Academic medical centre Stanford Health Care has announced a collaboration with Kivo Health to enhance AI-driven virtual pulmonary rehabilitation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients.

Pulmonary rehabilitation, a critical component of COPD management, leads to reduced hospitalisations by up to 56%.

However, access remains limited, with less than 3% of eligible patients receiving this vital treatment.

The partnership with Kivo Health aims to enable several patients to complete pulmonary rehabilitation from home, thus enhancing COPD outcomes.

Kivo Health CEO Victor Sadauskas said: “This collaboration reflects a bold commitment to evidence-based innovation, health equity, and value-based care.

“Together, we are transforming how COPD is managed—expanding access, improving outcomes, and dramatically reducing avoidable hospitalisations for one of the most underserved, highest-cost chronic conditions in the US.”

Stanford Health Care is a component of Stanford Medicine, which encompasses the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, and Stanford Children’s Health, including Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

Stanford Health Care Digital Health senior director Leah Rosengaus said: "We are thrilled to collaborate with Kivo Health to bring virtual pulmonary rehabilitation to our COPD patients.

"We are dedicated to enhancing access to care, and believe innovative solutions like virtual pulmonary rehabilitation provide patients with new channels to connect to services, and support healing in the comfort of home.”

Stanford Health Care delivers clinical innovation across its speciality health centres, inpatient services, physician offices, virtual care offerings as well as health plan programmes.

In April 2021, Stanford Health Care selected Experience Management (XM) provider Qualtrics to overhaul its patient experience programme.