Global healthcare company Abbott is launching NeuroSphere myPath, a digital health app designed to track and report on patient perceived pain relief and general wellbeing associated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) or dorsal root ganglion (DRG) therapy.
During the device trial period required before the permanent implant, the app allows patients to record their outcomes on pain and well-being while trailing their neurostimulation therapy.
Abbott’s NeuroSphere myPath is a digital innovation that will provide relief to millions of Americans currently living with chronic pain that are eligible for SCS or DRG therapy.
This new digital health app will allow patients to use their Apple mobile device to connect with Abbott support, access educational resources and track the progress of their trial pain relief journey.
Keith Boettiger, vice president of neuromodulation at Abbott, says: “The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the need for digital and remote health tools. The launch of the NeuroSphere myPath is one more example of how Abbott has been leading the way in providing remote ways to connect doctors and patients.
Patients will be able to see information on their phone that would typically only be accessible in a doctor’s office—helping patients to share their journey with their doctors.”
Prior to committing to full implantation of a neuromodulation device, patients undergo a trial period to test device capabilities and capacity for pain relief.
During the trial, temporary leads are placed and connected to an external generator, allowing patients to experience first-hand the impact of neuromodulation on their chronic pain and related symptoms.
Shachi Patel, MD, interventional pain management physician and owner of Delmarva Pain and Spine Center in Newark, Delaware, says: “The current digital healthcare landscape has revolutionised our ability to provide direct care for patients whenever they need.
By providing patients with a more seamless, easier way to record their progress during the trial period, Abbott’s NeuroSphere myPath app will enable an enhanced communication experience while providing patients with further insight on their overall outcomes and response to neuromodulation.”
NeuroSphere myPath is the latest innovation that fits within Abbott’s broader NeuroSphere Digital Care connected health management platform.
NeuroSphere myPath will be compatible with Abbott’s Proclaim XR SCS System for patients living with chronic pain in the trunk and limbs, and Proclaim DRG Neurostimulation System for patients with chronic pain in the lower limbs caused by complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia.
Pankaj Mehta, MD, medical director, chief medical officer and director of research at Pain Specialists in Austin, Texas, says: “As clinicians, we are constantly in search of more intuitive tools and easy-to-use applications that enable us to provide better care for our patients living with chronic pain—particularly when trialing a new treatment.
Assessing a patient’s response to a new stimulation therapy is essential to determining a therapeutic course-of-action. With Abbott’s NeuroSphere myPath app, I will have the ability to assess the information patients have been recording and provide a comprehensive assessment on how they are responding to the therapy.”
The NeuroSphere myPath will be available on the Apple App Store in the coming weeks and is expected to be available on Android devices in Q2 2021.
