A digital alternative to traditional painkillers has been shown to decrease pain by 40% and increase quality of sleep by 58% amongst users.
The preliminary data comes from a pilot programme between health services company, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Kaia Health, a digital therapeutics company using AI and motion-tracking technology to help individuals with back pain relief.
The pilot launched in February 2020 with Kaia Health’s app being offered to employees at three Harvard Pilgrim Health Care employer groups, providing customised exercises for pain management.
The app provides hands-free physiotherapy, using computer vision technology via a smartphone camera for real-time posture tracking. The company says its individualised exercise, education and psychological interventions empower and motivate patients to take control and self-manage their condition with digital alternatives from their home.
Results from a randomised controlled trial published in Nature last year showed that the Kaia app could outperform conventional physiotherapy.
As part of the ongoing pilot programme, improvements in the condition of the app’s users will be tracked on a variety of anamnestic surveys and the impact of Kaia on medical and pharmacy utilisation will be measured based on claims data. The first official results from the pilot are expected in early 2021.
Michael Sherman, MD and chief medical officer at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, said: “Our partnership with Kaia Health provides Harvard Pilgrim with an opportunity to test a unique digital program directly with our members.
“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.”
The preliminary data comes a month after the company announced a $26 million Series B funding led by Optum Ventures. Kaia health says it will use the funding to invest in more clinical trials across its therapeutic areas, with a focus on growth in the US market.
Based in New York City, Kaia Health has enrolled just over 400,000 users to-date in their digital therapy program. The company uses technology including machine learning algorithms to deliver individualised app interventions.
Jonas Duss, US CEO and co-founder of Kaia Health said: “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.”
