The current era is witnessing remarkable advancements in telehealth, healthcare technology, and innovations in patient care. Early in October, Bicycle Health and Override Health partnered in the fight against opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain. This dynamic partnership could have a large impact on the healthcare IT industry as well as transform patient care, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

OUD and chronic pain have been a growing burden for the US for years, and the COVID-19 pandemic only made these issues worse. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients struggled with isolation from lockdowns and access to in-person care. The need for alternatives to traditional in-person care, driven by new technology, became increasingly clear.

Override Health, an integrated care management platform, and Bicycle Health, a digital health platform specialising in OUD treatment, have recognized the benefit of their collaboration. They now refer their patients to each other, with OUD patients being referred for chronic pain treatment and chronic pain patients being referred for OUD treatment, two areas the companies say have significant overlap.

Thomas Fleming, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “During the pandemic, the healthcare IT industry experienced increased demand for patient care solutions, which elevated patient monitoring, remote consultations, and data exchange. By bridging the gap between primary care providers and specialists, Bicycle Health and Override Health are poised to take full advantage of this trend. With their new referral program, their platforms can refer patients quickly and efficiently, ensuring that patients receive the care they need.”

The impact of this partnership goes beyond the immediate benefits to patient care. The healthcare IT industry needs standardised data sharing to benefit patient outcomes. Override Health and Bicycle Health’s innovative model of patient referral encourages collaboration and data exchange among healthcare providers, which will lead to a more efficient system.

Fleming concludes: “GlobalData’s most recent models show that telehealth market value and volume will grow in the next few years. Partnerships, like Bicycle Health’s and Override Health’s, will help healthcare providers manage the increased demand for telehealth services in the future by creating a more streamlined provider-to-patient experience. This new partnership between Bicycle Health and Override Health is not only a milestone in chronic pain and OUD treatment but also a positive advance for the healthcare IT industry.”