After bringing over two former executives from behavioral health startup Catasys, DarioHealth rolled out a new mental health coaching service for its users. The company, which has headquarters in Israel and New York, helps patients manage diabetes and hypertension through a connected glucose monitor that connects to a smartphone app.
Now, DarioHealth is rolling out behavioral health coaching for its 51,000 active users to help them manage stress, anxiety and loneliness. Though particularly timely with Covid-19, DarioHealth had been drafting up plans prior to the pandemic.
“Even before Covid, there has been a gross undertreatment of these other conditions. When they are treated, they’re treated in a separate silo-like fashion,” said DarioHealth CMO Dr. Omar Manejwala, who joined the company from Catasys in March.
Rick Anderson, who left Catasys to join DarioHealth as its president and general manager of North America in January, said the pandemic sped up the timeline for rolling out the new service. The company worked for the last six weeks to add a feature that would connect users to behavioral health coaches.
“The whole Covid-19 situation has just exacerbated it,” he said. “Our members are vulnerable and at risk.”
The new program would connect users with a behavioral health coach, who would work with users to develop goals to around a wellness objective. It’s a way to capture members who might not necessarily seek out therapy, Manejwala said.
DarioHealth also can refer members out to a therapist or psychiatrist if needed. The goal, Manejwala said, was to integrate behavioral health services into its main app, rather than as a separate service.
“We found programs were adding behavioral health services at times, but it was almost more like a standalone service offered through another partnership,” he said.
DarioHealth certainly isn’t the only company focusing on mental health services for patients with chronic conditions. Last year, Omada added behavioral health coaching through its acquisition of digital mental health company Lantern. Shortly after, Livongo acquired MyStrength, which gives users access to self-care resources for depression, anxiety, insomnia and other behavioral health conditions.
Photo credit: DarioHealth
