MyHello Rolls Out Loneliness Interventions Nationwide Through Health Plans and Care Providers

MARYSVILLE, OH, UNITED STATES , June 6, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- LifeBio, Inc. is proud to announce the expansion of the MyHello solution, a social support and care management platform, to address the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has recently brought to light in a new advisory.

The MyHello offering focuses on participants age 65 or older. This demographic is at particular risk as they may be widowed, lack transportation, experience isolation due to living circumstances, and/or face multiple health conditions that make getting out of the house difficult. Besides older adults, MyHello has scripting for social support projects to reach younger Medicaid populations to provide caregiver support, employment support, and maternal health support.

MyHello has a low-tech barrier for participants. ANY type of phone can be used, and it works for all ages. Behind the scenes, MyHello's highly automated, tech-powered system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to match members to other members (or participant to participant) for engagement with conversation starters provided. In some projects based on the client's request, MyHello is matching members to MyHello Guides for weekly talks.

AI matching uses hobbies, interests, work experience, days/times of availability. Other factors such as veteran status, caregiver status, or other preferences are also considered in matching. The program is currently available in English and Spanish. Unlike other programs, MyHello has detailed reporting on all aspects of the calls made available to organizational clients and uses HIPAA-trained employee Guides. In addition, we have the ability to do peer matching with automated, masked toll-free numbers used for dialing out to each pairing and proven topics of conversation are provided.

Scripting for MyHello calls are based on LifeBio, Inc.'s years of work with developing reminiscence therapy interventions, concentrating on the value of a holistic view of the person and the give and take of building connections. Topics about both the past and present are part of weekly visits, along with focusing in on Social Determinant of Health (SDoH) needs. These needs are captured and reported back to the health plan or other provider for SDoH gap closure. Transportation, food, comfort needs (heat/air conditioning), and accessibility needs are just some of the issues that are heard and noted as MyHello Guides speak with people. MyHello is a non-clinical offering that can be very supportive of other behavioral health interventions that clinicians are offering.

"Sometime a person just needs a listening ear. Life is not easy these days. We are happy to reinforce the fact that people are both amazing and resilient," said Beth Sanders, CEO of LifeBio, Inc. and creator of MyHello.

Loneliness impacts about 1 in 2 American adults writes Dr. Murthy, who issued a Surgeon General Advisory on May 3, 2023, outlining how being socially disconnected can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and suicide. It has physical impacts as well. The report says that people who are lonely and socially isolated are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke and dementia. Murthy shares research that found premature death due to loneliness is comparable to the risks of smoking daily. See the surgeon general's full report at this link: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connectio.... In addition, Murthy noted that loneliness costs Medicare an extra $6.7B a year.

MyHello is designed for health plans (Medicare Advantage, Dual Special Needs Plans, Institutional Special Needs Plans, Medicare Supplement, Medicaid), mental health agencies, senior living, home care providers, area agencies on aging, home and community-based services (HCBS), government agencies, and health systems (who may want to reduce hospital readmissions by having MyHello Guides routinely engage patients as they are discharged).

"No one should feel that they go through this life alone. MyHello is here to help, and it just takes any type of phone to connect. There should be no barriers to engagement," said Sanders. "The old Bell System jingle is still true today, 'Reach out and touch someone.'"

Using the MyHello tech-powered phone system and personalized outreach methods, we are able to assist providers or payers with patient engagement to learn of specific needs. Research finds that the approach of matching members to other members in a health plan works. MyHello succeeded in reducing loneliness for people who were lonely at baseline. In addition, Net Promoter Scores (NPS) scores improved by 10-18 points with the MyHello intervention.

MyHello has two primary mechanisms in place for increasing engagement and reducing loneliness: MyHello Match and MyHello Guided. LifeBio, Inc. and its MyHello solutions are HIPAA-compliant with business associate agreements signed to facilitate our services to health plans and providers.

For more information, please reach us at 833-MYHELLO or email myhello@lifebio.com. Read more about MyHello at this link: https://www.lifebio.org/our-solutions/myhello/