Onduo by Verily, an Alphabet precision health company, announces a strategic collaboration with Sword Health, the fastest-growing digital musculoskeletal (MSK) care provider, to offer complementary solutions to each company’s employer customers and their employees. This broadens employee access to a spectrum of virtual care benefits for chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and mental health via Onduo’s solution, as well as care benefits for musculoskeletal pain via Sword’s.
Studies show between 46.5%1 to 82%2 of people with type 2 diabetes have a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, leading to more physician visits and higher cumulative costs.3 As increased pain can impede the healthy activity that can reduce condition progression, Sword and Onduo seek to offer this population virtual support solutions to help them adopt healthier lifestyles more easily.
“Helping individuals eliminate their MSK pain creates a positive ripple effect, reducing medication dependence, avoiding unnecessary surgeries and improving quality of life,” shared Vijay Yanamadala, Chief Medical Officer of Sword Health. “By helping employers offer multiple and complementary solutions in the market, we reduce the burden on their benefits teams while also ensuring a synergistic approach to care.”
In its musculoskeletal pain management program, Sword Health pairs each member with a licensed physical therapist, who creates a custom program based on their specific needs and ability. The program uses FDA-listed motion sensors, a Sword tablet, and a Digital Therapist to guide movement, correct form, and collect real-time feedback as members perform their exercises. The physical therapists use the feedback to tailor and optimize the program as members progress. In a study published earlier this year, individuals using the Sword program demonstrated a 55% reduction in pain, a 52% reduction in shoulder-related disability and a 55% reduction in intent to pursue surgery, along with improvements in anxiety and depression.4
“As we looked at potential collaborators, Sword Health emerged as a premium partner with a complementary digital-first approach that aligns with our high standards for member support and care,” said Dr. Vindell Washington, Onduo CEO and Chief Clinical Officer of Verily Health Platforms. “When we treat a member’s health condition, we treat the whole person – their stressors, nutrition challenges and pain points – and personalize next steps to improve their diabetes or blood pressure. Guided by evidence-based medical care and informed by data, Onduo helps employers and health plans deliver precision health at scale.”
The Onduo solution helps people manage chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and mental health, by combining an app, personalized health journeys and coaching. Members are provided condition-specific monitoring devices, which they can use to help understand their progress and which feed the Onduo engine, along with other clinical and experiential data, to help create precise health pathways for their needs. When clinically needed, members can access an Onduo clinician who can help optimize medication use or refine their care program.
[Source(s): Onduo, Verily, Sword Health, Business Wire]
1Liberman O, et. al. The European Journal of General Practice. 2014;20:260–267.
2Douloumpakas I, et. al. Hippokratia. 2007;11:216–218.
3Pai, LW., et. at. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 16, 364 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-015-0819-4
4Janela D, et. al. J Pain Res. 2022;15:53-66 https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S343308
