AndHealth, a healthcare innovator, has launched an observational study with the ambitious goal of changing the standard of care for psoriasis. The objective of this study, titled Project IMPACT, is to create the largest repository of real-world evidence demonstrating the potential to halt the progression of psoriasis. The approach involves addressing the underlying causes of psoriasis alongside conventional treatments, adopting a comprehensive whole-person root cause strategy.
Project IMPACT marks the first initiative of its kind, inviting individuals undergoing specialty medication treatment for psoriasis to participate in a journey aimed at reversing their condition while benefiting countless others in the process.
The study aims to conclusively show that patients can significantly improve their condition when they understand and address the root cause drivers, often linked to lifestyle and nutrition factors, alongside conventional treatment approaches.
The primary goal of Project IMPACT is to revolutionize the treatment approach for psoriasis across the healthcare system.
Dr. Jill Weintraub, a double board-certified rheumatologist overseeing rheumatologic care at AndHealth and author of “Strategies to Treat Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Everything You Wish Your Doctor Had Told You,” emphasizes the necessity of considering the multifaceted nature of psoriasis and its causes. “But that type of care is extremely difficult to provide in our current reimbursement model,” she notes.
AndHealth believes that offering patients more comprehensive support with targeted interventions addressing root causes and personalized nutrition justifies the added time and investment that often limits routine provision of such care in medical practices.
Dr. Myles Spar, the national director of medical services for AndHealth, underscores the importance of Project IMPACT in widening access to specialized care across the socioeconomic spectrum. “More than one-third of our patients at this point are Medicaid participants,” he states.
Participants in Project IMPACT benefit from direct access to their physician, a health coach, and support staff through a dedicated app on their phones, with consultations conducted online via video conferencing.
To ensure accessibility, the study removes financial barriers by covering any treatment plan components not included in health plans or Medicaid at no additional cost to participants. This includes nutritional supplements, several weeks of tailored meal delivery, and an Oura Ring to track health measures such as sleep and stress.
Dr. Spar notes the varying preferences among patients: “Some patients have been craving the opportunity to dive into lifestyle factors and other root causes driving their disease. Others prefer to start slowly by just getting more time and better access to their medical team. We welcome both types of patients.”
AndHealth is currently enrolling adults aged 21 and older in Ohio and Indiana who are undergoing specialty medication treatment or have been advised to start such treatment for psoriasis.
