University of Maryland School of Medicine Study Begins on ICmed's Digital Health Engagement Solution

    BALTIMORE, MD, July 17, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Emerging digital health company ICmed announced today that research has commenced on a study of older adults using its digital health engagement solution. Focused on increasing patient and caregiver engagement to improve behavior and health outcomes, ICmed's solution is composed of a consumer (patient/family/caregiver) facing mobile app that digitally connects to an enterprise dashboard for engagement, workflow management and communication. Led by the University of Maryland's School of Medicine, the study's Principal Investigator is Charlene C. Quinn, PhD, RN. Associate Professor, Epidemiology & Public Health. Baltimore's Keswick Community Health is serving as the first research site, involving dyads of older adults and caregivers. Phase one of the study will evaluate feasibility; phase two will determine patient engagement to improve health outcomes for older adults. A $200,000 Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) competitive grant is funding the study.

ICmed's enterprise dashboard, algorithms and mobile app work together to educate, empower and engage patients and their families/caregivers, enabling enterprises, including healthcare systems and senior living and care organizations, to manage and engage populations, and create a digital social network among the patient, the family and select caregivers.

"We are proud and honored to have been granted this funding by the Maryland Industrial Partnerships. Our mission is clear: to improve health outcomes and reduce health costs through greater collaboration, education and connectivity among an enterprise, patient and family caregivers. We thank Dr. Quinn and her incredible team at the University of Maryland School of Medicine for running the study and Keswick Community Health for serving as the study's first pilot partner," said Dr. Greg Pelton, ICmed's Chief Medical Officer.

ICmed's solution is licensed by, and customized to the needs of, a health organization, company or an entity seeking to drive improved medical outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Use case scenarios include seniors desiring to age in place, postoperative patients, those with chronic diseases and new mothers. Proprietary and easy-to-use, the platform's consumer-facing mobile app is digitally connected to an enterprise workflow and communication dashboard. From the dashboard, the licensing organization can analyze, engage and educate a population with surveys, instant messaging and targeted health content.

One in seven Americans are older and live in community settings. Most are supported by more than 20 million informal (unpaid) family caregivers, whose demand on their effort and time demand is increasing. According to the Transamerica Institute's 2017 study of more than 2300 unpaid caregivers, 74 percent have been providing care for one or more years and 27 percent for five or more years, spending 50 hours (median) per month giving care while 36 percent cited spending 100 or more hours per month. Eighty-eight percent indicated they would like more information on topics related to caregiving, helping to reduce the strain on their time, family and finances.

"From a population health perspective, Keswick Community Health supports the thoughtful development of technologies and processes that effectively leverage the strengths and meet the needs of older people. We are pleased to support Dr. Quinn and her team at University of Maryland in their important evaluation of potential solutions such as that developed by ICmed," said Carmel Roques, Keswick CEO.

App users can selectively communicate and collaborate with family, caregivers and care providers (e.g. doctors, nurses), input, track, and share vital health information, and store health records and family health history. The App empowers, educates and engages users and their family caregivers through tailored, evidenced-based health content, alerts, journals, reminders, surveys and instant messaging.

"We know that patient-centered approaches, tools and systems will improve health outcomes and manage costs. The evidenced-based data received from this study will only serve to enhance ICmed's mission to help people to be healthier. We proudly bridge that last mile to the patient, family and caregiver," commented Anil Kshepakaran, ICmed CEO & founder, and former CEO of the software company Innovative Consultants. "We believe this bridge is critical and a space where true disruption can occur for the benefit of all," Kshepakaran concluded.

The platform is licensed by organizations such as Aging-In-Place facilities, wellness-focused businesses, care management organizations, health systems and employee benefits leaders. It can be white labeled.

For more information about ICmed, please visit www.icmedonline.com, on Twitter at @ICmedonline and on Facebook at facebook.com/icmedonline.

ICmed's solution is licensed by, and customized to the needs of, a health organization, company or an entity seeking to drive improved medical outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Use case scenarios include seniors desiring to age in place, postoperative patients, those with chronic diseases and new mothers. Proprietary and easy-to-use, the platform's consumer-facing mobile app is digitally connected to an enterprise workflow and communication dashboard. From the dashboard, the licensing organization can analyze, engage and educate a population with surveys, instant messaging and targeted health content.

# # #