Mass. Health Systems Launch mHealth Programs to Support Preventive Health

Two Massachusetts health systems are launching mHealth programs aimed at helping employees prevent or manage cardiometabolic diseases and kick the habit.

UMass Memorial Health Care is partnering with Fitbit on a program that will see some 600 staff of the three-hospital system using connected health devices – including fitness trackers, smartwatches and weight scales – and a telehealth platform to improve their health and wellness.

Boston Medical Center, meanwhile, is partnering with Vincere Health to give employees access to a smartphone-based smoking cessation program.

The two health systems are taking part in the Right Care 4 You grant program, put together by the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, which aims to help companies reduce healthcare costs. The program is issuing a $100,000 grant to Fitbit for its program and a grant of more than $89,000 to Vincere Health for its project.

“This unique public-private partnership provides local employers and digital health companies the opportunity to come together to address serious health care challenges in the Commonwealth,” David Seltz, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Coalition, said in a press release. “Both awardees have the potential to reduce health care costs in a creative and meaningful way. The HPC is proud to support these initiatives along with MeHI, and we are excited to see the results of these collaborations.”

The programs are part of a wave of connected health projects launched around the country by health plans, businesses and healthcare providers aimed at tackling preventive health measures and improving long-term health and wellness. By preventing or managing chronic conditions and addressing health issues like addiction, behavioral health concerns and even maternal health, these programs could move the needle on reducing health costs and improving clinical outcomes.

These programs benefit from unique collaborations between providers, health plans, businesses and state and federal programs that can offer support and, most importantly, funding.

In this case, the support is coming from the Massachusetts Employer Health Coalition, a group of employers who banded together in 2018 to support innovative connected health solutions that address rising healthcare costs.

At UMass Memorial, participating employees will be randomly assigned a Fitbit tracker or smartwatch and a smart scale, along with access to the company’s telehealth coaching services for a year. The goal of the year-long program is to compare results of staff using those tools with those using standard healthcare benefits to manage physical activity, nutrition, sleep and stress management.  

“Through this study with UMass Memorial, we hope to demonstrate the powerful impact that digital health tools including wearable devices, software guidance, and health coaches can have on health behaviors, biometric outcomes, and healthcare costs,” Fitbit Medical Director John Moore, MD, PhD, said in the press release. “This study aims to measure the impact that digital health tools can have on the prevention and management of cardiometabolic disease for employees, which has the potential to springboard the adoption of digital health solutions by employers and to improve the lives of many more people.”

At BMC, Vincere Health’s mHealth platform will give employees real-time access to a remote monitoring platform that offers incentives and support to those trying to quit smoking or vaping. The project, which launched last fall, is scheduled to conclude in April, with follow-ups planned at six months and one year to check on recidivism.

“Our aim has always been to scale the existing evidence base with smarter, more thoughtful digital tools and empower clinicians to reach more participants at lower cost,” Vincere C-Founder and President Jake Keteyian said in the release. “The data and insights that will come as a result of this collaboration will enable us to continue to build a better, more accessible product for smokers during this unprecedented time in public health.”