Chronic lower respiratory diseases, which include COPD, are the third most common cause of death in the US

Boehringer Ingelheim has formed a new digital health collaboration in the US with California healthcare provider Sutter Health.

The five-year deal aims to test digital health solutions, mobile technologies and data analytics, and will begin with a personalised medical care project in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

During this initial phase the partners want to develop a reliable, electronic data collection system - either tablet or kiosk-based - that can be used to collect information directly from patients during every health encounter.

They also want to develop technology that can integrating clinical and patient reported data in an engaging visual display to make it easier for healthcare professionals and patients to communicate about treatment options.

Another aim of the collaboration's initial phase is to 'empower shared decision making' through the use of visual displays and other technologies that connect patients and healthcare professionals.

Re-designing the patient experience by seamlessly integrating key technologies, applications and analytical insights has the potential to fundamentally enhance care

Joshua Liberman, director of research, development and dissemination at Sutter Health, said: "Re-designing the patient experience by seamlessly integrating key technologies, applications and analytical insights has the potential to fundamentally enhance care for our patients with COPD.

"We will work with our pulmonologists, patients and Boehringer Ingelheim to design, develop and test the most promising ideas for use broadly with our and others' patients."

Sutter Health's network of not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare providers in Northern California is used by more than three million patients.

The company also has a Research Enterprise unit, which is comprised of 120 staff and full-time investigators, plus hundreds of physician clinical trials investigators, who currently conduct more than 740 sponsored studies and trials.

Ruchin Kansal, executive director and head, Business Innovation at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, said: "By joining forces with Sutter Health, we hope this collaboration will provide new insights into unmet needs in care delivery and inform development of new resources for patients."

For Boehringer, whose COPD drug Spiriva (tiotropium) was the company's biggest-seller last year bringing in €3.4bn, the collaboration continues its efforts to explore digital health.

These include a web and smartphone programme for diabetes self-management and a wireless pill bottle that measures medication and sends patients reminders and a smartphone app for COPD patient consultations. 

Meanwhile, for Sutter it marks its second big pharma tie-up this month, following a research collaboration with AstraZeneca that is set to run for three-years and tackle conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

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