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Mitchell ES, Fabry A, Ho AS, May CN, Baldwin M, Blanco P, Smith K, Michaelides A, Shokoohi M, West M, Gotera K, El Massad O, Zhou A. The Impact of a Digital Weight Loss Intervention on Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs Compared Between Users and Nonusers With Overweight and Obesity: Retrospective Analysis Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2023; 11:e47473. [PMID: 37616049 PMCID: PMC10485704 DOI: 10.2196/47473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Noom Weight program is a smartphone-based weight management program that uses cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to motivate users to achieve weight loss through a comprehensive lifestyle intervention. OBJECTIVE This retrospective database analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of Noom Weight use on health care resource utilization (HRU) and health care costs among individuals with overweight and obesity. METHODS Electronic health record data, insurance claims data, and Noom Weight program data were used to conduct the analysis. The study included 43,047 Noom Weight users and 14,555 non-Noom Weight users aged between 18 and 80 years with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m² and residing in the United States. The index date was defined as the first day of a 3-month treatment window during which Noom Weight was used at least once per week on average. Inverse probability treatment weighting was used to balance sociodemographic covariates between the 2 cohorts. HRU and costs for inpatient visits, outpatient visits, telehealth visits, surgeries, and prescriptions were analyzed. RESULTS Within 12 months after the index date, Noom Weight users had less inpatient costs (mean difference [MD] -US $20.10, 95% CI -US $30.08 to -US $10.12), less outpatient costs (MD -US $124.33, 95% CI -US $159.76 to -US $88.89), less overall prescription costs (MD -US $313.82, 95% CI -US $565.42 to -US $62.21), and less overall health care costs (MD -US $450.39, 95% CI -US $706.28 to -US $194.50) per user than non-Noom Weight users. In terms of HRU, Noom Weight users had fewer inpatient visits (MD -0.03, 95% CI -0.04 to -0.03), fewer outpatient visits (MD -0.78, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.62), fewer surgeries (MD -0.01, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.00), and fewer prescriptions (MD -1.39, 95% CI -1.76 to -1.03) per user than non-Noom Weight users. Among a subset of individuals with 24-month follow-up data, Noom Weight users incurred lower overall prescription costs (MD -US $1139.52, 95% CI -US $1972.21 to -US $306.83) and lower overall health care costs (MD -US $1219.06, 95% CI -US $2061.56 to -US $376.55) per user than non-Noom Weight users. The key differences were associated with reduced prescription use. CONCLUSIONS Noom Weight use is associated with lower HRU and costs than non-Noom Weight use, with potential cost savings of up to US $1219.06 per user at 24 months after the index date. These findings suggest that Noom Weight could be a cost-effective weight management program for individuals with overweight and obesity. This study provides valuable evidence for health care providers and payers in evaluating the potential benefits of digital weight loss interventions such as Noom Weight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Fabry
- Academic Research, Noom, Inc, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Annabell Suh Ho
- Academic Research, Noom, Inc, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Christine N May
- Academic Research, Noom, Inc, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Baldwin
- Academic Research, Noom, Inc, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Paige Blanco
- Academic Research, Noom, Inc, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Kyle Smith
- Academic Research, Noom, Inc, New York City, NY, United States
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Clements M, Kaufman N, Mel E. Using Digital Health Technology to Prevent and Treat Disease. Diabetes Technol Ther 2022; 24:S76-S95. [PMID: 35475695 DOI: 10.1089/dia.2022.2505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Clements
- Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, Kansas City, MO
- University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
| | - Neal Kaufman
- Fielding School of Public Health, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA
- Canary Health Inc., Los Angeles, CA
| | - Eran Mel
- Jesse Z. and Sara Lea Shaffer Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes National Center for Childhood Diabetes, Petah Tikva, Israel
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