A smartphone platform to inform clinicians how frequently patients use their phones with a mix of passive and active tracking is the kind of mobile health tool that could help inform clinicians of the emotional state of their patients. But Ginger.io‘s behavioral health platform has generated a lot of interest beyond therapists. Medical researchers want to evaluate its potential to identify when patients are depressed, since depression can play a big part in undermining medication adherence, particularly for chronic conditions.
The MIT Media Lab spinoff outlined a series of research collaborations with medical centers that involve mobile health interventions.
In a statement from Ginger.io Head of Research and Development Ilan Elson, he said: “This isn’t science fiction…We’re touching a huge number of patients in a wide array of clinical settings. Working alongside our partners, we’re having a real impact on population health management and improving patients’ lives—in some cases almost immediately.”
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
He added: “The diversity of these deployments is what’s really exciting…”We’re going into complex settings with different care delivery models and unique patient needs, and we’re still making a difference in relatively short order.”
UC San Francisco, UC Davis, Partners HealthCare (Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and McLean Hospital), Duke University, and University of Nebraska Medical Center are among the institutions collaborating with Ginger.io, according to a company statement. UCSF is working with Ginger.io for a clinical study of hundreds of patients with major depressive disorder who were recruited online. It creates interventions exclusively through remote digital channels, without face-to-face interaction between doctors and patients.
Sensors attached to patients’ phones can show how many calls they’re making or getting out of their house. Patients also receive questions that can be customized based on clinicians’ needs. Clinicians can view the passive and active data through a dashboard. It’s not so much a diagnostic tool as a way to help doctors have more meaningful conversations with patients. Ginger,io also has a a direct-to-consumer app called Mood Matters for users to do self assessments for clinical depression, track symptoms, get insights from others on what helped them get better, and developing strategies to recover, and access to a nurse by phone.
The chief of psychotic disorders at McLean Hospital, Dr. Dost Öngür, is using the technology to do research on how to reduce hospital readmissions for patients with psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. By detecting early warning signs that someone is struggling to manage their illness, it hopes to eventually create a way to better identify patients in need of care before they have to be hospitalized, according to the statement.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Other groups are exploring applications for multiple sclerosis and the potential to streamline and improve care for patients before and after surgery for joint replacement. Ginger.io is also part of the Health eHeart Study, a rolling trial that is recruiting 1 million adults. The goal is to develop a way to spot early warning signs of heart disease by gathering data on measures associated with cardiovascular health such as blood pressure, physical activity, diet and sleep habits through smartphone apps and sensors.
[Photo credit: People-faces-doodle-cartoon-e-25672391 by Bigstock Photos]
