For Immediate Release
For media inquiries, contact:
Katie Quaranta
SmartBug Media
[email protected]

Pyx Health Takes Giant Leap in Addressing Chronic Loneliness with THRIVE Pathway

The First Program of Its Kind, THRIVE Pathway Interrupts Unhealthy Behaviors and Inspires Engagement for the Chronically Lonely

TUCSON, Ariz., June 16, 2022 — Pyx Health, a tech-enabled services company that provides health plans and their members an innovative, scalable solution that effectively addresses the nation’s critical loneliness epidemic, today announced its groundbreaking THRIVE Pathway program. The project concluded its six-month pilot with impressive results, showing a 47% increased improvement in the ability to reduce loneliness. 

The first program of its kind, THRIVE Pathway is an innovative solution to address the health impacts of chronic loneliness, which impacts over 42.6 million U.S. citizens, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). 

THRIVE Pathway was designed to break the cycle of chronic loneliness with the understanding that this condition isn’t merely about isolation. When defined as a health ailment, loneliness refers to how individuals feel about the quantity and quality of their social interactions. 

The science behind loneliness continues to correlate it to harmful impacts on physical and mental health. It actually rewires the brain and influences a person’s ability to engage and participate in their own health. If not addressed, it’s a gateway to costly healthcare interventions. 

THRIVE meaningfully combines caring, compassionate human connection along with simple technology. This successful formula enables access to self-management tools for short- and long-term positive health outcomes. It addresses the three dimensions of loneliness—feelings of relational connectedness, isolation, and collective connectedness. It does this by targeting thoughts and behaviors associated with perceived social isolation through proven intervention methods. The first step is outreach with compassion and understanding to foster a sense of optimism and encourage social connections. Simple technology supplements this human engagement. 

For users, THRIVE enables them to learn about, take action, and receive positive reinforcement through a dedicated eight-week program that helps them achieve specific goals. 

Cindy Jordan, CEO of Pyx Health, said, “THRIVE is a successful and tangible solution that lessens the impact of loneliness. Because it marries human connection with technology, it’s both personal and scalable. And it’s making a difference.”

That difference, as discerned from the pilot, was a decrease in loneliness. Pyx Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas M. Ball said, “Those in the program realized improvements across social, emotional, and relational connectivity. This is an exciting time for Pyx and, more importantly, an opportunity to address chronic loneliness and improve the lives of the millions who suffer from it.”

THRIVE is an excellent option to support often-underserved Medicaid and Medicare members. On average, 10 percent of those under these health plans are chronically lonely, especially those with chronic diseases and struggling with mental health and social determinants of health (SDOH). 

Medicaid and Medicare plans can access THRIVE through Pyx Health’s loneliness solution. The program starts with identifying members who are currently or at-risk of experiencing loneliness through in-app screenings and trained Compassionate Support Center Staff (CSCS). The Pyx Health proprietary risk model then prioritizes members that need urgent outreach. They are invited to start the program, and a dedicated CSCS guides the way with weekly Positive Psychology activities. After completion, users can continue to use the app for monitoring and to reintroduce health plan wellness programs. Plans can also leverage THRIVE to meet Triple Aim goals to improve the health of members and their satisfaction as well as reduce costs. 

ABOUT PYX HEALTH
Pyx Health offers the first loneliness and social isolation technology focused on helping the most vulnerable populations. Combining a digital platform with a Compassionate Support Center and timely human interventions, Pyx Health provides patients and healthcare providers an innovative, scalable solution that effectively addresses the nation’s critical loneliness epidemic. Pyx Health is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. More information is available at https://www.pyxhealth.com. Because no one gets better alone.