LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is the latest local employer to join AIR Louisville, a new approach to improving asthma that leverages sensors, big data, and community collaboration.
AIR Louisville is a grant-funded program designed to reduce the burden of asthma in Louisville, Kentucky, a city consistently ranked as one of the most challenging in the US for people with asthma. The program aligns to Humana’s local strategy to address respiratory illness among its employees and members.
Dr. Rae Godsey, DO, the corporate medical director for Humana, said that the bold goal is to improve the health of the communities the company serves 20% by 2020. About 8% of the US population has asthma versus 13% in Louisville. Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma are responsible for higher health care bills for employers and a lower quality of life for individuals.
“Our ambitious goal is only achievable if we work together with organizations like AIR Louisville,” Dr. Godsey said. “Our research indicated that asthma, allergies, smoking and other respiratory illnesses are significant barriers to Kentucky’s health. AIR Louisville is helping us develop and implement collaborative strategies to remove these barriers and assist us all in breathing easier.”
The AIR Louisville program is powered by Propeller Health, the Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil, the city of Louisville, and a coalition of seven employers, three healthcare providers, a health plan and three advocacy groups. The program uses Propeller’s smart inhalers to help residents learn more about their asthma and reduce their symptoms. It also provides city leaders with valuable public health information so they can make more informed decisions about how to keep the air quality across the metro area clean enough to prevent asthma attacks.
Propeller Health provides an FDA-cleared digital health platform including inhaler sensors that record the time and location of medication use. It also engages patients through a mobile app and feedback in order to help reduce the frequency of asthma symptoms and improve outcomes.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded AIR Louisville through a grant to the Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil. This nonprofit is bringing together employers, doctors, insurance companies and advocacy groups to support a new solution for Louisville’s asthma problem.
“The first person who joined our program said, ‘I want to live here, I want to be happy here, and I want to be healthy here.’ The AIR Louisville team is working to make asthma less of a burden for everyone inLouisville,” said Veronica Combs, director of community engagement for AIR Louisville.
More than 440 people have joined the program so far from employer groups and from throughoutLouisville, KY. Residents can find out more at airlouisville.com.
About AIR Louisville
AIR Louisville is the first-of-its-kind data-driven collaboration among public, private and philanthropic organizations to use digital health technology to improve asthma. Propeller Health and the Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil are leading the program with support from the City of Louisville, the Mayor’s office and the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness. The program also includes local employers Brown-Forman, Humana, Kindred, Metro Louisville employees, Papa John’s, Seven Counties, WHAS11, healthcare providers including FamilyAllergy & Asthma, JenCare, and University of Louisville Pediatrics, and Passport Health Plan. The American Lung Association of the Midland States, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and the Kentucky chapter of The Nature Conservancy are also supporting the program.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a leading health and well-being company focused on making it easy for people to achieve their best health with clinical excellence through coordinated care. The company’s strategy integrates care delivery, the member experience, and clinical and consumer insights to encourage engagement, behavior change, proactive clinical outreach and wellness for the millions of people we serve across the country.
About The Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil
The Institute was founded in March 2014 with the goal of making it easier for people to understand how our natural environment shapes our health. The Institute wants to bring about the kind of change that will help people live healthier lives, such as helping people understand how to clean up our natural environment as well as why we need to do it. The Institute is leading the nation in creating new ways to empower “citizen scientists” to reveal the connections between environmental health and human health, starting with air quality and asthma.
About Propeller Health
Founded in 2010, Propeller is the leading provider of an FDA-cleared digital health platform that helps reduce the cost of care while delivering better quality of life for individuals with chronic respiratory disease. Propeller provides better engagement, communication, and more insightful and personalized care. Backed by Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: SFE), Social Capital, California HealthCare Foundation, Kapor Capital and other investors, Propeller has been used by patients with asthma or COPD in over 35 commercial programs across the US at major healthcare systems, payers, employers and other commercial partners. Company recognition includes TEDMED Innovation Showcase, White House Champion of Change, and Bluetooth Breakthrough Product awards. Visit http://propellerhealth.com/
