The human connection: How dedicated care teams advance digital health

In health care, as in life, the human connection is vital. We form long-term relationships with primary care physicians, physical therapists, mental health professionals and specialists of every stripe who are familiar with our health issues and, in some cases, our personal lives. That continuity ensures informed guidance, moral support and accountability when we need strategies to address our medical challenges.

The vast majority of today’s digital health programs are missing these connections. Some are 100% virtual, only offering chatbots, digital concierges or asynchronous chats when users need assistance. Others have health coaches who follow scripts rather than providing personalized advice, or on-call doctors who have no knowledge of the user’s medical history and who will likely be unavailable the next time they call.

A newer model is bridging the gap by utilizing dedicated care teams who work one-on-one with individuals on an ongoing basis via HIPAA-compliant chat, phone or video. These care teams can include nurses, dietitians, health coaches, certified diabetic educators, mental health therapists and others who have full access to all digital program resources. This seamless integration of the app experience, along with virtual consultations with the same person every time, is relatively rare. Still, it is producing tangible results in helping users take control of their health.

Personal case managers  

One digital health provider that has adopted the dedicated care team approach is Vivante Health, which focuses on digestive health solutions. Vivante partners with employers and health plans to help users relieve symptoms of digestive disease and discomfort, reduce related medical costs, and improve their quality of life.

The company’s GIThrive platform provides food and symptom logs, online educational resources, cognitive behavioral therapy exercises, and AI-driven care plans that guide users to program activities based on their symptoms and conditions, along with 24/7 access to registered dietitians, health coaches and nurses. These team members effectively become personal case managers for the individuals to whom they are assigned. They have full HIPAA-compliant access to care plans, symptom logs, app usage history and other information that enables them to both steer and encourage the wellness journey for each person in their caseload.

Nearly two-thirds of activated GIThrive users schedule appointments with care team members, and 95% of them report feeling better within two to three months compared to 70% of those who do not take advantage of care team availability. (Over time, 91% of users report symptom

improvement.) Many credit their designated GIThrive dietitian and/or health coach with playing a fundamental role in improving their digestive conditions, helping them address issues such as stress and sleep problems, and even changing their lives.

‘She is always a phone call away’ 

Kim Oxendine, a human resources quality control specialist at Walmart in Charlotte, NC, is a case in point. She enrolled in GIThrive because she had been struggling with acid reflux for years and had achieved only minimal relief from medication. At 50, she also suffered from constipation and indigestion, weighed a personal high of 180 pounds, had recently been diagnosed with prediabetes and high cholesterol, and had little energy for social activities.

Working with one of GIThrive’s dietitians, Oxendine learned about gut health and the microbiome, received recipe and grocery shopping guidance, and began replacing fast and fried foods with healthier choices including salads and vegetables. She lost 30 pounds in four months, and her acid reflux improved to the point where she felt comfortable stopping her medication. She recently added a GIThrive health coach to expand her support system.

“My GIThrive nutritionist is always just a phone call away, and that helps hold me accountable,” Oxendine says. “I’ve cleaned up my diet, I’m more active than I used to be, and I feel like I have a second lease on life. I still have trouble spots, but GIThrive is helping me stick to my goals.”

‘I had salmonella and didn’t know it’

Gary Mueller, a 62-year-old corporate sales trainer with US Foods in Greeley, CO, has had a similar experience. He signed up for the GIThrive program in June 2021, shortly after he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, because he knew that gut health could affect the entire body.

His GIThrive dietitian suggested dietary changes that have helped him lose 75 pounds and bring his diabetes into remission without medication. She has also deepened his knowledge of the role of the gut microbiome and helped him through rough patches, including a lingering case of diarrhea that was diagnosed as salmonella after she advised him to take a stool test. His success with the program ultimately motivated him to start a six-times-a-week fitness regimen that is helping him stay on course.

“These are all our individual journeys, but it’s easier to be successful if you have someone who supports you,” Mueller said “My GIThrive dietitian inspired me to stay on the path and made sure I was doing the best I could to control my eating and my health. I honestly don’t think I would have gotten this far without the support of GIThrive and their care team.”

Ensuring effectiveness 

Dedicated care teams require a substantial investment by the digital health provider, regardless of team members’ professional credentials and experience. Dozens of hours of training should be provided even before the first telehealth conversation to ensure that team members know how to manage clinical conditions, navigate the app’s online resources, comply with telehealth regulations and more. In addition, ongoing training is needed to sharpen skills and keep up with the latest platform upgrades, from new technology to new features that may be added to improve clinical outcomes.

Related: How virtual specialty care provides answers and human connection

Team members also must have carefully defined responsibilities in order to be effective. For dietitians, for example, the list may include helping users understand both their condition and their microbiome, as well as assisting them in identifying foods that may be triggering their symptoms and helping them adopt specialty diets designed to manage their conditions. Health coaches may focus on lifestyle changes such as stress management, sleep hygiene, medication adherence, physical activity and getting connected to the right health care resources.

At the end of the day, technology is only part of the digital health equation. Integrating the app experience with human-led interaction is essential to optimize the quality of care, avoid a fragmented care experience, and help users get the right care at the right time, including referrals to physicians when necessary. By helping close the gap between virtual and real-world care, dedicated care teams can significantly advance the power of digital health to improve care delivery, quality of life and – for employers – employee appreciation of benefits programs.

Erin Commons, MS, RD, is Vice President of Care Management at Vivante Health, a digital health care company that is reinventing the way chronic conditions are managed.