Oculus Health

Wellbox (wellbox.care), based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a technology-enabled population health management company focused on chronic illness. It provides preventative and remote care management solutions — principally chronic care management (CCM) and remote patient monitoring — to high-risk, high-cost patient populations, using registered nurses supported by technology platforms. The company positions itself as a CMS Connected Care Partner and works with practices to manage patients with two or more chronic conditions between office visits.

Wellbox markets distinct offerings to providers, payers, self-funded employers, accountable care organizations and health systems. Monthly nurse interactions are used to identify health risks earlier, drive preventative care such as flu shots and annual wellness visits, and support practices' performance on quality measures in value-based care arrangements. In June 2020 Wellbox acquired the CCM services division of Oculus Health, a company described in the announcement as Dallas-based (and listed elsewhere as Cambridge, Massachusetts and Irving, Texas), expanding the number of patient lives under management. Oculus Health retained its remaining business and shifted its focus from services to AI-driven patient relationship management software, while the two companies said they would collaborate on remote patient monitoring and patient engagement technology.

Business model

Wellbox contracts with primary care practices, health systems, ACOs, payers and self-funded employers to deliver chronic care management and remote patient monitoring on their behalf, using registered nurses and supporting technology. Provider-facing materials present the program as revenue-generating for referring practices and cost-reducing for payers and employers.

Traction

Company-reported outcomes include a 5.6% decrease in total cost of care, 10-15% reduction in per-beneficiary per-month costs to Medicare, a 50% increase in preventative care measures at partner practices, a 60% reduction in emergency room visits and hospitalizations at partner practices, up to 60% healthcare cost reduction for self-funded employers, 2x more preventative care office visits, 2-3x more flu shots, and patient satisfaction ratings between 90% and 96%.

Latest developments

In June 2020 Wellbox acquired the chronic care management services division of Oculus Health and announced an expansion of its remote patient monitoring services, with the two companies stating plans to collaborate on remote patient monitoring and patient engagement technology development.