Dive Brief:
- Telehealth firm Amwell is partnering with Nestlé Health Science to create digital health programs focused on nutrition, the two companies announced on Thursday.
- The partners’ first offering, the Advanced Surgical Nutrition Automated Care Program, pairs Amwell’s virtual companion service with Nestlé’s Impact Advanced Recovery drink and is available for patients undergoing major elective surgery in the U.S. Enrolled patients receive the drink while the digital program offers patient education and guidance, evaluates progress and adherence and can prompt clinicians to assist if necessary.
- The program could “help strengthen patients’ pre-operative journeys and foster better care plan compliance,” according to an Amwell spokesperson. The companies didn’t disclose financial terms behind the deal, but said they will work on other initiatives that aim to improve outcomes and lower costs for health systems.
Dive Insight:
Amwell, one of the nation’s largest telehealth companies by market share, is in the midst of migrating its clients to its Converge software, a newer platform that aims to consolidate its offerings and integrate third-party tools.
During its second quarter earnings in August, the company said 43% of visits during the period took place on Converge. But Amwell also lowered its revenue guidance for the year after missing analyst expectations and racking up an impairment charge.
The vendor added a new lab offering within the Converge platform last month through a partnership with data exchange company Health Gorilla, allowing providers expanded access to order labs and view results from patients’ lab networks.
Earlier in the spring, Amwell inked a deal with digital chronic condition management firm DarioHealth to offer a cardiometabolic health program through its platform.
The latest program “is the first of several initiatives” that the telehealth company is working on with Nestlé, Murray Brozinsky, chief strategy officer at Amwell, said in a statement.
Amwell’s automated care programs use virtual companions to provide information like discharge instructions and can escalate users to a higher level of care if needed. Nestlé Health Science makes consumer health, medical nutrition products and nutritional pharmaceutical therapies.
