DPS Health introduces Virtual Lifestyle Management, forms partnership with Stanford Patient Education Research Center

DPS Health, a leader in digital behavior change interventions for emergent-risk populations, announced today the launch of its health self-management solution. Designed for health plans, providers systems and employers that are setting population health strategies for the emergent-risk population – adults with one or more pre-chronic or early-stage chronic conditions – the solution includes multi-channel consumer engagement to educate and enroll populations, Virtual Lifestyle Management^TM to help individuals embrace healthy lifestyles, and a suite of condition-based, self-management programs to help the same individuals manage the impact of one or more conditions.

"This new offering allows us to be a new kind of partner for a new era of population health," said Adam Kaufman, PhD, CEO, DPS Health. "At a time of rapid innovation in the field of digital behavior change interventions, DPS Health is the first organization to bring to market a total solution focused on the emergent-risk population utilizing a suite of evidence-based and clinically-proven behavior change programs."

Integral to the solution launch, DPS Health also announced a strategic partnership with the Stanford Patient Education Research Center, the recognized leader in condition self-management programs. Within this agreement, DPS Health will exclusively license the Center's suite of online self-management programs, and the two organizations will collaborate on ongoing population research, program development and evaluation, and program marketing. The Center's director, Kate Lorig, DrPH, will also join DPS Health's new, Emergent-Risk Advisory Board, which will focus on research on today's growing population with early-stage chronic conditions, and the clinical and financial risks for healthcare organizations.

Dr. Lorig emphasizes the importance of a total solution. "Each individual in the emergent-risk population—a group that represents 25-35 percent of the U.S. adult population—needs to be viewed as a whole person and needs to be served with a whole solution. We chose DPS Health as our partner because of their track record with evidence-based solutions that have been proven to activate and impact the health of the individuals who use them. We are excited to see our programs be part of this broader offering."

With this launch, healthcare organizations can fully engage active people with chronic conditions. According to DPS Health, individuals with chronic illness face a lifetime of compounding conditions, compounding impacts on quality of life, and compounding cost of care. By developing new skills in health self-management, these individuals can improve their health, slow the progression of their current condition, and prevent future conditions. With DPS Health's new suite of digital programs, each individual can engage in a set of behavior change programs to meet his or her individual needs. For example, an individual with obesity and arthritis can now participate in DPS Health's signature program, Virtual Lifestyle Management ^TM, and in an arthritis self-management program developed at Stanford.

Kaufman noted, "Working with our internal experts, healthcare partners, and emergent-risk consumers, we're continually learning and innovating to tackle the no. 1 health challenge of the 21^st century: arresting the trajectory of compounding chronic conditions."