Trenton Health Team and Wellth to Work to Improve Health Outcomes for Residents with Diabetes in Trenton, New Jersey
by Trenton Health Team (THT), an innovative community health improvement collaborative serving Trenton, NJ announced a partnership with Wellth, a digital health company, to increase medication adherence for Trenton residents living with diabetes.
Founded in 2006, THT was established with the mission to “transform healthcare for Trenton by forming a committed partnership with the community to expand access to high quality, coordinated, cost-effective healthcare.” One of the critical issues being addressed by THT is chronic disease management for members of the community, especially for those with diabetes.
“We are extremely excited to start our partnership with Trenton Health Team.” said Wellth CEO Matthew Loper. “At Wellth, our goal is to help individuals living with chronic health conditions develop healthier habits so they live longer and happier lives. We have worked with diabetes members in the past and have seen very positive results, and we look forward to delivering the same results in the Trenton community. Wellth actually started as a company nearby at Tigerlabs in Princeton, NJ, so this new partnership is special to us since it will allow us to give back to our neighbors.”
This new collaboration between THT and Wellth will leverage Wellth’s incentive-based behavioral economics interventions to help improve medication adherence for Trenton residents with diabetes. A 2003 study from the World Health Organization showed that just 50% of individuals with chronic conditions in the US adhere to their treatments as prescribed . For patients with diabetes, nonadherence leads to detrimental health outcomes such as elevated hemoglobin A1c and lower quality of life, as well as more frequent hospitalizations and ballooning costs for the healthcare system.
“We are eager to partner with Wellth to improve the health and well-being of Trenton residents with diabetes,” said Gregory Paulson, THT’s Executive Director. “Their innovative technology will allow people with diabetes to build self-management skills and better follow their treatment plans to improve their health.”
The Wellth app reminds members to take their medications, test their glucose levels, weigh themselves, or complete other condition-specific prescribed activities. Members are motivated to use the app through financial and other incentives. Wellth has worked with members living with chronic diseases in many populations impacted by social determinants of health, producing an average of 89% adherence to medications and other care plan behaviors such as regularly monitoring one’s blood sugar.
Partnerships like THT and Wellth’s help both organizations improve the quality and value of care and improve health outcomes for the communities they serve.
