The Partnership for Economic Innovation, a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona’s economic opportunities, announced that Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company has acquired MyACTome, a smartphone-based fall risk and frailty assessment platform and cohort member of the WearTech Applied Research Center. The fall risk applied research project initially received funding from the Arizona Commerce Authority through PEI and the WearTech Center. This collaborative investment accelerated product development and enabled extensive testing with Arizona State University researchers, ultimately validating the effectiveness of the technology and leading to its acquisition by HOPCo, the country’s leading musculoskeletal outcomes management company.
“This acquisition adds another innovative technology to our digital patient assessment and analytics tool kit to positively impact patient safety and outcomes,” said Marc Jacofsky, Ph.D, Chief Scientific Officer at HOPCo. “By leveraging innovative solutions like MyACTome, we are better able to measure and improve function while engaging patients, leading the way toward consistent improved outcomes for thousands of patients.”
MyACTome is the only validated smartphone-based fall risk and frailty assessment platform. Moving forward, MyACTome will be seamlessly integrated into HOPCo’s digital health offerings, which includes the msk.ai patient engagement and quality outcomes tracking platform. This integration allows for real-time individual patient care pathway customization, all tracked through a centralized data system and reported to the clinical team.
“The acquisition of MyACTome by HOPCo proves that the applied research model is effective in driving innovative new technologies to market and ensures startups are well equipped to avoid the dreaded Valley of Death, where many promising projects fail due to lack of funding,” said Kathleen Lee, Director of Applied Research Centers at PEI. “Embracing this model not only supports continued innovation within Arizona’s biomedical ecosystem but also positions the region as a hub for cutting-edge advancements in healthcare technology.”
The WearTech Center focuses on guiding biomedical technology projects from the initial idea generation phase to project formation, validation and commercialization. The investment from PEI through the WearTech Center and MORE Foundation, alongside collaborative research with Arizona State University, paved the way for this acquisition. Collaboration between healthcare institutions such as The CORE Institute and R1 institutions like Arizona State University is pivotal in validating wearable technology. By merging the clinical expertise of The CORE Institute with ASU’s cutting-edge research capabilities, experts ensure the accuracy, reliability, and effectiveness of these innovative technologies.
“MyACTome has evolved from a heartfelt wish to help loved ones retain autonomy facing increased cognitive and mobility issues,” said Dr. Thurmon Lockhart, Senior Scientific Advisor at MyACTome. “Through our extensive collaboration with the WearTech Center and industry experts, we were able to focus on prioritizing preventative treatments, merging individualized care with innovative MedTech solutions.”
