving? Do patients feel safer? Are clinicians more empowered?”
The answer, according to the data, is a resounding yes:
- 90% of clinicians say the platform helps them deliver better care.
- More than 80% of patients report feeling safer with the system in place.
- And in one partner hospital, the platform was directly credited with helping staff intervene and prevent 30 self-harm incidents in a single year.
“These aren’t just numbers,” says Haedrich. “They’re lives. They represent people who were kept safe, clinicians who were able to respond more effectively, and families who were spared trauma. This is the real-world impact of behavioral health technology innovation.”
Unlocking the Value of Sleep in Mental Health Treatment
Another innovation recently introduced by Oxehealth is its new sleep monitoring module, which has also received FDA clearance. It’s an advancement that may seem simple at first—but it’s profoundly important.
“If you’ve ever spent time in a behavioral health ward,” Haedrich notes, “you know that one of the first questions a clinician asks in the morning is, ‘How did the patient sleep?’ Because sleep tells you so much about a person’s well-being.”
Until now, though, there was no way to track that sleep without disturbing the patient—either through observation or wearable devices. Oxehealth’s module changes that entirely.
“Our technology can now tell you how long a patient slept and when they slept, all without any contact,” he explains. “That gives clinicians objective, reliable insight into recovery and stability. It’s one more way we’re empowering better care—and it represents a key piece of behavioral health technology innovation that can truly transform outcomes.”
Entering the U.S. Market: The Oxehealth Innovator Program
While Oxehealth has already made a name for itself in the UK—where it works with half of the NHS providers and is considered a standard of care—the company is only just beginning its journey in the United States. And it’s looking for partners who are eager to shape the future.
That’s where the Oxehealth Innovator Program comes in.
“This program is our way of building meaningful partnerships with behavioral health providers here in the States,” says Haedrich. “We’re looking for forward-thinking organizations who want to explore what’s possible with this technology—and who want to work with us to make it even better.”
Participants in the Innovator Program will get early access to the technology, as well as the opportunity to collaborate directly with Oxehealth’s product teams. They’ll help shape how the platform evolves to meet the unique demands of U.S. care environments—and some may even join Oxehealth’s U.S. Advisory Board.
“This isn’t just about pilot programs,” Haedrich says. “It’s about building something transformational, together. This is the future of behavioral health technology innovation.”
Looking Ahead: A Defining Year for Behavioral Health Innovation
When asked to complete the sentence, “The behavioral health industry in 2024 will be the year of…”, Haedrich doesn’t hesitate:
“Accelerating innovation and true recognition that we need to support the entire care journey of a mental health patient—from hospital to home—with better tools and technology.”
That vision is more than aspirational—it’s actionable. And with leaders like Todd Haedrich at the helm and companies like Oxehealth pushing the envelope of behavioral health technology innovation, the future of behavioral health care looks more intelligent, more compassionate, and more effective than ever before.
