Home health app software company NuvoAir has completed a pilot of its virtual care for COPD patients in the United States. The company’s software collects data from home monitoring devices to provide patients with their ongoing health trends. The trial of the software in the US has shown greater patient engagement with their health, improved quality of life and a sharp fall in hospitalisations.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major health challenge throughout much of the developed world. In the United States, there are over 15 million people diagnosed with COPD. It is the third ranked disease related cause of death in the United States, a major cause of patient comorbidities, and a major cost to the US health system.

The US pilot follows the adoption of the NuvoAir home-based virtual care system by healthcare providers within the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS).

According to NuvoAir, it aims to address key challenges in COPD care by marrying technology and human touch, resulting in the delivery of continuous and proactive care. Data is collected from home monitoring devices and connected to the NuvoAir Home app. Patients can use the home app to follow and understand their own health trends. Clinical teams apply algorithms to the data to analyse the results and tailor care for each patient.

The pilot, conducted from 2021-2022 with rural populations from a pulmonary clinic in Indiana and primary care clinic in Kentucky, demonstrated success in engagement and patient reported outcomes. Of patients surveyed, 80% reported fewer COPD-related hospitalisations after enrolling, 60% reported fewer exacerbations, and 87% reported improved quality of life. During the pilot, NuvoAir enrolled 74% and successfully on-boarded 56% of the targeted population. On average, individuals completed a home SpO2 reading every 2 days to measure blood oxygen saturation levels, performed spirometry lung function tests every 9 days, and completed a symptom survey every 15 days, indicating strong patient engagement in the solution. 

NuvoAir is designed to provide a virtual-first omni-channel clinical service experience for complex patients where COPD is the leading condition. The solution includes both clinical stratification by risk and exacerbation history as well as engagement stratification by technical capability, ensuring that even the most complex individuals without smartphones can benefit from the solution. NuvoAir Care Coordinators coach COPD patients to use award-winning home monitoring technology and provide health education and early interventions, which help to keep patients out of the hospital. Patients are managed with proven clinical protocols tailored to their individual needs. When a red flag is detected (such as a biomarker, trend of biomarkers, self-report, or medication adherence issue), they are quickly evaluated by clinical team members.

“Through our solution we capture and assess ongoing data, see signals and identify trouble spots and intervene before the patient heads to an office visit or emergency room. Our solution seamlessly supports patients through their journey with COPD. Tailored personalisation of care is at the heart of our solution, all delivered at scale,” said Michael Zagami, Chief Product Officer at NuvoAir. 

“We are transforming the way the healthcare system better supports patients living with COPD. Our results in the US validate what we have seen previously in the UK with thousands of patients with respiratory conditions,” said NuvoAir’s Chief Medical Officer, Eric Harker.