#107, Democratizing Musculoskeletal Treatment with Virtual Care, with Vijay Yanamadala from Sword Health
Nov 6, 2024
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Vijay Yanamadala, Chief Medical Officer at Sword Health and a dual-fellowship board-certified spinal neurosurgeon, discusses the future of musculoskeletal care. He reveals how Sword Health is breaking barriers by providing virtual therapy that reaches underserved communities. The use of AI for real-time tracking enhances personalized treatment plans, ensuring optimal recovery while reducing unnecessary surgeries by 60%. Additionally, Vijay emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and data security in virtual healthcare as they transform patient experiences.
Sword Health is democratizing access to musculoskeletal treatment by providing technology and resources to underserved communities and healthcare deserts.
The integration of AI in physical therapy enhances patient engagement through real-time feedback and personalized exercise plans, improving overall treatment outcomes.
Deep dives
Overcoming Barriers to Physical Therapy
Access to physical therapy in America is hindered by challenges such as time, transportation, and cost, leading to many patients not completing recommended sessions. Less than 50% of patients are able to stick with traditional in-person therapy options due to these logistical issues. A digital solution has been developed to eliminate these barriers, allowing patients to engage in therapy from home with a tailored program. By utilizing virtual platforms, patients can receive individualized care without the need for frequent travel to therapy sessions.
The Role of Technology in Patient Engagement
The integration of artificial intelligence into the physical therapy process offers significant improvements in patient engagement and feedback. AI-powered features provide real-time monitoring and corrections, allowing patients to receive detailed feedback on their exercise accuracy, thus enhancing their overall experience. This gamification of exercise, including progress tracking and reward systems, keeps patients motivated and accountable throughout their treatment journey. Data shows that patients using this technology engage more deeply, often completing greater numbers of sessions compared to traditional therapy.
Health Equity and Accessibility Initiatives
To ensure equitable access to care, initiatives like the provision of tablets and mobile hotspots are implemented for patients lacking technology or internet connectivity. Special attention is given to underserved communities, where access to physical therapy is often limited, to ensure that patients can engage meaningfully with the therapy platform. The patient distribution is diverse, including various demographics that typically face barriers to traditional healthcare services. This focus on reducing access disparities has resulted in improved treatment outcomes for underrepresented populations.
The Future of AI in Healthcare
The vision for the future incorporates continued advancements in AI to further personalize and improve physical therapy outcomes. Upcoming innovations aim to enhance collaborative care between AI and clinicians, ensuring that technology assists without undermining the human elements of healthcare. The goal is to democratize access to necessary care while reducing unnecessary surgeries through targeted therapy interventions. This evolving landscape seeks to fundamentally shift how care is delivered, aiming to ensure that every patient receives the right treatment at the right time.
Suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain? Sword Health is revolutionizing access to quality care with their cutting-edge digital therapy platform. Join Sanjit Misra, Senior Technical Product Manager at AWS, as he interviews Vijay Yanamadala, Chief Medical Officer at Sword Health, to explore how AI and virtual physical therapy are transforming the treatment landscape.
1. How is Sword Health overcoming barriers to accessing quality care?
Sword Health provides tablets and mobile hotspots to ensure equitable access for all patients, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. Their platform democratizes care by reaching underserved communities and healthcare deserts.
2. How does Sword Health leverage AI to enhance physical therapy?
Computer vision AI meticulously tracks patient movements during exercises, sending detailed data to physical therapists for personalized feedback and progression. This technology maximizes therapist bandwidth while ensuring optimal care.
Sword Health's "Predict" AI model identifies patients at risk for unnecessary surgeries, leading to a 60% reduction in surgeries for those using their platform. This approach prioritizes conservative, evidence-based treatment.
3. How does Sword Health personalize the patient experience?
Patients undergo comprehensive onboarding, including questionnaires and video calls with physical therapists to discuss goals and limitations. This personalized approach ensures tailored exercise programs from the outset.
The AI assistant "Phoenix" guides patients through exercises with real-time feedback, gamification, and progress tracking, boosting engagement and adherence. Patients average 33 sessions compared to 4 for traditional in-person PT.
4. How does Sword Health measure and optimize patient outcomes?
Sword Health measures patient-reported outcomes aligned with individualized goals, allowing real-time adjustments to ensure sustainable improvements in pain, disability, and work productivity.