Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a condition characterized by a gradual loss of kidney function through time. Those with CKD may develop complications such as high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve damage. CKD can progress to end-stage kidney failure, which is fatal without dialysis or a kidney transplant. While individuals on dialysis can improve their quality of life with treatments, individuals with stage 4 kidney disease have a high risk of heart disease which can dramatically decrease life expectancy. 

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis  (ALS), is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, attacks cells in the brain and spinal cord that carry messages from the brain to the muscles. As motor neurons degenerate and die, it leads to scarring — or sclerosis — in the spinal cord and brain — leading to a lack of control in muscle movement. When the muscles go unused, they atrophy, or waste away. This is when the symptoms of ALS, like the loss of ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe, begin to appear.

Nearly 1 million adults in the U.S. are living with Multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that causes the  immune system to mistakenly attack healthy cells. In people with MS, the immune system attacks cells in the myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Damage to the myelin sheath interrupts nerve signals from the brain to other parts of the body, which can lead to symptoms affecting the brain, spinal cord and eyes.  There is currently no cure for MS, however treatments on managing symptoms, reducing relapses and slowing the disease’s progression. 

Aledade, the startup company that is working to reshape primary care, notched its first tuck-in acquisition by scooping up Iris, the company announced Tuesday.

Acquisition Enables Company to Provide More High-Value, Patient-Centered Services Through Its Network of More Than 1,000 Independent Primary Care Practices and Health Centers

BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aledade, the leading primary care enablement company, announced today that it has acquired Iris, the best-in-class provider of Advance Care Planning (ACP) solutions for tens of thousands of patients across the country. By helping more patients receive care consistent with their values, their preferences, and the best clinical evidence, Aledade's first acquisition will augment the support that Aledade delivers to its nationwide network of more than 1,000 independent primary care practices and health centers.

Parkinson’s disease can be complicated for individuals in that it is a progressive nervous system disorder affecting movement and may be dismissed in its early stages as merely part of the aging process. Symptoms begin gradually, often showing themselves as a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. While tremors are common, the disease also causes cognitive issues as well as stiffness or slowing of movement.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), also known as coronary heart disease, or ischemic heart disease, affects about 18.2 million adults aged 20 and older and about two in 10 deaths from CAD happen in adults less than 65 years old.  CAD narrows or blocks arteries by building up fatty material called plaque, also known as atherosclerosis. Plaque consists of cholesterol, fatty substances, waste products, calcium, and fibrin. Plague can clog or damage your arteries, limiting the blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients the heart needs to function properly. Unfortunately, individuals may not know they have CAD until they experience some type of heart event, such as a heart attack or stroke. 

 Iris, the leading provider of Advance Care Planning (ACP) solutions for health plans and provider groups, and  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC), the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, are announcing a new partnership to offer advance care planning to Blue KC’s Medicare Advantage and commercial members. Iris will provide ACP services through the Premier program, an innovative, comprehensive ACP intervention designed to engage seriously ill members to better align their goals of care. 

Frailty, a geriatric syndrome, affects 5% to 17% of older adults and is expected to rise alongside rapid growth in the ageing population. Symptoms include generalized weakness, exhaustion, slow gait, poor balance, decreased physical activity, cognitive impairment, and weight loss. Having frailty places an individual at an increased risk of adverse outcomes including falls, hospitalization, and possible mortality. Studies have shown a clear pattern of increased healthcare costs and utilization associated with frailty.