Brain injuries can manifest through various symptoms, concealed or revealed to those around us. Due to the complexities of brain health, there are diverse forms of condition appearance. On the outside, an individual with Multiple Sclerosis could appear perfectly healthy, whereas an individual with a severe tremor is visually more noticeable.
March is a significant month as it raises awareness for different types of conditions, which Mon4t plays an important role in contributing to. According to the American Brain Coalition (2023), which aims to improve the lives of people affected by brain diseases and conditions, March represents World Bipolar Day, MS Awareness Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month and National Essential Tremor Awareness Month. Recognizing these conditions through specific annual dates not only raises awareness for research opportunities and new innovative solutions, but also advances patient advocacy to provide a platform for their voices.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America (2023), more than 3.5 million individuals are living with a permanent brain injury related disability in the United States alone. This population can greatly benefit from improved telehealth measures and remote patient monitoring catered specifically to neurological conditions. A publication studying the effectiveness of telehealth interventions among traumatic brain injury survivors (Suarilah et al., 2022) found that they reduced depression and neurobehavioral symptoms, as well as increased symptom management.
Particularly when it comes to brain health it is crucial to investigate all angles of therapeutic and diagnostic measures for best practice. When treating brain related diseases, both physical and mental health should be evaluated to allow the patient to return to their most independent self in comparison to their abilities prior to injury or diagnosis. Compensatory strategies for cognitive development include memory tasks, which are completed just as efficiently through telehealth today. Social skills are another aspect of cognitive and physical function that can be evaluated in a unique and more accurate manner with active and passive monitoring as Mon4t created.
The physical aspects of activities of daily living and community reintegration skills can be very well understood without having the patient visit the hospital. It is almost always more beneficial for patients to practice in their natural environments as opposed to an organized clinic environment. However, this can depend on the level of functioning and safety of the patient. With treatment planning, safety is always of utmost importance and interdisciplinary teams should be consulted.
As a healthcare company, it is easy to continue the daily tasks of sales and software updates, but it is important to remember the mission of why these tasks are being done in the first place. Mon4t strives to provide a transparent simple product for neurological and psychiatric assessment and monitoring for the half billion patients affected worldwide.
Wondering how you can help amplify patient voices, improve treatment and outcome measures, or get involved with an organization that supports these individuals?
Please contact support@mon4t.com if you are interested in conducting remote patient monitoring, clinical trials, or screening.
Please find a list below for organizations and their missions.
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): DBSA provides hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people who have mood disorders.
- International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF): IBPF empowers individuals living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers by providing advocacy, education, support, and awareness—fostering a caring community and stigma-free world where mental health is equitably acknowledged and treated.
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society: We will cure MS while empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives.
- American Society of Neurorehabilitation (ASNR): To improve the lives of people with neurological disorders through advances in basic and clinical research.
- National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA): NASHIA’s mission is to assist State government leaders in promoting partnerships and building systems to meet the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families.
- CTE Awareness Foundation: To help prevent Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in future athletes and military service members; and to provide a resource for understanding the disease, how it is caused, and how to stop it.
- International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF): To provide hope to the essential tremor (ET) community worldwide through awareness, education, support and research.
References
American Brain Coalition 2023, American Brain Coalition, accessed 21 March 2023, <https://www.americanbraincoalition.org/>.
Brain Injury Association of America 2023, February 28, Brain Injury Association of America, accessed March 21, 2023, <https://www.biausa.org/>.
Suarilah, I., Zulkarnain, H., Lee, B.-O., & Saragih, I. D. (2022, June 3). Effectiveness of telehealth interventions among … – sage journals. Sage Journals. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1357633X221102264
