CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When people with Crohn’s disease worked together with their gastroenterologists to detect and address worsening symptoms sooner – using SonarMD’s care coordination solution – they were more likely to stay out of the hospital. This reduced the annual medical cost for each person by $6,500, according to research presented today at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2019 in San Diego.
This study was the result of a research partnership between SonarMD and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. In the 24-month cohort study, researchers compared a group of 176 Crohn’s disease patients who were enrolled in SonarMD’s solution to a matched control group that was not.
“Those savings come from avoided hospitalizations and outpatient visits," said Dr. Lawrence Kosinski, a practicing gastroenterologist and SonarMD’s founder and CMO. "This study proves that SonarMD’s care coordination solution can lead to significant cost savings for patient populations with high-beta conditions, like Crohn’s disease."
High-beta conditions are symptomatic, chronic, and likely to deteriorate rapidly – leading to complications, hospitalizations and highly variable per capita costs. These conditions are often treated with high-cost therapeutics, such as specialty drugs.
“SonarMD is starting in inflammatory bowel disease, but our solution could easily expand into other high-beta conditions where there’s room to improve on care, cost, and outcomes,” added Dr. Kosinski.
SonarMD contracts with payers to work directly with sub-specialists in their network to provide value-based care for patients with high-beta conditions.
“The results of this research study demonstrate how an innovative approach to patient engagement and monitoring can improve access to care, health outcomes and affordability,” said Dr. Derek Robinson, vice president and chief medical officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “We’re inspired by the study’s positive results and will continue to support value creating solutions that help patients achieve their best possible state of health.”
SonarMD’s clinical staff uses technology to connect with patients, calculate risk, and coordinate care. SonarMD regularly pings patients with clinical questions they can respond to via text, email or phone call. Using those responses, SonarMD calculates a Sonar Score that correlates with symptom intensity. SonarMD tracks the score over time to determine which patients are at risk of deteriorating and then work with the patient’s care team to intervene when necessary.
“As a Crohn’s patient, I don’t always recognize when my body is trying to tell me something because I think my symptoms are just par for the course,” said Tami Speten, a patient who uses SonarMD. “I was once called into my gastroenterologist’s office because of my Sonar Score. We quickly learned my blood and iron counts were dangerously low. I had no idea I was so sick. If it weren’t for SonarMD, I would have most likely ended up in the hospital. This technology really helps to guide me through my illness and has strengthened my relationship with my doctor.”
NOTE TO REPORTERS ATTENDING DDW:
Session Title: Inflammatory Bowel Disease I
Session Sponsor: AGA
Session
Date and Time: May 19, 2019 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Presentation
Title: REDUCTION IN COSTS OF CARE IN PATIENTS WITH CROHN'S DISEASE IN A
COMMUNITY PRACTICE-BASED MEDICAL HOME OVER TWO YEARS: A PROPENSITY SCORE
MATCHED COHORT ANALYSIS
Poster Number: Su1786
About SonarMD
SonarMD is a care coordination and therapeutic optimization solution for high-beta conditions. SonarMD’s clinical staff and technology make it easier for patients and specialists to work together to detect and address worsening symptoms sooner and make the right treatment decisions. The company contracts with payers and works directly with sub-specialists in their network to provide value-based care. SonarMD is starting in inflammatory bowel disease where it has proven to reduce hospitalizations, saving health plans more than 15% per member per year. For more information, visit www.SonarMD.com and engage with SonarMD on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Digestive Disease Week®
Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18-21, 2019, at the San Diego Convention Center. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at www.ddw.org.
