Motto Launches Virtual Care App for Autoimmune Diseases
Goal of health platform is to close existing autoimmune diagnostic, treatment gaps
Motto Health has launched an all-in-one virtual health platform to expand access to comprehensive rheumatology care for people with chronic autoimmune conditions, including ankylosing spondylitis .
The new app offers virtual rheumatology clinic visits, personalized lifestyle coaching, and symptom tracking, all with the goal of closing the existing diagnostic and treatment gaps for people with autoimmune diseases in the U.S.
Motto is currently accepting patients in Texas and California, where it’s partnered with most major insurance companies.
“We created Motto because the status-quo forces patients to wait months, if not years, to get adequate treatment from a rheumatologist,” Anuj Patel, founder and CEO of Motto, said in a company press release. “We believe our coordinated care model will help improve access and close important diagnostic gaps for primary care providers, improve quality of life and patient experience, and ultimately result in better outcomes for patients, providers, and the health system.”
As the number of people living with autoimmune and inflammatory illness in the U.S. increases, there’s a growing need for access to rheumatologists, the doctors who specialize in these types of diseases.
But with more than 24 million people in the U.S. living with such conditions and only about 4,600 rheumatologists nationwide, receiving timely care is a significant challenge. While patients wait for care, “they carry the added burden of managing medications and making difficult diet and lifestyle changes all on their own,” Patel said.
Motto’s app will offer a comprehensive, customized, and rheumatologist-led treatment plan. Patients can access a virtual consultation with a rheumatologist in a matter or days, rather than the months it may take to get an in-person visit.
The virtual medical clinic will be full-service, offering patients a “360-degree approach to care,” according to Motto, with a coordinated team to work collaboratively on each patient’s care plan.
Patients can also work with nurse practitioners, physical therapists, dietitians, health and lifestyle coaches, or other experts.
A personalized lifestyle program will also be offered to help patients implement curriculum-based interventions for diet, exercise, stress, and sleep management. A digital flare tracker will help patients track symptoms, and their potential triggers, over the long term. Monthly check-ins will be offered to monitor progress and make adjustments as they may be needed.
“Autoimmune conditions are complex and often require more time than traditional practices provide to get to the heart of the issue,” Elizabeth Ortiz, MD, medical director at Motto and board-certified rheumatologist, said. “Motto supports primary care providers with a holistic care plan that meets the needs of this patient population so that they can feel better faster and effectively manage their condition over the long term.”
Joining Ortiz to run Motto are other clinicians and healthcare professionals, including experts in rheumatology and chronic disease care.
Motto was founded at Redesign Health, a New York-based healthcare startup creator. The virtual platform specializes in ankylosing spondylitis, Sjögren’s syndrome , fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Interested participants in Texas and California can schedule a call with a Motto advisor.
