UH Gets $1M Grant for App to Track Discharged Patients’ Opioid Use

By Fred Donovan

August 28, 2019 - Cleveland-based University Hospitals (UH) has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge to develop an app that tracks a patient’s opioid use after leaving the hospital.

The app, UH Care Continues, uses algorithms to prompt the discharge planning and inpatient care coordination teams to evaluate patient pain needs along with risk factors for addiction or opioid-use disorder.

"Routine opioid prescriptions are no longer an acceptable approach at the time of hospital discharge. UH Care Continues provides us with a unique opportunity to limit, by ensuring necessity, many of the opioid prescriptions contributing to risk for opioid misuse and dependence," said Eric Beck, DO, MPH, an emergency medicine physician and president of UH Ventures.

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UH Care Continues is part of a re-designed team approach to care coordination, discharge planning, and post-acute care at UHs.

"We are using technology to support clinicians in considering each patient's needs, risks, preferences and alternatives as part of our new discharge planning process," Beck said.

UH Care Continues App

Source: Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge

During the six-month pilot period, UH tested the app at 12 hospitals within the system, screening more than 55,000 patients and keeping an estimated 12,000 prescription opioid pills out of circulation in Northeast Ohio.

"UH Care Continues provides a monumental shift in the way hospital discharge is addressed, and ultimately how provider/patient interactions are conducted. Our goal with UH Care Continues is to help other health care institutions support patients with needs-matched resources as they transition from the hospital to their next site of care," Beck added.

UH also set up an Opioid Navigation Hotline that helps the care coordination team direct the patient to alternative, non-pharmacologic pain treatment modalities such as those offered by UH Connor Integrative Health Network, including acupuncture and massage therapy.

“A primary focus of UH Ventures is the growth and diversification of alternative income, the identification and support of unmet needs, as well as the sourcing of potentially scalable solutions from both within our health system and in collaboration with various external partners. UH Care Continues is a perfect example of this strategy in action," said UH CEO Tom Zenty.

In 2018, UH launched the Pain Management Institute, a system-wide initiative partnering providers across disciplines including primary care, surgery, emergency medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, pain management, and the UH Connor Integrative Health Network to optimize patient care.

Ohio Opioid Technology Challenges Awards $1M Grants to Other Firms

Other recipients of a $1 million grant from the Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge are Brave Technology Coop of Vancouver, Canada; DynamiCare Health of Boston, MA; and Prapela of Concord, MA.

Brave is developing in-home smart button technology for people struggling with addiction or opioid use. When activated, the quarter-sized button immediately sends support or emergency services to someone in danger of overdosing.

DynamiCare is working on a system to help people in addiction recovery with an app to track their progress, a smart debit card that rewards healthy choices, and video calls with a recovery coach.

Prapela is developing high-tech mattresses that use strategic vibrations to soothe babies born addicted to opioids, while also regulating their breathing and heart rates.

The Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge was launched in October 2017 with $8 million to promote new ideas in the battle against opioid drug abuse and addiction. Companies have been competing in the challenge, a partnership between the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and science and technology network NineSigma.

In September 2018, 12 finalists were awarded $200,000 to further develop their innovations, with the $1 million prize winners chosen from among that group.

"As our state and country continue to battle the opioid epidemic, Ohio is dedicated to advancing bold, creative, innovative technologies that attack this devastating issue head-on," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency and chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission.

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UH Gets $1M Grant for App to Track Discharged Patients’ Opioid Use

Cleveland-based University Hospitals (UH) has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge to develop an app that tracks a patient’s opioid use after leaving the hospital.

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