New York, Oct. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new study focused on health equity published in Nature Digital Medicine, the world’s preeminent peer-reviewed journal on all aspects of digital medicine and health, Sword Health’s end-to-end platform to predict, prevent and treat pain promotes equity in pain care. Also, its impact on productivity and non-work activities was greater in most socioeconomically vulnerable groups. The results of this large interventional longitudinal study demonstrate that Sword Health is the first to provide evidence for a truly equitable solution for pain.
The study found:
- Sword’s impact on productivity and on non-work activities was greater in the most socioeconomically vulnerable groups, helping them gain up to one full work day per week and as such contributing to reducing the gap to the other groups
- Sword has the ability to effectively address groups with higher disease burden and worse prognosis, helping them achieve similar improvements to other less disabled groups
- Sword’s digital care programs provide equitable rehabilitation to its members regardless of their socioeconomic background, race, or access to nearby healthcare facilities
- Sword leads the industry in terms of health equity research/commitment to DE&I
Sword is on a mission to free the world from pain and we've always known we can only do that if we can serve all members equitably, regardless of the barriers that have historically prevented many from getting world-class care. This study confirms we are delivering on that goal,” said Virgilo Bento, Founder and CEO, Sword Health.
“Generally, in healthcare, we see the worst outcomes for patients in socially deprived groups. This is certainly true in pain care. Factors like poverty, lower education levels, and being a person of color have been associated with a higher prevalence of back and joint complaints, poorer joint function, and greater pain severity,” said Vijay Yanamadala, Chief Medical Officer, Sword Health. “By designing Sword with health equity as a priority, we’re able to deliver results that were not previously possible.”
Sword Health’s digital PT program allows patients to complete their therapy sessions anytime, anywhere. Through real-time feedback, use of AI, which is always overseen by a doctor of physical therapy, it advances health equity by breaking down barriers related to time and geography: distance from providers, provider shortages, long waiting lists, inability to take time off work, and lack of transportation, to name a few.
But, while digital care’s ability to resolve time and geographical constraints is well established, its potential to target other social determinants of health was largely unexplored prior to this new study in Nature Digital Medicine. What the research suggests is that Sword Health’s approach to digital PT is, in fact, designed for success despite social determinants of health other than time and geography, resulting in the equitable rehabilitation of all patients.
Putting equity first, Sword’s clinicians are among the most diverse in the digital health sector. The clinical team is 69% female and 16% Black—5x the national average. About 23% of the clinicians come from underrepresented groups, and 11% are bilingual. Approximately 7% identify as LGBTQIA+ (matching the percentage of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ in the United States). Sword allows each patient to choose their therapist from this diverse pool of doctors of physical therapy—because patients from underrepresented groups or ethnicities are more trusting of their care when treated by health professionals from similar cultural or ethnic backgrounds.
Using a validated metric derived from the U.S. census bureau, the study applied a social deprivation index (SDI) to over 12,000 chronic pain patients being treated with Sword. The question was whether patients across the five SDI categories would experience Sword’s program similarly (in terms of engagement, satisfaction) and would benefit similarly from the program (in terms of clinical outcomes and productivity), despite greater disease burden observed in more socioeconomically vulnerable members. The study found that Sword Health’s patient-centered approach and culturally sensitive care team promotes equity in treatment of pain and leads to improvements across all groups, with greater impact on productivity and non-work related disability in the most socially deprived group.
Dr. Yanamadala added, “This study ultimately demonstrates the impact that a well constructed digital program can have on truly addressing social determinants of health, as well as equalizing healthcare delivery for those who need it the most.”
For more information about Sword and its digital physical therapy, please visit https://swordhealth.com/solutions/digital-therapy. You can read the full published study here.
About Sword Health
Sword Health is on a mission to free two billion people from pain as the world’s first and only end-to-end platform to predict, prevent and treat pain. With 62% of members reporting to be pain-free and up to 70% reduction in surgery intent, Sword is using technology to save millions of dollars for its clients and is available through more than 10,000 employers across three continents. Today, Sword holds the majority of industry patents, wins 70% of competitive evaluations, and has raised more than $300 million from top venture firms like Founders Fund, General Catalyst, and Khosla Ventures. Recently recognized as a Forbes Best Startup Employer, Sword has become the fastest-growing pain solution since going to market in 2020. To learn more, visit www.SwordHealth.com.
