Peerbridge Health is collaborating with Northwell Health on their newly launched AFib Center of Excellence, a mutli-displinary effort that optimizes treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). With Peerbridge’s support, Northwell’s AFib Center of Excellence will conduct a pilot program focusing on AFib patients with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
The pilot aims to help cardiology and sleep physicians better understand the critical link between the two conditions, and how best to quickly and effectively treat AFib and OSA concurrently.
“More than 50% of AFib patients referred for ablation also suffer from undiagnosed sleep apnea, and this remains an underdiagnosed risk factor” said Dr. Nicholas Skipitaris, Western Regional Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Northwell Health. “We must address both issues for the best health outcomes. Our pilot program with Peerbridge helps us accomplish this by giving us the best and most accurate data as quickly as possible, and ensuring each patient is properly treated through an individualized approach.”
If left untreated, sleep apnea increases the likelihood of poor health outcomes for this patient population by more than 50 percent, including failed treatments, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. This contributes to more than $150 billion in healthcare waste each year.
During the pilot, patients will use the Peerbridge Cor™, a multi-channel wireless electrocardiogram (ECG) patch that records every heartbeat while transmitting patient activated events in near-real-time. The Cor is the only wireless ECG patch that can identify and quantify 31 rhythm statements, and accurately assess severity of AFib burden.
“A multi-specialty approach to early diagnosis and treatment of AFib will result in improved health outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Varinder Singh, Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health. “This is especially important for high risk patients – like those with OSA or “master athletes” who compete in endurance events like the New York City Marathon – which we’re seeing more of in our clinical cardiovascular practice.”
Peerbridge is partnering with several sleep industry leaders to address the connection between AFib and OSA, including BetterNight. Peerbridge Health and BetterNight are partnering on a unique new care management solution designed specifically for cardiology practices for earlier identification, treatment, and optimization of ongoing care management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The partnership addresses a critical unmet need in the market where there is currently a lack of coordinated care for patients with both AFib and OSA. In addition, this collaboration aims to improve overall patient outcomes and has the potential to save healthcare providers thousands of dollars per patient each year by accelerating diagnosis and treatment of these prevalent conditions.