New research grants, expansion of oncology distress management program among 2013 highlights

LANGHORNE, Pa. - Dec. 24, 2013 - PRLog -- Polaris Health Directions made significant advancements this year in its ongoing efforts to support the assessment and management of behavioral and psychosocial health conditions. The company ventured into new territory, while its flagship solution, the Polaris Oncology Distress Management System (http://www.polarishealth.com/oncology/), continues to be well received by cancer centers across the nation.

Polaris’s newly funded research this past year included two grants from the National Institutes of Health to build groundbreaking Web-based systems for Type 1 diabetes and cancer survivorship.

The T1DES system (http://www.polarishealth.com/newsroom/2013/9/16/with-nih-funding-polaris-to-develop-new-technology-to-help-t.html) will use e-technology to help teens with diabetes better manage their disease.* T1DES is being developed in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The POST system will create tailored survivorship plans for cancer patients in remission, and is being built in partnership with the University of Massachusetts Medical School.**

Both projects will launch their phase one studies this spring.

In addictions medicine, Polaris and the New Hope Foundation developed a prototype for an automated system designed to better predict and improve patient engagement in substance abuse treatment (http://www.polarishealth.com/newsroom/2013/4/18/polaris-n...). With engagement a crucial element to successful treatment outcomes, this system has the potential to revolutionize the field.

Several enhancements were also made this year to Polaris Oncology, including Quality of Life modules (http://www.polarishealth.com/newsroom/2013/9/3/polaris-no...). This critical new component helps multidisciplinary cancer care teams minimize the factors that may interfere with a patient’s well being and treatment outcomes.

As the movement to better understand the interplay between behavioral and physical health strengthens, Polaris Health Directions looks forward to being an industry leader in those efforts in 2014 and beyond across the medical disciplines.

About Polaris Health Directions

Polaris Health Directions has been a pioneer in the development of behavioral health outcomes management solutions for nearly two decades. Using innovative technology, Polaris's Web-based systems capture the information essential for determining the best course of care. Their advanced analytics help organizations execute quality improvement initiatives, identify cost reduction opportunities and, in many cases, indicate whether a particular course of treatment is likely to have a positive result. Systems are available for a wide range of health care settings; all support interdisciplinary coordination. By recognizing the nexus between psychosocial and physical health, Polaris offers powerful solutions for better health care delivery. Learn more: http://www.polarishealth.com.

*T1DES, or the Technology-enabled Type 1 Diabetes Education and Support system, was supported by Award Number R41 DK097932-01 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

**POST, or the Polaris Oncology Survivor Transition, was supported by Award Number R41 CA 174048 from the National Cancer Institute.