GI OnDEMAND, a virtual integrated-care platform, recently announced a partnership with Mindset Health, the creator of Nerva, a six-week, gut-directed hypnotherapy program. The hypnotherapy program is delivered through a mobile app to help patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) better manage their symptoms.
GI OnDEMAND is a joint venture between the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and Gastro Girl, Inc., and now provides GI OnDEMAND and ACG members nationwide an evidence-based program to deliver gut-directed hypnotherapy to their IBS patients.
“Given the multifactorial nature of IBS, a multidisciplinary approach that includes brain-gut behavioral therapies is critical for many patients,” said Megan Riehl, PsyD, of the University of Michigan, and director of behavioral health services at GI OnDEMAND. “Direct access to a GI psychologist remains limited and has been a significant barrier to receiving this evidence-based care. Providers now have a trusted solution for access issues with an excellent product. Nerva is a self-directed digital therapeutic with proven benefits that patients will find easy to use and effective.”
Nerva’s program was designed by Dr. Simone Peters, a gastroenterology researcher and gut-directed hypnotherapist, whose study at Monash University uncovered that gut-directed hypnotherapy is as effective as the gold-standard low-FODMAP diet in helping patients with IBS manage their gastrointestinal symptoms.
“Nerva presents an exciting opportunity to provide app-delivered, gut-directed hypnotherapy to IBS patients from the comfort of their own homes,” said Dr. Peters, head of clinical content at Nerva. Peters, an adjunct research fellow at Monash University’s Department of Gastroenterology, is also the founder of Mind + Gut Clinic.
“Nerva’s durable effects on overall and individual gastrointestinal symptoms are similar to those observed with the low-FODMAP diet and those seen in face-to-face trials,” Peters said. “Despite high rates of efficacy, gut-directed hypnotherapy has long been inaccessible due to limited numbers of GI psychologists, long wait-lists and high costs associated with therapy, but Nerva provides an exciting solution to these overcome these barriers.”
About GI OnDEMAND: GI OnDEMAND is a joint venture between the ACG and Gastro Girl, Inc. A gastroenterology multidisciplinary virtual care platform, GI OnDEMAND brings the full ecosystem of GI experts, resources and support together for GI clinicians and patients. According to the company, GI OnDEMAND makes it easier for GI practices to adopt a virtual integrated-care model and amplify the expertise and value the practice brings to patients by providing access to vetted GI expert registered dietitians and GI psychologists, as well as genetic testing and expert genetic counseling. GI OnDEMAND also features telehealth capabilities and access to evidence-based educational programs.
About Mindset Health/Nerva: Since 2019, Mindset Health has helped more than 100,000 people learn to self-manage their health by making evidence-backed hypnotherapy accessible to everyone from their phone. Mindset Health works with world-leading researchers and healthcare associations to bring digital therapeutics for underserved health conditions to the world. Nerva was created to increase access to gut-directed hypnotherapy.
About Gastro Girl: Since 2016 Gastro Girl has served as the official patient-education partner of the ACG. Gastro Girl and ACG expanded this partnership in 2019 to make digestive-health expertise, resources and support available to everyone via GI OnDEMAND. In addition to connecting patients to GI experts—including gastroenterologists, registered dietitians, and psychologists—via GI OnDEMAND, Gastro Girl delivers actionable and evidence-based health information and resources to help everyone achieve better health.