UnitedHealthcare is launching a new virtual physical therapy program to improve support for members with musculoskeletal issues.
The program will provide eligible members with 24/7, on-demand exercise feedback powered by artificial intelligence and is aimed at enhancing health outcomes, reducing care costs and avoiding unnecessary invasive treatments such as imaging, surgery or opioid prescriptions, according to an April 7 press release.
Members recovering from surgery or injury start the program by completing an assessment of current issues on mobile or online and will receive a referral if appropriate. Members then download the Kaia Health app, an AI-based system that provides physical therapy exercises and delivers personalized feedback to ensure proper movements. Exercises are analyzed over time by the app's "triage" algorithms, along with self-reported outcomes such as perceived pain levels and mobility to help identify members in need of additional coaching or intervention.
Members will have access to one-to-one health coaching by phone or app, educational information, and meditation and breathing exercises to help with pain management and relaxation. Health coaches will also be available to help motivate members and assist with setting realistic goals and adherence to recommended exercises.
"UnitedHealthcare's virtual physical therapy program offers people the convenience of 24/7 access to physical therapy coaching sessions at home or on the go, further enhancing our holistic approach to help address musculoskeletal issues by combining advanced technology with proactive engagement, personalized support, and consumer-centric benefit designs," Russell Amundson, MD, national senior medical director at UnitedHealthcare, said. "With millions of Americans experiencing orthopedic issues currently or at some point during their lifetimes, this AI-driven approach supplements our existing virtual physical therapy benefit with a new resource to help people recover from injury or surgery."