WINDSOR, Conn. and NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sept. 30, 2024 – Southern New England Healthcare (SoNE HEALTH), the region’s leader in value-based care and population health management, and Wellinks, the leading digital healthcare company offering virtual Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) management for health plans and value-based care providers, today announced a collaboration to deliver high-quality COPD care to patients in the SoNE HEALTH network starting on September 29, 2024.
“SoNE HEALTH is rooted in the community, strongly connected with its providers and patient populations. There’s a huge opportunity in this market, and across the country, to connect people living with COPD to high-quality, affordable, and accessible care.” said Stacie Bratcher, CEO of Wellinks. “We’re excited for the opportunity to serve patients alongside the SoNE HEALTH team and collaborate with the many physicians and care teams committed to advancing value-based care in the region.”
“The management of chronic illnesses, like COPD, often requires a multidisciplinary approach, which is often not readily available for most physicians and their patients. The Wellinks program incorporates elements like virtual pulmonary rehab—which is of proven benefit to people with chronic lung disease—coaching, and care coordination, which lead to better clinical outcomes, enhanced quality of life, and patient experience,” stated George Beauregard, DO, Chief Population Health Officer at SoNE HEALTH. “This is why this collaboration makes so much sense for SoNE HEALTH, Wellinks, our providers and our patients.”
In the United States, COPD is the third leading cause of death by chronic disease and the fifth most costly chronic disease, with an estimated $49 billion spent on COPD annually across the health care system. Although more than 16.4 million patients have been diagnosed, the systems of care for COPD patients are extremely fragmented and inaccessible for many individuals. The national acceleration of value-based specialty care presents a unique opportunity for innovative approaches to caring for patients in a way that meets their needs.
To meet the growing need for more accessible care, Wellinks combines virtual pulmonary rehabilitation, personalized health coaching, monitoring through connected devices, and a patient-friendly app to support improved health outcomes for people living with cardiopulmonary conditions. Wellinks’ virtual-first approach emphasizes proactive, preventive care that helps people avoid exacerbations, stay out of the hospital, and improve their quality of life.
With Wellinks, patients under the care of SoNE HEALTH’s providers will be able to access empowering and effective COPD care solutions from the comfort of their own homes. Ms. Bratcher and Dr. Beauregard agree that the Wellinks virtual-first approach to pulmonary rehabilitation provides members with exercises and education to improve their lung health and reduce shortness of breath. With personalized support from Wellinks coaches, patients will identify and achieve goals that will help them better manage and live with COPD. And by incorporating connected devices into the care plan, members can easily track their symptoms, access their pulmonary data, stick to their medication plan and monitor their own progress to stay in control of their health. This level of engagement empowers population health teams with longitudinal insights about their members that can help inform clinical decisions, support quality improvement, and reduce avoidable and costly hospitalizations.
