Physera’s Retrospective on 2020
2020 was a year of monumental events. We are in the midst of a major worldwide pandemic, wrapped up a historical election last month, witnessed countless acres burn and saw excessive force and the resulting social unrest and demonstrations leading to a national dialogue for rethinking our approach to policing.
For months now, we’ve talked about how strained the healthcare system has been due to COVID-19, but it also exposed many gaps in our approach to healthcare. To say this year brought some real challenges, would be the understatement of 2020, however, it also brought some positive moves that have the potential to change things in the industry.
Omada Health + Physera
In May, Physera was acquired by Omada Health creating the most comprehensive suite of whole-person digital care available. When we started Physera, we did so with a mission driven mindset of helping as many people as possible manage and treat their musculoskeletal pain conveniently and cost effectively by leveraging technology and human clinical expertise to drive good health outcomes.
The acquisition felt natural. Physera was dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, and was clearly an important area that was ripe for innovation. This concept was well-aligned with Omada’s strategic plans to broaden its portfolio of best-in-breed digital therapeutics. As we experienced growing demand for virtual care during the pandemic, we saw the opportunity to join with a leader in the digital healthcare space and reach more people who could benefit from its program.
As we look forward to the future, Physera becomes more integrated with Omada Health. We are leveraging Omada Health’s unique engagement approach to treat comorbidities with personalized care through data driven insights and deep clinical expertise.
A Global Pandemic
COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind. No one could have anticipated that we’d be in this situation, or the repercussions it would have on healthcare and how people access care. Since March, there has been a huge increase in the general public’s comfort with remote clinical interactions, an area that Physera was an early pioneer of and spent many years iterating and improving.
When the world suddenly shifted and demanded more virtual care, we were ready to support the needs of homebound people who needed treatment for muscle and joint pain.
However the pandemic not only changed the way we access healthcare. It also changed the way we work. For many of us that meant working from home using kitchen tables and chairs that weren’t designed for long hours on a keyboard and screen. Proper ergonomics and posture is critical for avoiding long term musculoskeletal issues. Our therapists have been able to help many people with existing pain and questions about their working from home setups.
An Opportunity for Change
Going beyond the healthcare areas in need of improvement pre-pandemic, COVID-19 has revealed the importance of a coordinated national response and universal coverage. As a nation, it would be a step in the right direction to make basic care available to all and make it as convenient as possible. When people have adequate healthcare access, people stay healthier and there’s a reduction in healthcare spend on avoidable procedures and complications from untreated ailments.
In the Spring, we came together with The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and deepened our advocacy for virtual health in order to spur a much-needed acceleration to broaden access to virtual care through policy change. The previous contradicting rules were detrimental to PTs and patients alike.
As 2020 comes to a close, we expect more changes in the new year, including Physera’s deeper integration with Omada Health. We hope you join us on that journey. Follow along on Omada Health’s LinkedIn or check out the website for more information.
