Utilize Health Releases Ground-Breaking White Paper On The Cost and Human Toll of Neuro Conditions

Targeted neurological care solutions company Utilize Health has released an innovative white paper on The Cost and Human Toll of Neurological Conditions. The publication focuses on the challenges of individuals, health plans, and health systems in managing traumatic brain injury (TBI).

According to a report in Neurology Today, neurological conditions drive a staggering $800 billion in annual U.S. healthcare costs. A subset of six neurological conditions including TBI, stroke, spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy drive a third of those costs, or $240 billion annually. TBI alone—impacting Americans from infants to the elderly—drives more than $86 billion in annual healthcare costs.

Utilize Health’s paper draws from a growing body of literature on the rising prevalence of TBI in America and its dramatic impact on healthcare quality and medical cost. A 2018 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and a Report to Congress highlight the growing need for access to innovative technology and digital health approaches in neurological care. Such approaches can improve engagement and address access barriers including social determinants of health.

“Evidence supports the debilitating and potentially lifelong impact of TBI is not limited to any specific age or health plan population,” said Utilize Health CEO Jessica Harthcock, herself a testament to optimized recovery in SCI. “TBI isn’t just a problem for Medicare or Medicaid, our data shows TBI is also a significant expenditure for commercial health plans.”

A recent neuro-specific claims analysis conducted by Utilize Health for a mid-sized health plan identified more than $40 million in quality driven medical cost savings opportunities. The proprietary analysis included commercial and government lines of business and focused on six key neurological conditions managed by Utilize Health, including TBI, stroke, SCI, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy.

“The problem begins post-discharge,” said Utilize Health Chief Clinical Officer Rebecca Baker. “The daily and often lifelong challenges faced by individuals with a TBI include physical, cognitive, social, and emotional disabilities,” stated Baker. “Published evidence and our own findings from data sets across the U.S. confirm these challenges are poorly addressed outside of the acute care setting.”

Although post-discharge follow up is critical as established by CMS and AHRQ guidelines, research shows only 44 percent of patients reported seeing a physician within three months following a TBI diagnosis. Another theme throughout TBI literature is lack of access to quality, specialized rehabilitative facilities, driving high utilization of inappropriate care settings. Utilize Health’s innovative solutions include specialized neuro clinicians and a wholly unique neurological FacilityOptimizer^SM, which matches health plan member needs to the most appropriate quality rehabilitation center for optimized recovery.

“Through our neuro-specific algorithms, analysis and outreach, we’ve found many of the challenges experienced in TBI are common to other key neurological conditions we manage,” shared Harthcock. “That’s why Utilize Health exists—to identify and target post-acute neurological needs in managed populations and empower lasting, positive change for health plan members, caregivers and treating providers.”

About Utilize Health

Headquartered in Nashville Tennessee, Utilize Health is a targeted neurological care solutions company. Its proprietary analytics identify and target neurological expenditures hidden within claims. Utilize Health’s programs combine evidence-based guidelines with specialized neurological care support for early symptom identification to prevent risk escalation. Through face-to-face, telephonic digital and in-home interaction, Utilize Health empowers members to be active partners in their own recovery. Utilize Health’s facility optimizer, wholly unique in the industry, facilitates access to qualified rehabilitation centers. The company’s innovative neurological care solutions focus on quality and optimized recovery, significantly reducing medical costs while improving member and provider satisfaction.

For more information, visit www.utilizehealth.com.