Envisioning what the healthcare industry may hold for us in 2022 feels like a daunting task.  There are so many forces at work – mostly pandemic-related – that it can seem like a very uncertain future.  While there will be plenty of surprises, I’m sure, I think we have a lot of strong evidence for a few trends that are really taking hold which we can expect to continue in the new year. 

The need for better cognitive treatment processes in the US and beyond is urgent. Today, over 6 million Americans aged 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia and 1 in 3 seniors will die with the disease. Experts expect that figure to more than double by 2050. We all know that a healthy body starts with a healthy mind—so, why are cognitive health screenings less prioritized than cardiovascular or cancer screenings?

One of Aria’s newest clients, Linus Health, aims to disrupt cognitive care by integrating AI with proactive early detection and intervention methods to detect and curb the progression of cognitive decline up to 10 years before symptoms present. Founded by David Bates, Ph.D. and Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D., Linus utilizes digital biomarkers to reveal subtle signals of cognitive issues that are invisible to the human eye. Its flagship solution, the DCTclock, is a next-generation digital evaluation tool that, after more than ten years of development at MIT and Lahey Medical Center, has been reviewed in over a dozen research publications and is proven effective in identifying the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in patients with no outward symptoms. The DCTclock was one of TIME's 100 Best Inventions of 2021. The company’s healthcare delivery platform, which includes the DCTclock, provides a tried-and-true approach to aid with early detection, granting clinical insights for healthcare professionals as well as tailored action plans for patients.

Linus Health engaged Aria to support its thought leadership development via a comprehensive media relations program that emphasizes the power of AI and digital tools to help detect dementia early and help guide clinicians in identifying patient-specific recommendations. We have also been working to raise awareness of the critical nature of early detection and early interventions while there is still time to slow decline. To date, Aria has secured many prominent placements including:

• Healthcare Business Today byline from David Bates on long Covid-Alzheimer’s link
• HIT Consultant byline from VP, Interventional Therapy Dr. Joyce Gomes-Osman, Ph.D. on making the case for early intervention and detection

• Neurology Live interview with Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone to discuss AAIC research findings and how they influence the way neurologists care for late-life patients

• MedCity byline from Dr. Joyce Gomes-Osman explaining how lifestyle changes are more effective and sustainable than any dementia drug available on the market today

Aria has helped Linus capitalize on all of its growth and accomplishments by helping the company win multiple awards recognizing its successes in 2022. Linus was named by Boston Business Journal as one of the Largest Healthtech Companies in Massachusetts and was also recognized for its fast growth in BostInno's 2022 Fire Awards in the Medtech and Healthtech category. The company also won Technology of the Year in the Healthcare Tech category for Mass TLC's Tech Top 50.

As the healthcare industry continues to seek out better detection and treatment options for patients with cognitive disorders, the advancement of digital biomarkers and digitally enabled solutions will drive clinical research and patient care in the years ahead. We're excited to continue collaborating with Linus Health and promoting its mission to a broad audience, and ultimately move the needle on the significance of regular proactive cognitive screening and improve cognitive assessment methods in the world's battle against Alzheimer's and dementia.

If you or your company are interested in elevating your brand through public relations, please contact Scott Collins at scollins@ariamarketing.com so we can discuss our strategy and how we can create a plan that meets your goals. As always, you can also keep up with Aria on Twitter and LinkedIn. If you’re interested in learning more about Linus Health and want to follow their upcoming announcements, you can find them on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit their website at linushealth.com.