Pack Health & UCSF to Support Individuals with Multiple Myeloma Undergoing Stem Cell Transplantation

Pack Health and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center today announced a pilot study evaluating the use of digital coaching to support individuals with multiple myeloma undergoing stem cell transplantation.  The study will enroll individuals undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation and provide digital coaching services through day 100 post-transplantation.  The study will evaluate engagement with the digital coaching program as well as patient-reported outcomes during the coaching period.

“Coaches serve as ‘thought partners’ who help patients to set & accomplish their personal wellness-related goals in intuitive and durable ways. Our myeloma patients may spend up to a third of their first 100 days after transplantation either hospitalized or at clinic visits, and digital coaching allows them to work with their coach conveniently via phone or text. We are running this pilot study to help optimize how this technology is incorporated to support patients during this tumultuous time,” says Rahul Banerjee, MD, a hematology/oncology fellow at UCSF and the study’s principal investigator.

“Stem cell transplantation is an intensive treatment period involving high-dose chemotherapy and acute life disruptions. Many of our patients are looking for organized ways to regain control of their lives after transplantation. Digital coaching has the potential to provide integrative support during this period, empowering patients and hopefully improving their quality of life,” adds Nina Shah, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at UCSF Health and Dr. Banerjee’s faculty mentor.

Participants in the study will be assigned a personal Pack Health Advisor at no cost to the patient.  The Pack Health Advisor will engage patients over a four-month period using a combination of at least one coaching call and four digital nudges (personalized follow up via text, email, or app, based on the patient’s preference) per week. “We are excited to expand the role of digital coaching to this unique patient population for whom the transplantation period is so pivotal to the outcomes of their care,” says Dr. Kelly Brassil, Director of Medical Affairs for Pack Health. “This collaboration will enable us to explore how digital coaching may be used in the transplant space to support physical and emotional wellness, insights that can be applied to a broader population of individuals who undergo stem cell transplantation.”

About UCSF: The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is exclusively focused on the health sciences and is dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. UCSF Health, which serves as UCSF’s primary academic medical center, includes top-ranked specialty hospitals and other clinical programs, and has affiliations throughout the Bay Area. Learn more at https://www.ucsf.edu.

About Pack Health

Pack Health is an evidence-based patient engagement platform that helps change health behaviors to close gaps in care and improve outcomes. Pack Health comprehensively addresses chronic conditions, comorbidities, social determinants, and barriers. The model is proven to drive results across industries, including life sciences, health plans, and research. For more information, visit www.packhealth.com.

In 2022, Pack Health was acquired by Quest Diagnostics, the nation’s leading provider of diagnostic information services. Pack Health is part of Quest’s Extended Care portfolio of services designed to facilitate access to care beyond traditional healthcare settings. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States.

Pack Health is intended to be an aid for people to gain insights into ways to help improve their general health and well-being.

Learn more at https://www.packhealth.com/.

Contact: Brittney Vigna, Director of Marketing, Pack Health, brittney@packhealth.com