More than one year after starting a New York-based telehealth business to confront the challenge of reducing heavy drinking by employees, Michael Laskoff shed a few more details about his business Annum Health. In an interview from the shared workspace that Annum Health occupies along with a fair few early stage companies, the CEO and founder shared some of the components of the program.
The company was basking in the news that it had signed a national health insurer to offer the program to its members in tandem with Annum’s commercial launch next year. A spokeswoman declined to name the insurer. Annum is looking for employers interested in piloting its program in the fall.
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Laskoff, who previously founded AbleTo, emphasizes some points about the year-long program provided through an app. It is offered to all employees — no one is singled out to participate.
“Because we are not targeting any one group it takes the stigma away from being identified and participating,” Laskoff said. “The nice thing about universal engagement is we put you in a position of declining it if you don’t feel you need it. It’s your phone, it’s your choice.”
Also, it’s not about taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Just as not all addictions are the same, he noted, you shouldn’t apply behavioral health to every condition. The term “alcoholic” is never mentioned. Why? Although the program supports participants who want to stop drinking, the overall goal of the program is to help participants set personal goals that make the most sense for them.
The cognitive therapy program takes a team approach. A therapist, a licensed social worker, does the initial assessment of participants based on responses to a questionnaire and checks in with patients weekly, initially, and then monthly over the course of a year. If they find the participant has a physical dependence on alcohol, they may be referred to a detox facility — they wouldn’t be an appropriate candidate for the program. A physician may prescribe [generic] medications intended to either put patients off of drinking, such as Naltrexone (which is designed to kill the buzz of drinking) or drugs to cope with the side effects of reduced drinking such as anxiety. But that medication isn’t mandatory. A health coach connects with participants on a more regular basis. They might be aware of upcoming anniversaries or holidays that are tough for participants and reach out ahead of time.
The company views online peer support as valuable to help participants avoid slipping back into familiar habits and offers it as part of completing the one year segment.
The company’s CTO Paul Hands is from Salesforce, which helps explain why the platform for the program is built on Salesforce. In a phone interview, Salesforce Chief Medical Officer Dr. Josh Newman said it has an increasing number of startup customers who like that its technology requires little configuration and can work easily for a growing business and is relatively easy to scale.
A couple of reports underscore the need for the services of companies like Annum. A JAMA study noted that heavy drinking is on the rise, especially among women and older adults. A Gallup poll from 2015 observed that Americans with an upper middle-class income accounted for the highest proportion of drinkers, according to a 2015 Gallup poll.
Photo: Adam Kaz, Getty Images
