Wellness Programs in Adult Spina Bifida: Population Health Strategies-Video Presentation

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Brad DeCiano, an associate professor and director of the UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic, discusses the development and implementation of a population health model using spina bifida as an example. He highlights the need to leverage data gathered from populations with spina bifida for research purposes. DeCiano shares some statistics about spina bifida, stating that it affects more than 170,000 people in the United States, with most being adults. He also mentions that adults with spina bifida are hospitalized on average three to four times per year and have higher 30-day readmission rates compared to the general population. The most common reasons for hospitalizations are potentially preventable conditions such as urinary tract infections and wounds. DeCiano discusses the different models of care for adults with spina bifida and the challenges they face when transitioning from pediatric to adult care. He suggests that physiatrists could potentially fill the gap as specialty medical home providers for these patients. DeCiano then talks about a wellness program implemented in their spina bifida clinic, which aimed to improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs. The program included goal-setting, education, care coordination, and a research component. Results of the program showed improvements in function, mood, quality of life, and knowledge, as well as a decrease in emergency room visits. However, the program did not show a positive return on investment within the study timeframe. DeCiano also discusses a mobile health platform they developed to support the wellness program, which included modules for self-care, reminders, education, and secure messaging with clinicians. They conducted a randomized controlled trial, with preliminary results suggesting a decrease in preventable medical events and utilization of healthcare services. He concludes by mentioning the development of a new version of the mobile health system and upcoming studies to further evaluate its effectiveness.

Asset Subtitle

Wellness Programs in Adult Spina Bifida: Population Health Strategies

Keywords

spina bifida

population health model

hospitalizations

wellness program

transitioning

mobile health platform

research