New York, April 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portico Benefit Services, a benefits provider for over 6,100 congregations and organizations affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, this month announced that they will begin to offer their members with ELCA-Primary health benefits access to SWORD Health's digital therapy programs for musculoskeletal (MSK) pain.
Musculoskeletal conditions, including chronic pain and acute conditions, affect 50% of Americans, and costs for treating them outpace cancer and mental health combined. Most conditions are treatable with a combination of exercise, behavioral coaching and education, but for many Americans, treatment is inaccessible and inconvenient. There are large disparities in both access to care and outcomes based on race, gender, socioeconomic status, and geography.
ELCA-Primary health benefits members will be able to access SWORD's programs to ease their chronic pain conditions and recover from surgery at home, with always-on support and education from Doctors of Physical Therapy.
“We are really looking forward to seeing the positive impact that SWORD’s virtual therapy program will have on our members’ lives”, said Josh Smith, senior director of products at Portico Benefit Services. “We were very meticulous when searching for an MSK solution for our population. We chose SWORD’s clinical-grade offering because of its potential to improve member outcomes from the comfort and safety of their home, while, at the same time, reducing future claims costs to help keep our health plan affordable.”
Portico Benefit Services began to offer SWORD's digital therapy as a benefit to eligible members earlier this month.
About SWORD Health
SWORD Health is the world’s fastest growing virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) care provider, on a mission to free two billion people from chronic and post-surgical pain. It is the first virtual solution to pair its members with a licensed physical therapist and the SWORD Health Digital Therapist, an FDA-listed device with a tablet and motion sensors, to deliver a clinically proven, personalized treatment plan that is more effective, easier and less expensive than the traditional gold standard of care.
SWORD Health believes in the power of people to recover at home, without resorting to imaging, surgeries or opioids. Since launching in 2015, SWORD Health has worked with insurers, health systems and employers in the U.S., Europe and Australia to make quality physical therapy more accessible to everyone.
About SWORD Health’s Digital Therapist
The SWORD Health Digital Therapist is an FDA-listed technology that guides every member through a therapeutic exercise program that was designed just for them by their licensed physical therapist. With over 5,000 feedback messages designed for over 100 exercises, the Digital Therapist gives members live, dynamic feedback on their performance as they go, so they can perform exercises correctly and without pain, at home. After every session, every member’s physical therapist receives data gathered by the Digital Therapist, and they can analyze their members’ performance, update their members’ programs, and give members 1:1 coaching and education through the SWORD Health app.
About Portico Benefit Services
Portico Benefit Services, a ministry of the ELCA, provides retirement, health, and other related benefits and consultative services to enhance the total well-being of those who serve faith-based organizations — throughout their working years and in retirement. Portico offers a holistic approach to benefits, with a focus on financial, emotional, and physical well-being.