Wellnotes: September/October 2022
Welcome to WellNotes!
WellNotes, our Wellinks monthly newsletter, aims to spark new conversations across the digital and respiratory health communities and serve as a trusted hub for all things COPD.
We are taking a data-driven approach to virtual-first, integrated COPD care, and our team has been focused on efforts to expand the evidence base and inform continued improvements to COPD care. We recently released interim results from our ASPIRE clinical study with the COPD Foundation and announced a new study with UMass Chan School of Medicine focused on virtual care’s impact on clinical outcomes and the total cost of care for people with COPD.
We’re dedicated to encouraging broader discussion and awareness of COPD. Recently, our executive team published opinion pieces in Modern Healthcare and Fierce Healthcare offering unique perspectives on the future of value-based care and how virtual care can ease care transitions. We hope that sharing our thoughts on these important topics will help open the floor for more discussions and progress.
Happy reading!
Wellinks News and Updates
Wellinks President Honored in Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty”
In August, Wellinks President and Chief Commercial Officer Geoff Matous was honored as one of Hartford Business Journal’s 2022 “40 Under Forty” leaders. Recognized for his long-standing leadership in the health care space and role in developing Wellinks as a leader in COPD care, Matous has played an integral part in driving growth and furthering Wellinks’ mission. Learn more about Geoff and see the full list of 2022 honorees here.
Wellinks Announces Collaboration with the UMass Chan School of Medicine
This month, Wellinks announced a six-month collaboration with the UMass Chan School of Medicine on the Healthy at Home COPD care program. This COPD care program will consist of an in-depth evaluation of virtual care’s feasibility, as well as its impact on patient-reported outcomes, healthcare utilization, and total medical expenditure. Stay tuned for results and read more about the collaboration here!
Announcing Interim Results of the ASPIRE Clinical Trial
The ASPIRE clinical trial, conducted in collaboration with the COPD Foundation, aims to assess the impact of Wellinks digital health solutions on quality-of-life, health care resource utilization, and participant satisfaction. With 141 enrolled members participating to date, the below findings reflect the first half of the 24-week program.
Learn more and read the full interim findings here.
More From Our Team
Geoff Matous: Virtual Care Should Address Transition Points in our Fragmented System, Fierce Healthcare
“As the healthcare industry adapts, we must thoughtfully implement digital technology at every step and every transition in the care journey to create the connective tissue that makes patient-centered, team-based care a reality.” Read more from Wellinks’ President and Chief Commercial Officer, Geoff Matous, and Digital Medicine Society’s IMPACT Program Director, Linette Demers.
Dr. Abi Sundaramoorthy: Value-Based Care Starts at the Bedside, Modern Healthcare
“What I was suffering from was the moral injury of knowing what my patients needed but not having the training to fit this into the construct of the business, the resources needed to accomplish it or the incentives aligned to support it. So I ultimately found my way to what felt like the beginning of a solution to this phenomenon: Value-Based Care, which I like to think of as Patient-Based Care.” Read more from Wellinks’ Chief Medical Officer Dr. Abi Sundaramoorthy in Modern Healthcare about her experience as a provider, which led her to advocate for value-based care.
Looking Ahead - Wellinks Chief Medical Officer to Speak at Becker’s Event
On October 5-6, 2022, Wellinks’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Abi Sundaramoorthy, will speak on two panels at the Becker’s Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Annual Meeting. We look forward to hearing her perspectives on partnership strategies for long-term financial stability, data transparency, and interoperability. Learn more and register for the event here.
What We're Reading
Geoff Matous - President and Chief Commerical Officer
"I was excited to see the publication of this much-anticipated research by Dr Chris Mosher and his colleagues at Duke Clinical Research Institute. This puts the spotlight on the value of pulmonary rehabilitation and provides a clear call to action to expand and improve access to these programs. We believe rethinking the model and incorporating virtual care can play an important role here."
Heather Pfeiffer - Director of Growth Marketing
“Dr. Benzo’s research is noteworthy in establishing that health coaching and remote monitoring have significant positive impacts on those living with COPD. However, the study does not specifically take note of the beneficial human connection with health coaches. Often, those living with COPD can feel isolated. Human contact through virtual health coaching is an important factor in their COPD journey.”
Stephanie Willard - Clinical Operations Lead
"For COPD patients managed by their primary care provider, 38% experienced at least one exacerbation in the last 12 months, despite 88% receiving some form of pharmacological maintenance therapy for their COPD. These results may suggest that more focus on nonpharmacologic treatment options such as health coaching, lifestyle modification, and exercise, is needed to reduce the symptom burden commonly experienced in this population."
Nickole Hackney - Pulmonary Rehabilitation Lead
“Virtual respiratory therapy has a valuable opportunity to increase care access for those patients who can’t otherwise reach care in these remote regions. However, virtual care isn’t enough. Often, those living with COPD can feel isolated. Human contact through virtual health coaching is an important factor in their COPD journey.”
Connect with us
Get to know us on Twitter @wellinkshealth or Send us an email to [email protected]