PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Provata Health, the leader in evidence-based worksite wellness, received $1.4 million in Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“We’re thrilled NIH continues to see the value we bring to the marketplace. Our total health solution, Healthy Team Healthy U, is different from other wellness programs because it effectively tackles physical, mental, and safety issues with proven outcomes in all types of worksites,” stated Alex Goldberg, CEO of Provata Health.
Healthy Team Healthy U is the culmination of 25 years of clinical trials in health promotion and behavior change science. Provata Health physicians created, tested, and validated the unique, team-based intervention paradigm through rigorous trials among diverse populations at the Oregon Health & Science University.
The funding will further the development and widespread dissemination of a state-of-the-art digital platform and wellness program to firefighters. Though often thought of as the picture of good health and fitness, firefighters are at increased risk for serious diseases like cancer and heart disease. The leading cause of death while fighting a fire is a heart attack.
“Every community is in awe of these heroes who risk their lives to save others. The STTR is an opportunity to help first responders adopt a healthy lifestyle that will shield them from disease and help avoid injuries,” said Kerry Kuehl, M.D., the principal investigator of the STTR research testing component.
Supported by the International Association of Fire Fighters, the intervention achieved a 10:1 return on investment based on workman’s compensation claims alone, when the costs for medical testing were deducted.
“In previous NIH-supported trials testing our model, we were able to significantly increase firefighters’ wellbeing by increasing their daily activity, aerobic capacity, daily intake of fruits and vegetables, improving peer support, and reducing blood pressure,” said Dr. Kuehl.
“For nearly two decades, this wellness program has been a part of the Portland Fire & Rescue and we’re a healthier and safer department because of it,” said Janet Woodside, EMS Program Manager and Health/Wellness Coordinator for Portland Fire & Rescue. “Expanding the program’s reach to more firefighters across the country is a real game-changer, both for the effectiveness of those departments and the well-being of the individual firefighters who participate.”
NIH’s competitive STTR program invests in health and life science companies that are creating innovative technologies that align with NIH’s mission to improve health and save lives.
About Provata Health
Provata Health is a health technology company revolutionizing workplace wellness by uniting 25 years of clinical trials with innovative digital technologies. Its evidence-based series of wellness programs, Healthy Team Healthy U, are scientifically designed, tested, and proven to create a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R42TR000357. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
