Introducing VPAATH

White Paper- VPAATH™ Novel Application for SDOH Scoring

Healthcare is always changing, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to unprecedented challenges with access to care. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge of at home testing kits for various diseases was increasing rapidly. The Washington Post recently highlighted the rapid increase in consumer driven tests and how these tests are not regulated by the FDA. As consumers are increasingly trying to access healthcare in their own homes, the challenge we face is understanding how to provide validated, high-quality screening tests that also provide easy to follow next steps with streamlined access to healthcare providers.

Our current healthcare system relies most often on patients bringing their concerns to their physicians’ or providers’ office. It is becoming clear that healthcare is shifting towards more widespread at-home screening initiatives based upon Cologuard’s success with colon cancer screening and recent FDA approval for two products (BD’s Onclarity HPV assay and Roche’s cobas test) for cervical cancer screening. Insurance companies and large healthcare systems are uniquely positioned to help identify patients with healthcare needs before they even enter the clinic.

The Vista Probability AI Analysis Tool for Healthcare (VPAATH) is an artificial intelligence (AI) based health risk assessment tool, that uses machine learning to analyze social determinants of health data using demographic data, medical history, and clinical screening results and calculates an individualized patient health score. VPAATH is particularly useful for payors and large healthcare systems to help target high-risk groups for screening when used as an independent platform, but can also be used by physicians, social workers, and case management to help identify individuals who may be at increased risk of various disease based on social determinants of health (SDOH) factors. VPAATH can be used to meet Quality Improvement Activities (QIA) requirements for payors.

It is well established that SDOH impact health outcomes. Non-medical factors such as economic stability, level of education, access to healthcare, housing stability, and access to fresh foods all correlate with health outcomes. Poor SDOH are shown to be related to high rates of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and many other diagnoses. Recent literature reviews (Craig et al, J Public Health Inform, 2021; Chen et al, J Am Med Informations Association, 2020; Kino et al, SSM - Population Health, 2021) demonstrate the importance of using SDOH data and digital health technology as a strategy for population health improvement. Craig et. al. notably identified AI-based methods and geocoding as important strategies for targeted geographical interventions. Chen et. al. concluded that integration of individual level SDOH data into electronic health records can predict healthcare utilization and health outcomes. By integrating SDOH data into a screening tool, VPAATH not only improves an individual’s health outcomes, but is also a health equity tool that can be used to focus on SDOH factors that affect the individuals care.

The largest opportunity to improve health outcomes and minimize treatment costs occur with earlier detection and earlier treatment. Chronic kidney disease (our first at home testing kit) is no exception. As many as 9 in 10 adults with CKD, and about 2 in 5 adults with severe CKD do not know they have CKD. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Cusick et al, 2023) showed that population-based testing for CKD could prevent dialysis or transplant in 398,000 people. Furthermore, published data from the Optum Kidney Resource Services demonstrates that proactive management of SDOH factors in patients with CKD results in reduced costs, reduced hospitalizations, and improved health outcomes.

Primary care providers are the backbone of the medical system, but are stretched thin with exceptionally large patient panels, increasingly complex coordination needs, and shorter appointment slots. Our healthcare system requires innovative technology to shift the burden of identification from the primary care office to before the patient steps foot in the clinic. VPAATH is a tool that helps to identify high risk patients early, and high-quality tests such as VistaSURETM CKD can follow to facilitate at-home testing.

Sandy Liu, MD FAAP

Chief Medical Officer

Vista Biomedical, Inc.