UMass Memorial, Boston University Test Value of Music in mHealth Treatments

An mHealth platform that incorporates music into treatment is being tested with patients who are looking to restore function affected by a stroke.

UMass Memorial Healthcare announced today that it is launching a pilot program to test whether a digital therapeutic service developed by Portland, ME-based MedRhythms can help stroke survivors improve walking outcomes.

They’re not the only healthcare providers interested in the connected health technology. Boston University recently launched a multi-site clinical study that tests the platform with patients living with Parkinson’s disease. And New York’s Mount Sinai Health System has led a five-site program – now expanded to eight sites - using the platform to help stroke survivors for the past two years. The Cleveland Clinic is also studying the technology for use with patients living with MS.

The technology uses wearable sensors and a telehealth underpinning to track movement in patients who’ve lost function due to neurologic disease or injury, and adds music to the mix to help researchers – and care providers – coordinate treatment. That treatment is called Rhythmic Auditory Simulation, or RAS.

“Rhythm is the main driver of the interventions we have,” Owen McCarthy, MedRhythms’ president and co-founder, told mHealthIntelligence in a 2018 interview. “And it’s the type of thing we’re going to see more and more of in healthcare.”

At UMass Memorial, Brian Silver, MD, interim chair in the Department of Neurology, will use the platform to assess and treat walking impairments in patients in the acute phase of a stroke. He’ll test the technology in an in-patient setting, then continue that to a post-discharge program.

"Given the prevalence and profound impact of walking deficits on stroke survivors, we are excited to be a part of investigating a promising new intervention in the acute stroke setting that could change the trajectory of rehabilitation for stroke patients," Silver said in a press release.

The Boston University project, announced two weeks ago, focuses on patients at home, and points to the potential of the technology in remote patient monitoring and telehealth programs that enable those with Parkinson’s and other chronic conditions to manage care outside the doctor’s office or clinic.

"This product has enormous potential to help people living with Parkinson's disease," Terry Ellis, MD, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training at Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College and director of Boston University's Center for Neurorehabilitation, said in a separate press release. "People with Parkinson's need more options for interventions to improve walking ability. Music, particularly Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation, is a promising intervention for individuals with Parkinson's disease, as has been shown through decades of evidence in its ability to improve gait and reduce falls in this population.”

Healthcare providers see potential for this type of technology in a wide range of treatments, including those related to aging and mobility. Using music not only allows providers to tailor treatment to specific patients, but also boost patient engagement.

“This digital therapeutic has the potential to address a significant unmet need in healthcare,” Brian Harris, MedRhythms’ co-founder and CEO, said last year following the US Food and Drug Administration’s decision to grant Breakthrough Device Designation to the platform. “There is currently no standard of care for chronic stroke survivors with walking deficits, yet these impairments are strongly linked to fall risk, lack of independence, and decreased quality of life. We are thrilled the FDA has designated our product as a Breakthrough Device, recognizing its potential to impact an area of high unmet need and bringing us one step closer to reaching people who need this care.”