Virtual Care for Gastrointestinal Conditions to Undergo Independent Evaluation

NEW YORK —

The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) will conduct an independent evaluation of virtual solutions used to manage gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, to assess the clinical effectiveness and economic impact of these programs. PHTI’s assessments inform health plans, employers, and providers on whether and how to adopt digital health technologies to improve outcomes, expand access, and reduce spending.

GI conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastroesophageal reflux disease affect an estimated 60 to 70 million people in the United States. In traditional care models, people have difficulty getting a diagnosis and accessing effective GI treatment, leading to delayed care and higher spending.

“Patients with GI symptoms often face long diagnostic journeys that result in avoidable emergency room visits, expensive procedures and testing, and unnecessary suffering,” said Caroline Pearson, executive director of PHTI. “Virtual care models aim to deliver timely access to specialty care to accelerate diagnosis and care planning, while providing ongoing support in helping manage the condition and associated symptoms.”

GI conditions account for $136 billion annually in U.S. healthcare spending, more than diabetes or heart disease. Unmanaged digestive symptoms are the leading cause of treat-and-release emergency department visits and contribute to potential overutilization of endoscopies, imaging, and specialist visits.

Solutions often include medication management, continuous monitoring, symptom management, integrated remote consultations, diagnostic services, and virtual behavioral health support services. Virtual solutions for GI conditions primarily augment in-person care but can act as a replacement depending on condition severity and treatment needs. More than $300 million has been invested in virtual GI solutions since 2016.

PHTI’s assessment of virtual solutions for GI conditions will follow its evaluation of virtual solutions for opioid use disorder. PHTI evaluations published to date include virtual solutions for depression and anxiety, digital hypertension management solutions, virtual musculoskeletal solutions, and digital diabetes management solutions.