Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Kaia Health Pilot Yields Positive Results in Back Pain Relief & Sleep Quality

I thought these results on this latest technology for back pain relief would be of great interest to my readers. "Wellesley, Massachusetts, August 2020 – Harvard Pilgrim Health Care today announced preliminary data out of its pilot program with Kaia Health, a digital therapeutics company whose app uses AI and motion-tracking technology to help individuals with back pain relief. The pilot offers Kaia Health’s app which provides hundreds of customized exercises for pain management to employees at three Harvard Pilgrim Health Care employer groups: the City of Lynn, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Jordan’s Furniture. “Our partnership with Kaia Health provides Harvard Pilgrim with an opportunity to test a unique digital program directly with our members,” said Michael Sherman, MD, chief medical officer at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.  “By providing access to non-opioid approaches to managing painful conditions, Harvard Pilgrim is seeking to help its members avoid prescriptions for opioids, which we know can lead to substance use disorder in some individuals.” Key metrics from the app, such as self-reported pain level and sleep quality, show the following as of July 2020:

• At start of using app, 80% of users show a clinically relevant impairment of movement
• Among those suffering the most from pain (more than 4 on a pain scale of 10), there has been a 40% decrease in pain level and a 58% increase in quality of sleep
• Among all users there has been a 35% decrease in pain level, 59% increase in quality of sleep, and 92% overall user satisfaction

"With Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, we have found a forward-thinking partner that deeply cares about the seamless integration of our solution into their clinical landscape, and providing excellent care for their members. We are excited about working together to serve their members," said Jonas Duss, US CEO and co-founder of Kaia Health. Designed by a team of doctors and experts, Kaia is a leading health-tech app with a growing subscription base of more than 450,000 users. About Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Harvard Pilgrim and its family of companies provide health benefit plans, programs and services to more than 3 million customers in New England and beyond. A leading not-for-profit health services company, we guide our members – and the communities we serve – to better health. Founded by doctors over 50 years ago, we’re building on our legacy. In partnership with our network of more than 70,000 doctors and 182 hospitals, we’re improving health outcomes and lowering costs through clinical quality and innovative care management.  Our commitment to the communities we serve is driven by the passion of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. Through its work, low- and moderate-income families are gaining greater access to fresh, affordable food — a cornerstone to better health and well-being. About Kaia Health  Kaia Health is a digital therapeutics company that creates accessible, evidence-based treatments for a range of disorders including back pain and COPD. Working with experts in various medical fields, the company uses technology such as machine learning algorithms to deliver individualized app interventions that aim to empower and motivate patients to take control and self-manage their condition with digital alternatives from their home using devices they already own (i.e., smartphones and tablets). Kaia Health has enrolled more than 450,000 users to-date in their digital therapy program. Kaia Health is a member of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA), an international non-profit trade association of industry leaders and stakeholders engaged in the evidence-driven advancement of digital therapeutics. Kaia Health is located in New York City. For more information about Kaia Health, visit www.kaiahealth.com. To learn more about Harvard Pilgrim, visit www.harvardpilgrim.org