Sharecare, the digital health company that helps people manage all their health in one place, today announced Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare, the company’s Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) program, is now available through a virtual delivery model. Reimbursable through Medicare and many commercial plans, Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare is the first and only ICR program scientifically proven in randomized controlled trials to often reverse the progression of coronary heart disease and many other chronic conditions, without drugs or surgery.
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., with $273 billion in CVD-related direct costs and $172 billion in indirect costs, which hit employers’ bottom lines through lost productivity, workplace absenteeism, and short-term disability; and by 2030, indirect costs associated with CVD are expected to reach $276 billion.1 With millions of adults currently diagnosed with CVD, in addition, nearly 1.3 million U.S. adults each year may qualify for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation2, which improves health outcomes among people who have had heart failure, heart attacks, or undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. Yet, 20 percent of eligible patients take part in cardiac rehabilitation3, with women, the elderly, and minorities being the most likely to be impacted by systemic barriers including lack of physician referrals, cost, and distance to the program facility4.
To date, Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare has empowered patients to manage, navigate, and improve their cardiac health through a center-based, in-person offering. By enabling patients to participate remotely in the Ornish program, Sharecare is removing barriers to access for eligible individuals, regardless of their location, which serves to not only improve health outcomes but also advance health equity. Further, in initial cohorts, the newly available…
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