Ryan Sysko, Founder and CEO, and Presidential Advisors Discuss Healthcare Innovation and Policy

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WellDoc, a healthcare company that develops technology solutions aimed at engaging patients in positive behavior change, optimizing clinical decisions, and improving health outcomes, announced that the Company’s CEO and founder, Ryan Sysko, was invited to the White House yesterday afternoon for a presidential policy briefing. Mr. Sysko attended a closed-door White House policy briefing with several of President Obama’s top advisors.

Attendees included:

• Aneesh Chopra, United States Chief Technology Officer, Assistant to the President and Associate Director for Technology, Office of Science and Technology Policy
• Jason Miller, Special Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy, Executive Office of the President of the United States
• Elizabeth J. Fowler, Special Assistant to the President for Healthcare and Economic Policy, National Economic Council
• Ari Matusiak, Executive Director of the White House Business Council
• Greg Nelson, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement

Said Ryan Sysko, “I’m honored to advise the President’s staff on the tremendous potential for mHealth solutions like WellDoc’s to improve clinical outcomes while reducing healthcare costs. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reports that nearly one in two Americans has a chronic medical condition, accounting for approximately 75 cents of every dollar spent on health care in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, treatment for people with chronic conditions accounts for more than 75 percent of the $2 trillion spent annually on medical care in the United States. At WellDoc, we’ve demonstrated that supporting patients with consumer technology and enabling real-time feedback improves the management of chronic disease and health outcomes.”

WellDoc’s DiabetesManager® is the first clinically tested mHealth solution published in a peer-reviewed publication and cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for type 2 diabetes. It provides automated, real-time behavioral patient coaching and clinical decision support for doctors. In July, the FDA issued a guidance document for Mobile Medical products. As an mHealth pioneer, WellDoc spoke at a subsequent FDA hearing and then submitted comments to the FDA about the guidelines.

Diabetes is a challenging and expensive disease to manage. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there are approximately 26 million people in the United States living with diabetes at a cost of $218 billion. In the search for effective ways to manage diabetes, WellDoc’s approach has emerged at the forefront. By contrast, many mobile apps and traditional call center programs have not demonstrated significant clinical outcomes. For instance, The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) recently published results of the Medicare Health Support (MHS) Pilot Program, a study of eight commercial programs for disease management that used nurse-based call centers. The results showed no demonstrable reduction in the utilization of acute care or the costs of care.

Conversely, WellDoc’s DiabetesManager has been studied in a twelve-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) which was published in the September 2011 issue of Diabetes Care, the world’s preeminent diabetes focused scientific journal published by the ADA. This trial demonstrated that WellDoc’s mobile phone-based diabetes coaching and decision support system had a significantly positive impact on diabetes management. Patients using the DiabetesManager plus their usual care had an average decline in A1C of 1.9 percentage points compared to a 0.7-percentage-point decline seen among patients treated with usual care alone.

DiabetesManager, powered by the WellDoc Automated Expert Analytics System™, is a software-based platform that redefines existing conventions for people with type 2 diabetes. In addition, it provides support to healthcare providers, extending their care beyond traditional office visits.

About WellDoc

WellDoc^®, a healthcare company that develops technology solutions aimed at engaging patients and enhancing health outcomes, is focused on simplifying the way chronic diseases are managed through a collaborative, life-changing approach that breaks down the barriers of engagement and adherence by providing patients and their healthcare providers with real-time, actionable information. WellDoc has developed an industry-leading, technology-based solution designed to help people with chronic diseases better manage their conditions. For more information, visit www.welldoc.com.

CONTACT:

Schwartz MSL Boston
Stacy Nartker or Kristen Perry, 781-684-0770
welldoc@schwartzmsl.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  District of Columbia  Maryland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Seniors  Women  Education  University  Technology  Consumer Electronics  Data Management  Health  Mobile/Wireless  Teens  Diabetes  Consumer  Family  General Health

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