Digital Health Company Launches to Provide Accurate, Actionable Health Data

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new healthcare technology company, modus health, has been launched to provide accurate, actionable physical activity data and analytics that will improve care efficiency and enhance clinical outcomes in patients with slow and irregular gait. modus measures what matters using its unique, clinically validated wearable StepWatch™ Activity Sensor coupled with proprietary best-in-class software and analytics.

modus offers care providers, patients, and payors a complete activity monitoring and assessment solution across multiple high-risk patient groups. These patient segments include those with neurological conditions such as post-stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, as well as those with chronic diseases such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).  modus also provides best-in-class eldercare solutions through its unique ability to accurately measure function in users with slow and/or irregular gait.

The rise of wearable sensors and the "quantified self" movement have resulted in heightened interest in activity trackers and similar devices.  While gait and activity are key clinical indicators in multiple therapeutic fields, deficiencies in the accuracy of the data from these consumer products significantly limit their utility in actual clinical applications. The challenges of device inaccuracy are especially acute in persons who walk with slow or irregular gait.

modus is uniquely positioned to serve caregivers for these large and challenging patient populations, basing its outcomes platform and analytics on data captured from its StepWatch™ activity monitor.  StepWatch™ was created as a research instrument to measure real-world function in the challenging environment of persons using assistive technology to ambulate. Over time, this research expanded to chronic diseases, as well as to large scale pharmaceutical and device trials.

Hundreds of academic researchers have utilized the device over the past fifteen years. Nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal articles have been published utilizing StepWatch™ as the gold standard in physical activity monitoring. Findings from these publications include:

• Mayo Clinic researchers found StepWatch™ to be 99.7% accurate at speeds of one mph
• Harvard Medical School researchers found StepWatch™ to be 99% accurate in measuring physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• University of Pittsburgh researchers documented StepWatch™ as more than 99% accurate in capturing physical activity in seniors with slow and/or irregular gait
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found StepWatch™ to be 99% accurate in patients post-stroke.

"For activity data to actionable, it must first be accurate," commented modus President Doug McCormack.  "The modus StepWatch™ and proprietary algorithms enjoy unsurpassed accuracy and academic validation.  We intend to build on this capability to provide actionable health data to inform clinical decisions and ultimately improve outcomes."

StepWatch's™ efficacy has transcended research, and has gained a following in clinical applications; Dr. George Hornby, Stroke Rehabilitation Program Leader at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago commented on his experience with the technology, "StepWatch™ consistently measured as the most accurate device, by a significant margin, and our studies showed the same.  It was the obvious choice."

In addition to its institutional partners, modus has already attracted the attention of several luminaries in the mobile health industry.  Notables on the modus advisory board include technology thought leader David Albert, MD, founder of AliveCor, and Bradley Merrill Thompson of Epstein Becker and Green, the mHealth Regulatory Coalition General Counsel.

About modus health
modus health's mission is to provide accurate and actionable physical activity data and analytics to inform clinical decision making, improve efficiency for payors, and optimize outcomes for patients.   We focus on patient segments with slow or irregular gait, in which our StepWatch™ technology is uniquely accurate in measuring physical activity. For more information visit modushealth.com

Contact: Adam Shapiro
modus health, llc
c.202.427.3603

SOURCE modus health