A new startup dubbed Healthful is looking to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to help patients navigate their care. Spun out of Vituity and Inflect Health’s innovation hub, the California company will first roll out its platform at AMITA Health. 

When a patient is going home after an acute care visit, they are matched to a Healthful patient navigator, who can help to guide them through their care journey.  

The company’s algorithms are designed to help care teams find the best resources for each client. Patients are then able to tap into the service to receive a personalized health plan. 

“Each patient has unique needs and challenges, such as transportation, financial assistance or appointment scheduling,” Dr. Rick Newell, chief transformation officer at Vituity and CEO at Inflect Health, said in a statement.

“Healthful breaks down those barriers by having patient care navigators deliver personalized, concierge-level support to those who need it the most. This results in appropriate utilization of care, lower costs to insurers and health systems and, most importantly, end-to-end support for patients.”

WHY IT MATTERS 

Healthful is pitching its technology as a way for patients to help transition from an acute care setting into the home. Hospital readmission rates remain high, costing health systems, payers and patients millions every year.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there were 3.8 million adult hospital readmissions within 30 days in 2018. That came out to an average readmission rate of roughly 14%.  

The rate of readmission varies by procedure and diagnosis. For example, roughly 25% of patients with congestive heart failure were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, according to the agency. 

THE LARGER TREND 

Today there are many health navigation platforms on the market. Clinical-navigation veteran Grand Rounds recently merged with telehealth provider Doctor on Demand to form Included Health. 

Others in the space include Rightway Healthcare, which landed $20 million in 2019, and Eden Healthcare, which raked in $25 million in funding in 2020. 

Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated that Healthful was rolling out at Kaiser Permanente.