PHTI: Virtual GI solutions boost outcomes, lower costs

Virtual gastrointestinal solutions not only improve clinical outcomes for patients with GI conditions, but they can also help reduce total healthcare spending, according to a recent report.

Released by the Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), the report analyzes virtual GI solutions that provide GI care alongside support services, such as nutrition counseling, behavioral health support, care navigation and symptom tracking.

The researchers focused on five virtual GI solutions that provide care for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Cylinder Health, Digbi Health, Ayble Health, Oshi Health and Salvo Health.

The solutions were divided into two categories: wraparound solutions and clinician-led solutions. The wraparound solutions, Cylinder Health and Digbi Health, offer support services that complement the patient's existing clinical care team. The clinician-led solutions, Ayble Health, Oshi Health and Salvo Health, provide care from gastroenterologists and other clinicians within the solution, along with support services.

For the report, PHTI researchers reviewed more than 1,700 articles and other evidence, including information submitted by the companies evaluated. The research revealed that virtual GI solutions were associated with enhanced clinical outcomes and cost savings for IBS and IBD patients.

Wraparound solutions that included gut-brain behavioral health and nutrition counseling resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in symptoms and quality of life for IBS patients compared with usual care. Additionally, the solutions were associated with a $1,889 per-year decrease in net healthcare spending for IBS patients in the commercial market. However, there was not enough evidence to show that wraparound solutions could enhance clinical outcomes for more complex GI conditions, like IBD.

Meanwhile, clinician-led solutions delivered improvements in symptoms and quality of life for IBD patients on par with in-person multidisciplinary care. The support services these solutions offer can also help IBS patients achieve clinically meaningful improvements on par with those achieved with wraparound solutions.

Like wraparound solutions, clinician-led solutions may also reduce healthcare utilization among IBS and IBD patients, thereby lowering net healthcare spending. The solutions could save an estimated $2,901 per user, on average, the report stated.

This is the sixth assessment of digital health tools conducted by PHTI, with previous evaluations focusing on virtual opioid use disorder solutions, digital hypertension tools and digital management tools for type 2 diabetes.

However, this assessment of virtual GI tools is significant in light of the demonstrated cost savings.

"Among PHTI's six assessments to date, the GI solutions stand out for delivering higher net savings -- thousands of dollars per engaged member, compared to a few hundred for other digital health categories," said Caroline Pearson, executive director of PHTI, in an article posted to the organization's website.

"That savings potential, combined with demonstrated health improvements, should give purchasers a compelling reason to act. Yet our savings estimates are a fraction of company claims, underscoring the need for more robust, sober economic evidence to inform purchasing decisions."

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.