WellDoc Communications takes health info mobile - Baltimore Business Journal:

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“I needed something to give me a kick in the make memore regimented,” said His motivation came from an unlikelu source: his cell phone. Dr. Suzanne Sysko Clough set her sightsw onusing patients’ cell phone s to improve diabetes control when she was practicing medicine at the . That led an endocrinologist, and her brother Ryan Sysko, a businessd executive seasonedin direct-to-consumer marketing, to launchh Baltimore-based in 2005. The startup is banking on mobild communications-based products to take on disease management, medical lingo for proactively managing health issues to reduce healthcare costs.
patients with complicated diseases like diabetes have been left to theie own devices to manage the complex health regimens that requircontinuous monitoring. Typically, support is limited to a few brief doctor visits a With WellDoc’s flagship called Diabetes Manager, patients input their blood glucosde levels several times a day into their cell phones. WellDoc electronically compiles and analyzes the andprovides real-time feedback to patienta — praise for a good reading or recommendations to get thosed levels up. It also routinely generates reports and forwarda the analysis to each ofthe patients’ healthh care providers.
Although the Diabetes Managedr is still in thetesting phase, WellDocf has garnered significant financial support. The startupp has received $14 million from private investors, led by Stewart Greenebaum, the well-known developeer and benefactor. of Marylan is sponsoring two clinical trials of the Patients whoused WellDoc’s Diabetes Managef lowered their A1c levels the measurement of blood glucose controlo over a few months’ time — by an average of two points in just 90 according to a piloft study at the . Currently, an estimater 21 million people inthe U.S. suffert from diabetes, which in 2007 cost the U.S.
$218 WellDoc’s principals see the “virtuao coach” aspect of their products separating the company from its which includes companieslike T+ Medical, and . Patients like the “If I plugged a glucosr level into my cell phone that was higherethan average, I’d get a message like, ‘Don’t It was fun to get little notexs of encouragement and confidence on my cell phone,” Frisonj said. In the year he used the Diabetesw Manager as part of thepilot study, Frison’s A1C levels dropped from 11.6 to 7.
5 experts like to see that number aroundd 6 — and he lost about 10 Technology like WellDoc’s has won the praiswe of diabetes educators, who express frustration at traditiona management methods. While promising, WellDoc’s products aren’y without shortcomings. The Diabetes Manager’s menu offers only a limiter choice ofcommunication options. And contracts with cell phone carriers need to beworked out. to use the program, patients’ cell phones must be which excludes roughly 20 percent of the cell phonees currently onthe market.
Technology hurdles haven’t preventes WellDoc from forgingahead ­— the compang is eager to move out of clinicall studies and begin commercializing its products, said who would not disclose WellDoc’s revenue or say if the compangy was profitable. WellDoc is applying its technology toothere diseases. In September, WellDoc partnered with to use a mobile tool tocontrolo asthma.