Aware Health is a digital health platform that facilitates direct access to physical therapy, aiming to decrease pain and improve job function for patients. The company leverages technology to streamline the process of connecting patients with physical therapists, potentially reducing healthcare costs and improving outcomes.

Aware Health

Aware Health partners with self-insured employers to deliver cost-effective, research-based orthopedic care to employees that promotes awareness, healing, and wellbeing. Orthopedic conditions are one of the top medical costs for US employers.  Aware was created to help companies significantly cut costs while getting employees back to work faster by successfully triaging, diagnosing, and optimizing care delivery. Aware uses cutting-edge research to inform clinical decisions, resulting in lower utilization rates for the most costly diagnostics and treatments. 

Detailed in a published study in PM&R, Aware has had outstanding results with low healthcare utilization rates over 12 months for employees enrolled in its program: <8% imaging, <2% surgery, <9%required specialty care, <2% opioid use, <5% prescription medication use, and <1% litigation rate.

We believe in listening generously, equipping clients with knowledge, and developing solid relationships. This approach likely contributed to the <1% litigation rate.

Our vision is to partner with employers to create a healthy and empowered workforce that is aware of the most modern care and preventive measures for healing orthopedic conditions. 

Techstars

Impulsum Ventures

Check out a NEW 3x3x3 Challenge on Aware Health at BenefitsAlly.com!  Thanks to Jamie Kirmess for answering three questions, using just three slides, and doing it all in under three minutes.

More than one-third of Americans received orthopedic care in 2021, making it the largest expenditure category for beneficiaries of employer-based insurance plans. 

One reason costs are high is due to the lack of standards in making an accurate diagnosis. Depending on which provider you see, they will recommend a different treatment pathway. 

Two examples: 

If you see a PCP, they will often order an image even though imaging is only indicated for a handful of cases. 

Roughly half of patients receive surgery for low back pain within three months, where guidelines only recommend that speed for emergencies. 

Care that deviates from evidence-based clinical guidelines is harmful to patients because it increases their risk and costs them more money. 

It also costs self-funded employers more money that could be reinvested in more meaningful ways.

Our clinical rules standardize the diagnosis in orthopedic care, allowing our providers to get to the root cause of pain without imaging and prevent inappropriate and aggressive treatments. 

97% of patients who intend to get a surgery when starting our program don't end up getting one. 

Thanks to McKinsey's excellent article on orthopedic pathways for providing the research and stats for this post. 

Curious about what we do, why we do it, and how it's valuable to our customers? Check out this video. 

IO:AWAREHEALTH

Aware Health