TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 14, 2022 (Updated August 27, 2022) / Highmark’s THINK AHEAD Pathways Program begins its first of ten Ontario Emergency Room deployments with the first deployment scheduled for July 2022. The program offers physician follow-up and remote monitoring of neurological function to every patient who has suffered a head injury and is discharged directly from the Emergency Room (ER). It is intended to help address the gaps in follow-up care that can occur post-discharge.
Highmark Interactive Inc. (TSXV:HMRK), a global leader in digital health technologies, announces the start of their THINK AHEAD Pathways Program with a plan to add 9 more Emergency Rooms (ERs) over the coming quarters. THINK AHEAD was specifically developed for Canadian ERs for individuals who have experienced a head injury. Phase 1 begins at a Greater Toronto Area Hospital and is scheduled to go live in July 2022, before rolling out to its second and third ER in the broader Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Phase 1 of the program later this summer/early fall. Phase 2 begins in November 2022 with an acceleration in deploying THINK AHEAD to an additional 7 Ontario ERs with one ER onboarded every 4-5 weeks.
THINK AHEAD starts directly in the ER with the digital assessment of any stable patient at triage who meets criteria for a suspected head injury (e.g., occurring from a fall or motor vehicle accident) with Highmark’s EQ for Emergency software. Patients with injuries significant enough to warrant admission to hospital will initially be excluded from the program. Following discharge from the ER, within two to three (2-3) days, the patient will be virtually assessed by a physician to review their current status and referred for further rehabilitation where appropriate.
According to a study published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation in 2020, 150,000 people will be diagnosed annually with mild head injury in Ontario with the majority seen and diagnosed in Ontario’s ERs. The key driver of THINK AHEAD is to minimize the number of people that may fall through the cracks of our overstretched ERs after discharge. Furthermore, the TRACK TBI study demonstrated that more than 50% of people discharged with mild head injury had ongoing symptoms one year later that can impact school/work, sport and play. Accessing care after a milder head injury has had many barriers in Ontario including limited accessibility due to geography or language, need for education, or long wait lists for existing programs.
“Delivering consistent follow-up post-discharge from the ER is exactly on mark with our mission to revolutionize brain and mental health care,” says Dr. Sanjeev Sharma. “We have worked diligently with each ER to ensure we augment their existing processes and workflows to put together a program that can bridge perceived and real gaps post discharge from an ER visit. We are excited to begin deployment of the THINK AHEAD program with the visionary and innovative ER leadership team of the hospital before expanding across the province and ultimately Canada, and internationally.”
Highmark sought to develop a program that can provide services to as many patients as possible, without the cost being borne by either the hospital or the patient. With their THINK AHEAD program that is exactly what is achieved. The software utilized in the ER and by the patient at their 48-72 hour follow up will have no cost for the hospital associated with it. If rehabilitation is required, the cost of Highmark’s EQ platform will be undertaken by the treating clinic within the THINK AHEAD network of providers and treating clinics will work with patients to access funding available for their rehabilitation. Highmark expects to generate $3 million of annualized revenue from Phase 1 for deployment completed across the first 3 hospitals by fall of 2022. Phase 1 will reach an equal mix of SaaS revenue and clinical services. By the middle of Q2 of 2023, the rollout schedule targets a total of 10 Ontario ERs generating approximately $10 million in annualized revenue, with 75%, at a minimum, being SaaS revenue. Highmark is targeting deployment across 15 ERs by the end of 2023 in Ontario of which almost 85% will be SaaS revenue.
Highmark is also in preliminary discussions with ERs in Western Canada and anticipates beginning deployment across those provinces in early 2023.
About Highmark Interactive
Highmark Interactive was created to change the paradigm of testing and management for brain and mental health. Highmark’s approach is focused on providing real-time data to health providers to support proactive, preventative interventions and targeted care planning to improve health outcomes.
In addition to a growing network of virtual clinics, Highmark Interactive offers the world’s first gamified, FDA cleared patient-led assessments as well as digital clinician-led assessments of neurofunction and balance. Together, the technology is used in more than 350 health organizations globally.
By unlocking insights, Highmark’s platform enables precision medicine and creates a more contemporary model for delivering better outcomes in medical, mental health and rehabilitation services. Learn more: https://www.highmark.tech/
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Highmark Interactive Inc.
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ir@highmark.tech
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