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Social Isolation

The impact on health outcomes during and beyond COVID-19 

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The third of a 3-part series in Responding to COVID-19 and Beyond

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Innovation showcase

Through a curated and highly selective process, the Selection Committee nominated the following ventures to present. 

InquisitHealth - "Social Isolation"
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InquisitHealth - "Social Isolation"

Dr. Ashwin Patel, CEO and Co-Founder of InquisitHealth presents at the "Social Isolation" on June 24, 2020. For lasting improvements in clinical outcomes, we must activate behavior change, and address the social determinants of health, together. The most successful efforts to achieve this dual aim are when individuals are mentored 1:1 by community health workers with lived experience. We call them “mentors.” These are individuals from the same community/culture who are living successfully with the same chronic condition as the patients they are working with. Numerous randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the clinical efficacy of mentors in helping patients with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and mental health. InquisitHealth helps health systems and health plans benefit from this evidence-based approach. And we make it easy. We end-to-end manage the recruitment, training, payment, oversight, and ongoing support for this workforce. Our clients — health systems and health plans — identify high-risk, high-cost patients. We then reach out and engage each patient. We look to understand their specific challenges and build a custom coaching pathway for each patient. A carefully chosen mentor is matched with each patient based on key factors such as language, culture, and clinical condition. Through 1:1 goal-oriented conversations, mentors help activate healthy behavior change while addressing the underlying social determinants of health (e.g., food insecurity, health literacy, loneliness). We are the human layer supporting patients in between doctor’s visits. We help patients connect with clinicians and SDoH experts. We guide and activate patients to engage with helpful programs offered by their health plans, hospitals, CBOs, and local agencies. We guide each patient towards better health, thus improving clinical outcomes, increasing quality scores and reducing costs.
MindRight Health - "Social Isolation"
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MindRight Health - "Social Isolation"

Ashley Edwards, Founder, and CEO of MindRight Health presents at "Social Isolation" on June 24, 2020. MindRight Health is an early stage, mental health startup led by and designed for underserved communities. Our mission to advance health equity by making mental health care radically accessible and inclusive. We provide culturally-responsive and trauma-informed, mental health coaching over text message to youth and young adults. Our members receive a personal team of coaches who support them 7 days/week, 365 days/year. For communities that do not engage in traditional therapeutic services due to high stigma and/or lack of access, we serve as an ongoing source of preventative, non-clinical support. We provide our partners real-time aggregated wellness data on youth mental health needs based on our daily text conversations. We recognize that COVID-19 has only exacerbated the health disparities experienced by communities of color and low-income families. MindRight has seen an increase in feelings of anxiety, fear, and distress among our members in response to the pandemic. We know that young people have been faced with increased access barriers to their in-person support systems and traditional clinical interventions, due to social distancing measures. We have been well-positioned to fill this critical service gap as a readily accessible, culturally responsive support that all young people can lean on.
Pyx Health - "Social Isolation"
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Pyx Health - "Social Isolation"

Cindy Jordan, CEO and Founder of Pyx Health along with Christina Rice, MBA Chief Operations Officer at Pyx Health present at "Social Isolation" on June 24, 2020. Pyx Health is a first-to-market technology that offers a scalable loneliness and social isolation solution for healthcare organizations – at no cost to the user. A proven technology solution that addresses this rising health epidemic in the U.S., Pyx Health combines Artificial Intelligence and compassionate human interventions to serve patients who have historically been forgotten by technology - Medicaid and Medicare members. We provide 24/7 companionship and support for members via a mobile platform and compassionate call center that helps treat loneliness through a non-clinical, whole person care approach. Our mission is to tackle loneliness for everyone who needs it when it matters most. With annual patient treatment costs for loneliness greater than chronic conditions such as arthritis; and lonely patients being at a higher risk of heart disease, obesity, depression and cognitive decline; loneliness is among the most costly and dangerous of social determinants of health (SDOHs), particularly for vulnerable populations. Pyx Health is not only helping people feel better, it’s lowering Medicaid and Medicare inpatient costs for healthcare providers. An independent research study found users of our mobile technology solution were proven to have a 36-53% reduction in a hospitalization event within 3 months after a Pyx Health encounter.
Wider Circle - "Social Isolation"
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Wider Circle - "Social Isolation"

Moshe Pinto, Founder of Wider Circle presents at "Social Isolation." Founded in 2015, Wider Circle provides evidence-based solutions countering the negative outcomes related to loneliness, social isolation, and complex manifestations of the Social Determinants of Health factors. In its core service, the Connect for Life program, Wider Circle forms and manages trusted neighborhood groups of Medicare Advantage & Medicaid Plans members to motivate participants to take better care and address the barriers preventing them from doing so. Trained facilitators build trusted groups of neighbors in a culturally competent manner by engaging members hand on hand via weekly small-group meetings for six weeks. Facilitators galvanize able members as volunteer ambassadors to help manage each group. Our ambassadors reinforce presence that residents know and trust — our language, our culture, people like us. The result is a network of neighbors that engenders trust in the system and helps navigate its complexities to improve member experience and clinical outcomes.
Social Isolation Videos

Expert Panel

The webinar started with a panel featuring the following experts:

Bruce Chernoff

Bruce Chernof

CEO at The SCAN Foundation

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Rani Snyder

VP of Program at The John A. Hartford Foundation  

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Renee Markus Hodin

Deputy Director, Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation at Community Catalyst

Opening and Expert Panel from "Social Isolation"

Opening and Expert Panel from "Social Isolation"

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Social Isolation Expert Panel

Statement of need

Background and Need

 

Social isolation is a growing challenge with dire implications on health outcomes and is well-documented amongst senior citizens. One in four Americans between the ages of 50 and 80 report that they feel socially isolated and one in three people between ages 65-84 and 50% of people over 85 live alone. Addressing social isolation is critical as the number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to more than double by 2060, with seniors’ share of the total population expected to rise from 15% to nearly 24%. A 2009 study on cardiac disease found that “living alone was identified as the single most important risk factor for early readmission to a hospital.” Estimates by AARP suggest that social isolation adds $6.7 billion annually to Medicare's medical costs. Social isolation increases the odds of death by 26% and the odds of having a stroke by 32%. 

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COVID-19 will likely have an acute impact for both older adults with existing chronic social isolation, as well as younger populations that are newly experiencing isolation during shelter-in-place. Social distancing is critical for reducing the disease spread, but could negatively impact already high rates of isolation.

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The full impact of social isolation as a result of the pandemic prevention strategy is yet to be known (although early assessments have shown dramatic short-term increases), specifically among low-income populations that have poor access to care and experience a higher degree of social and economic vulnerability. 
 

 

Solution

 

We are interested in solutions that can address social isolation experienced by vulnerable, low-income patients as a result of this pandemic, and which can be used beyond the current crisis. COVID-19 is a significant agitator of existing chronic social isolation among key populations – notably those 50 and over. We are particularly focused on solutions that consider those individuals with historical social isolation risks, and that have differentiated delivery and technology to overcome challenges in digital access, literacy, and income. Companies should consider a plan and/or state buyer and thus have a well thought out approach towards tracking quality and value. Further, companies should have a solution that can address chronic social isolation in a culturally appropriate way that is aligned with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines while looking at likely future circumstances in public health practice.

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