As value-based care models take hold, the time is ripe for rehab therapists to position themselves as primary players in the movement toward delivering optimal quality and value in the broader healthcare ecosystem.

Luna — an at-home physical therapy provider — released a new study on the efficacy of its post-surgery rehabilitation program. The study, which was conducted by the startup, showed that the Luna Pathways program did a good job of reducing patients’ pain, increasing care plan adherence, and decreasing avoidable hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.

Quantum Health has bolstered its collaboration with Sword Health by integrating MSK services to members to track home exercise, avoid unnecessary surgery and support treatment of pelvic conditions.

Providence recently launched a program to expand its patients’ access to in-home physical therapy. The health system is launching the initiative in partnership with Luna, a provider of in-home outpatient physical therapy that serves patients in nearly 30 states.

The in-home service is meant to complement the company’s virtual care. Members are able to book appointments within one to two business days and receive in-person assessments of their mobility, as well as any fall hazards in their home.

Surgery management has emerged as a key area where employers are collaborating with providers through companies like Transcarent to provide more informed guidance on surgery care delivery options for the best patient outcomes and experience.

Clinicians used to wonder if there was a role for mindfulness meditation in healthcare. But after the Covid-19 pandemic laid bare the overwhelming need for practical solutions in behavioral health, the question has shifted to what role it can play.

Surgery is not always the best answer for orthopedic problems. Often behavior modifications that help with losing weight and increasing mobility, such as exercise, stretching and making dietary improvements, can successfully address musculoskeletal issues while also reducing healthcare spending.

Recent advances in technology have created an opportunity for traditional providers to overcome these hurdles and deliver virtual PT in a way that is convenient for both patients and frontline clinicians and has a high degree of clinical integrity.

New advances in sensing technology are set to spur further innovation in the physical-therapy field, and help fill the gap in guidance that exists in between in-clinic sessions.

We again need Congress to intervene in order to protect patients and providers and stop any further cuts to specialty care.

The digital health company recently struck a partnership with Luna On-Demand Physical Therapy to offer in-person physical therapy services, in addition to its virtual programs for musculoskeletal care. Users in markets where Luna is available can schedule an in-home visit with the same physical therapists over time. 

The startup walks people through exercises at home, and connects them to health coaches and physical therapists. It’s now valued at $6.2 billion.

The Kansas-based company has built up a network of physical therapists and a technology platform for workers’ compensation. Now, with $90 million in new funding, it plans to expand into new services for musculoskeletal care.

Cincinnati-based IncludeHealth launched a virtual physical therapy program using pose-estimation models developed by Google. It plans to offer this software to healthcare providers, starting with its largest partner to date, ProMedica Health System.

Sword Health, a startup that uses virtual visits with physical therapists and sensors to guide people through exercises, raised $85 million in funding. The company plans to use the new funds to grow its business through partnerships with health plans.

Employee benefits firm Aon is bundling together three digital health solutions as part of a broader musculoskeletal care offering. It’s partnering with Hinge Health, 98point6 and Employer Direct Healthcare.

Kiio CEO Lydia Zeller talks about the digital health company that guides users through personalized therapeutic programs through their smartphone or tablet to reduce and prevent back pain and joint pain. 

Kaia Health, a startup providing app-based programs for musculoskeletal conditions and COPD, recently raised $75 million in funding. As competitors look to round out their platforms with other services, Kaia is looking to strike partnerships with clinicians. 

The digital physical therapy company acquired a startup making a small, adhesive device that use electrical pulses for pain treatment.

A randomized, controlled study published in JAMA Open found that patients who engaged in a virtual physical therapy program saw a greater reduction in knee pain than those who continued with their usual care plan at home. However, the study was not blinded, which could affect patients’ self-reported pain scores.

Hinge Health, a startup offering virtual physical therapy, recently raised $300 million in funding. The company now has a value of more than $3 billion, the company confirmed.

Opioid abuse is a widely recognized public health crisis in the United States and the […]

Omada Health acquired Physera Health, a company that offers telehealth physical therapy appointments. The deal would add another digital health platform to Omada’s toolbox, which includes solutions for diabetes, hypertension and behavioral health.

Reflexion Health is attracting new customers for its remote monitoring tools such as insurers, self-insured employers, and worker’s compensation insurance companies.

Raintree will offer UK-based Physitrack to clients that include independent rehabilitation centers as well as those affiliated with hospital systems and institutions, as part of the agreement

The New York-based company, which is part of StartUp Health’s portfolio, is one of several businesses that present themselves as a way to support the roll out of bundled payments, starting with hip and knee replacement surgery.

In a statement it said it would use the $18 million towards completing an evaluation of its first FDA cleared product, product development, and scaling its VERA platform nationally among U.S. healthcare systems.