Startup Motto Offers Virtual Rheumatology Care
A startup company called Motto has launched a virtual clinician-led integrative care platform to treat people with autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, Sjogren’s and ankylosing spondylitis.
The company notes that according to the National Institutes of Health, more than 24 million people in the United States suffer from an autoimmune disease.
Access to existing brick-and-mortar rheumatology practices can be challenging, with only 4,600 rheumatologists nationwide. Using Motto’s app, patients can schedule virtual appointments with rheumatologists, manage symptoms, and receive personalized lifestyle recommendations.
Motto is currently available in Texas and California.
“We created Motto because the status-quo forces patients to wait months, if not years, to get adequate treatment from a rheumatologist,” said Anuj Patel, CEO and founder, in a statement. “In the meantime, they carry the added burden of managing medications and making difficult diet and lifestyle changes all on their own. 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,”
Motto claims that patients will be able to directly consult with a rheumatologist in days, as opposed to a typical wait time of over two months, and work together with their doctor to refine and adjust treatment to reduce symptoms, given all the different factors influencing these conditions.
“Autoimmune conditions are complex and often require more time than traditional practices provide to get to the heart of the issue,” said Elizabeth Ortiz, M.D., medical director of Motto and board-certified rheumatologist, in a statement. “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.”
Motto says its clinical model combines three core elements to create better healthcare outcomes:
• Virtual Rheumatology Care: A full-service, virtual medical clinic that provides a 360-degree approach to care so patients can quickly access their treatment plans and schedule virtual appointments with rheumatologists.
• Personalized Lifestyle Coaching: A curriculum-based, personalized lifestyle program to help manage symptoms, including the implementation of evidence-based interventions such as diet, stress, sleep management, and exercise.
• Condition Management: A digital flare tracker that helps patients easily track and manage symptoms, aiming to increase awareness of personal triggers by capturing clinically validated longitudinal data.
Founded at Redesign Health, a startup incubator in healthcare, Motto’s team also includes Jamillah Hoy-Rosas, chief clinical officer, an expert in health coaching and chronic disease care. Motto advisory board members include Sarah Patterson, M.D., a specialist in integrative treatment to managing rheumatic conditions from UCSF, and Jeffrey Curtis, M.D., an expert on the comparative effectiveness of medications for rheumatic conditions, from the University of Alabama.
