Liva Healthcare, the digital health coaching platform used by the NHS, is working alongside Westbank Community Health and Social Care on a new programme for the Healthier Living Partnership and Devon County Council.
Westbank, an Exeter-based charity, will provide a face-to-face service, while Liva Healthcare will offer personalised health coaching and digital support through its app.
The two-year programme brings Liva Healthcare’s total patient number to 150,000, making it the number one platform for digital lifestyle intervention across Europe.
The aim of the programme is to reduce or delay the progression of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease for high-risk groups.
The programme will treat patients with a BMI over 25 and those with raised HbA1c measurements, delivering evidence-based, positive and sustainable behaviour change to the most-deprived areas in Devon.
Results from the Liva programme show an average weight loss of 7kg within four months, sustained after 20 months.
For patients with pre-diabetes, after six months of using the programme, 75% had reduced their HbA1c to normal levels and 50% of patients with pre-diabetes had HbA1c levels indicative of a reversal to their condition altogether.
The company is now active in 17 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the UK.
Simon Pickup, UK managing director at Liva Healthcare, said: “Our continued success within the UK sees more patients receive support at the touch of button.
“Liva’s scalable platform enables long-term lifestyle change for patients, but also drives better outcomes at a lower cost.”
Research has shown that for patients with no complications, average societal costs are £5,320 per patient per year. If just 1,000 patients are treated through Liva, a total of £27,660,000 could be saved in a year.
And, for CCGs like Devon, the cost saving opportunity is substantial.
Pickup said: “While delivering value is increasingly important for healthcare providers’ we are ensuring that the outcomes for patients remain at the forefront of our service.”