Palo Alto Health Sciences Names Amy Perry To Board Of Directors
DANVILLE, Calif., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Palo Alto Health Sciences, Inc. (PAHS), developer of the Freespira® treatment for panic attacks and panic disorder, today announced that Amy Perry, CEO of the Hospital Division and Senior Vice President of Integrated Care delivery at Atlantic Health System in New Jersey, will join its Board of Directors. Previously the President of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Ms. Perry has a long and distinguished career as an executive with health care delivery and hospital systems.
"We are very pleased to have Amy join our Board of Directors," commented Debra Reisenthel, PAHS President and CEO. "She is a passionate advocate for effective and evidence-based mental health treatments and her many years as a senior hospital executive adds significant expertise as we expand our partnerships with insurance companies and health systems to bring Freespira to more patients."
"Freespira offers an important new drug-free option for people suffering from debilitating panic symptoms," said Ms. Perry. "I am excited to be working with PAHS to improve the lives of patients, while at the same time helping to reduce their cost of care. Freespira is a highly effective, home-based treatment which offers payers, self-insured employers and integrated health systems an important and timely solution as we work together to improve affordability and access for our patients."
About Panic Attacks
Panic attacks affect an estimated 27 million in the U.S., negatively impacting overall quality of life and productivity. Furthermore, panic attacks are often interpreted as symptoms of serious medical conditions such as a heart attack, nausea, lightheadedness which leads to excess emergency room visits, specialty care, tests and medication use. Given the reported five-fold greater annual healthcare resource utilization by these patients, fewer panic attacks are expected to lead to reduced medical utilization and costs.
About Freespira
Freespira is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive, drug-free, four-week at-home treatment for panic attacks and panic symptoms. Treatment is authorized and completed under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider. Freespira is clinically proven to reduce or eliminate panic attacks and other symptoms of panic disorder, a mental health condition in which debilitating anxiety leads to life-altering avoidance behaviors. Many individuals with panic hyperventilate all the time (chronically), even when not experiencing a panic attack. This abnormal breathing pattern has been shown to exacerbate or lead to panic attacks. Freespira works by training the patient to reduce or eliminate the effects of their chronic hyperventilation by stabilizing their respiration rate and exhaled carbon dioxide levels. A recent multi-center clinical trial demonstrated that at 12 months post-treatment, 79% of treated patients were free of panic attacks and 82% reported significant symptom reduction.
About Palo Alto Health Sciences, Inc.
Palo Alto Health Sciences, Inc. is a privately held Silicon Valley digital therapeutic company at the forefront of revolutionizing behavioral healthcare with evidence-based, non-invasive, drug-free solutions. Their first product, Freespira, is an FDA-cleared treatment for individuals suffering from panic disorder, panic attacks and other symptoms of panic. In the United States, over 6.7 million adults annually suffer from panic disorder; panic attacks affect a total of 27 million adults in the U.S. every year and are a common component of other anxiety disorders.
Freespira is commercially available throughout the U.S. and is currently being evaluated by Anthem and Highmark Health in regional Quality Improvement Programs to assess Freespira's impact in reducing the elevated medical costs of treating patients with panic disorder. Separate clinical studies are underway to treat adolescents, and to treat veterans with PTSD. To learn more, visit http://www.freespira.com or contact info@pahealthsciences.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Michele Kong
(800) 735-8995
michele@pahealthsciences.com
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SOURCE Palo Alto Health Sciences
