Startup Harmonic Health Aims to Remake Dementia Treatment
Harmonic Health's program combines a team of medical specialists with AI and other advanced technology to provide comprehensive care.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
A digital health startup is aiming to revolutionize care to meet the specific and wide-spanning needs for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s as well as their caregivers.
Harmonic Health, a St. Louis-based care management company created by tech firm Redesign Health, recently launched a pilot program of comprehensive care that combines a specialized multidisciplinary medical team with advanced technology, including artificial intelligence (AI).
The program launched last month with Stoney Batter Family Medicine, a medical practice serving more than 24,000 patients in the Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania region. The program includes patient education, dementia screening, caregiver support and coaching, as well as referrals for services.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The demand for resources is high, with Harmonic stating that its program already has an 80% patient enrollment rate. "The U.S. is grappling with an unseen challenge from patients and families impacted by Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's, with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) emphasizing dementia care as a major priority," Harmonic said.
Earlier this year, CMS issued a test guide that aims to support people living with dementia and their unpaid caregivers.
Building resources for caregivers is crucial in the ongoing advancement in treatment, experts say. Studies show that the stresses of being a caregiver have a deep impact on the caregiver's mental wellbeing.
Other studies show that the growth of Alzheimer's and dementia treatment plans over the years go beyond medicine.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, the importance of AI in the field is growing. Doctors are working alongside advances in technology to assist in early detection and diagnosis based on factors like sleep, speech and typing, according to the report. In other developments, earlier this year attorneys general from 23 states called for Medicare to end restrictions on Alzheimer's disease treatments and make treatment more affordable and accessible for all.
How to enroll
According to Harmonic co-founder and CEO Jim Gera, the program launch was inspired by the lackluster options for treatment and care for the roughly 6 million people in America living with dementia.
“I know from personal experience that the current situation for treating patients with neurodegenerative diseases is ineffective, unsupportive and deeply frustrating," he said in a statement. "Patients and caregivers lack support and physicians lack the resources to provide comprehensive care.”
For more information on the program, visit the Harmonic Health website.
Patients and caregivers can enroll in the hybrid plan through their primary care physicians, neurologists, healthcare systems or accountable care organization. Harmonic said that its team will work with the patient's physician to develop a treatment plan.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Dow Adds 1,206 Points to Top 50,000: Stock Market TodayThe S&P 500 and Nasdaq also had strong finishes to a volatile week, with beaten-down tech stocks outperforming.
-
Ask the Tax Editor: Federal Income Tax DeductionsAsk the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, Joy Taylor answers questions on federal income tax deductions
-
States With No-Fault Car Insurance Laws (and How No-Fault Car Insurance Works)A breakdown of the confusing rules around no-fault car insurance in every state where it exists.
