San Rafael, California September 1, 2022 – The Way To My Heart launches the first independent community and education app to provide education, high-touch advocacy, and real-time support specifically for patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.), a chronic circulatory condition that if left undiagnosed and untreated can lead to heart attack, stroke, and amputation. The launch of this new initiative, which is both available via app and online to democratize access for all patients, coincides with Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month, which is during the month of September.
The launch of this Peripheral Artery Disease platform follows more than three years of extensive research by the wellness team at The Way To My Heart, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports more than 11,000 P.A.D. patients globally. They found that patients desire one source for all mission-aligned interests to come together and provide P.A.D. education and support as well as engage in candid conversations to shape the future of P.A.D. care. Safety was a top priority for patients who have converged online using other social media platforms to seek comradery from P.A.D. pals and professionals. Many social media-based groups are run by patients who blur the lines between offering friendship and medical advice, are operated by invested interests who stand to have a financial gain through patient interaction, some are public and expose a patient’s medical information without their knowledge, and in some groups the members may not be vetted and stand to prey upon patients with natural remedy scams and the like. The Way To My Heart responded to patient concerns with Community.TheWayToMyHeart.org, a virtual forum, which is highly monitored by a diverse group of physicians, clinicians, and experienced P.A.D. advocates to provide greater confidence and privacy for P.A.D. patients around the world.
The Community platform is not a source for medical advice, diagnosis, or clinical treatment. It’s designed to provide education, guidance, advocacy, and support for P.A.D. patients to help them navigate the healthcare system for life & limb-saving care as well as to fill the gaps between appointments to reduce anxiety and increase compliance by helping to provide real-time support, including answers to timely questions. The Community expands The Way To My Heart’s already successful virtual approach to patient education, advocacy, and support, which has led to more than 500 no-option patients receiving limb-saving care, and more than half-a-million meaningful interactions between patients and healthcare professionals and P.A.D. advocates since inception.
Patients who join the Community are invited to participate in a variety of groups such as Clinical & Peer Support, Paddy’s Plate (Better Food Choices), I Quit (Smoking Cessation), Faith-based healing (Thoughts & Prayers), My Steps (Walking Support) and more, where they can:
- Share experiences
- Ask questions
- Answer questions
- Engage with healthcare professionals and advocates
- Get accountability and support for walking and find walking buddies nearby
- Motivate and get motivated to make new lifestyle choices
All members have access to comprehensive P.A.D. resources that will help them:
- Stay on the cutting-edge of what’s new with P.A.D care
- Understand all diagnostic and treatment options
- Find an advanced skilled P.A.D. specialist
- Explore the latest advances in bloodwork
- Discover the critical questions to ask their physicians and clinicians every step in their journey
- Learn how to walk effectively to grow a ‘natural bypass’ around blockages.
All members also have the opportunity to raise their voices in a unique public forum called, “Shaping the Future of P.A.D.” It’s where patients, physicians, clinicians, researchers, industry, and decision-makers can engage with one another to discuss gaps in P.A.D. care and how to improve patient outcomes. EVERYONE who enters the platform is in this group. Clinicians even have their own separate group to share knowledge, insight, case studies, and more!
The Way To My Heart welcomes partnerships, collaborations, and sponsorships on this platform to help P.A.D. patients to live a better quality of life. Opportunities include:
- Content contributions in the form of studies, articles, links, and more for the platform’s educational library by journals, medical professionals, industry, organizations, etc.
- Additional research-specific group development on the platform based on projects supported by medical professionals, Universities, and Industry in which qualified and interested patients can participate.
- Practice-specific group creation to provide a separate community for a physician’s patients.
- Live educational Q&A’s and webinars
During the Peripheral Artery Disease Community’s pilot program this summer, more than 430 P.A.D. patients joined along with more than a dozen select industry professionals, physicians, clinicians, including those from care partner EZ Carelink, which provides additional nurses and nurse practitioners to support community members.
To sign-up for the Peripheral Artery Disease community FREE, go to community.TheWayToMyHeart.org or download the Peripheral Artery Disease app from the App Store or Google Play. For partnership, collaboration, and sponsorship opportunities, contact kym@thewaytomyheart.org.
- About The Way To My Heart
The Way To My Heart is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and support for more than 10,000 P.A.D. patients around the world. It's high-touch approach is successful in getting patients to the right physician and complying with lifestyle modifications to delay procedures and prolong procedure results. The Way To My Heart is on the front lines with physicians and at vascular conferences around the world to keep knowledge current in order to best help P.A.D. patients get timely, effective care. Its efforts are dramatically reducing healthcare costs by eliminating unnecessary amputation and improving patient outcomes.
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