Today, virtual neurology clinic Neura Health announced the results of peer-reviewed research which demonstrates the value of its telehealth solution in treating headache disorders. The study is the first of its kind for the neurology disease category, which is a top 5 spend category for health plans and self-insured employers. The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, included a review of 186 Neura Health patients with a variety of headache disorders between March 2022 and March 2023. Study participants were granted access to the full breadth of Neura’s solution, including access to licensed neurologists via telehealth, individualized care plans, an integrated symptom diary and twice-monthly coaching sessions with National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches.
Neura users in the study experienced:
- A 55% decrease in monthly headache days after 90 days
- A 16.7% decrease in headache severity
- A 38.7% decrease in disability
- A 12.5% decrease in depression
- A 66.1% decrease in ER and urgent care visits
“The way that we treat people with headache disorders in the U.S. is broken, but this research confirms that telehealth has the potential to close many of the gaps in care,” said Thomas Berk, MD FAHS, study co-author and Medical Director at Neura Health. “These results demonstrate how better access to specialists and a more comprehensive approach can be achieved with virtual care and dramatically improve patient outcomes.”
Headache disorders are some of the most common diseases worldwide, and migraine is a leading cause of global disability. Yet, treatment is often incredibly difficult to access, with traditional treatment paths in the U.S. often requiring wait times of up to six months to see a specialist. The care patients eventually do receive is often impersonal and insufficient, resulting in misdiagnoses and continued suffering. Many describe their journey as a long, painful cycle of trial and error, where recommended prescriptions or lifestyle changes end up being ineffective, causing patients to wait months to talk with their doctor about trying other treatment options.
“Headache conditions are uniquely suited to telehealth because they often require interventions beyond traditional treatment, including education, stress management, and thorough reviews of symptom and outcomes data that aren’t possible within the constraints of quick in-person visits,” said Elizabeth Burstein, co-founder and CEO of Neura Health. “When leveraged appropriately, technology can play an important role in providing the comprehensive care that’s necessary to generate positive patient outcomes.”
These results represent the first outcomes data specifically reviewing the use of telehealth and this comprehensive approach for headache disorders. To learn more about Neura’s virtual neurology benefit for employees, visit https://www.neurahealth.co/for-partners/employers.
About Neura Health
Neura Health is a virtual neurology clinic with a mission to improve the access and quality of neurological care: increase convenience, improve outcomes, and lower costs. Neura Health’s platform connects patients to neurologists, with in-built neurology-specific symptom monitoring and condition-specific diagnostic tests. These include cognitive exams, psychomotor tests, and standard assessments. Neura Health has HIPAA-compliant text messaging and video visits, with a care concierge service to help patients with their various needs. The company’s first app focus is on chronic headache and migraine.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230823385235/en/