For people with psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), finding comprehensive treatment that works can be a lifelong battle. Medications are often expensive and hard to access, appointments with specialists can take months to secure, and lifestyle factors that may contribute to the diseases tend to be left out of the clinician-patient conversation entirely. 

Ohio-based healthcare company AndHealth believes it doesn’t have to be that way — and is inviting patients with the conditions to help prove it. Through its innovative study, called Project IMPACT, the company aims to demonstrate that addressing underlying causes (like nutrition, stress, or sleep) alongside conventional treatments (like biologic medications) has the potential to stop the progression of or even reverse autoimmune conditions including psoriasis and RA.

“Insurance doesn’t reimburse for a lot of time spent talking to patients about how they can participate in their own care and how they can incorporate lifestyle changes, even though the science is there,” says Dr. Myles Spar, AndHealth’s National Medical Director who’s certified in both internal and integrative medicine.

But Project IMPACT’s model is different. It’s whole-person specialty care approach views patients in the full context of their lives—including any social, physical, or financial barriers they face to care—and connects them with coordinated, culturally competent primary and specialty care. 

More specifically, Project IMPACT patients first meet with a provider virtually for about an hour. Soon after, they receive a personalized care plan developed by experts that may include specialists, a dietitian, a pharmacist, and a health coach. Depending on their health status, goals, and readiness for change, patients may also receive medications, lab testing, meal delivery, supplements, and wearable health tracking devices — all at no cost to them.

Unlike a clinical trial, where subjects are blindly given either an intervention or a placebo, this study is observational, meaning everyone receives the support they want in the way they want it. “We’re analyzing the whole availability of those treatment paths, not testing each path,” Spar says. “So signing up for the study doesn’t mean you’re signing up to do steps A, B, and C—you’re signing up to have A, B, and C as options, and then choose your own path.”

For example, those who want to work with a health coach may learn about what lifestyle changes—be it reducing sugar intake or adding in an after-dinner walk each day—can make the biggest difference in their symptoms. Then, they can call on their coach via an app for support in implementing those new habits along the way. 

“The number of touchpoints that we have with patients per week is extraordinary because even me, I’m not gonna bug my doctor with a little thing,” Spar says. “But if it’s a health coach who says, ‘I want you to bug me,’ patients are more likely to say, ’I did my two-minute meditation today’ or ‘I bought running shoes’ or ‘I noticed that I was able to not snack while I was watching the news.’ So they see the coach as a real buddy.”

Ultimately, the company is betting that, when patients are equipped with the right tools, team, and knowledge, they can help improve a condition that they’re often made to believe will only get worse. 

“When you’re diagnosed with a condition that you didn’t pick, one that took control away from you throughout your life, and that makes your life more limited, to suddenly be told, ‘But there is something you can do to get some control back,’ that’s hugely empowering,” Spar says. 

That was the case for Phyllis, a 60-year-old in Mansfield, Ohio whose RA had prevented her from doing what she loved, whether it was dropping by relatives’ homes to play cards or visiting a venue to dance two-step. “I lost interest in wanting to socialize with my friends and family because I just hurt most of the time,” she says. Outside of church, she says, “I literally stayed in bed all day.” 

But through Project IMPACT, Phyllis worked with a physician who seemed “to truly care” and a health coach who helped her eat more fruits and vegetables and limit her sugar intake. Within weeks and even days, “I had more energy and less pain,” she says. “I felt rejuvenated.” 

She also felt like she mattered. When Phyllis told her care team she didn’t have enough gas in the car to get to the clinic for lab work, for example, they swooped in to help. “Traditional healthcare, if you can’t make it there, then you reschedule. And if you don’t reschedule, who cares?” she says. “With this team, if you can’t make it, they try to figure out why. Once they figure out why, then they try to figure out how to fix it. And once they figure out how to fix it, they fix it.” 

Interested in participating? Project IMPACT is currently enrolling adults 21 and older in Ohio and Indiana who are taking specialty medications (or have been advised by a physician to start one) for psoriasis or RA. For more information or to see if you qualify, visit andhealth.com/impact or email impact@andhealth.com.

“The exciting part,” Spar says, “is … you’re helping to move this field forward, and you’re helping to add to the data that this whole-person specialty care approach works.” 

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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Suicide continues to be a leading cause of death in the U.S., with approximately 49,000 people taking their own lives in 2022.

That’s according to a new report released Sept. 10, which is World Suicide Prevention Day, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report highlighted three county-level factors that contributed to suicide rates — health insurance coverage, household broadband internet access and household income.

SUICIDE RATES REACH ALL-TIME HIGH IN US, PER CDC DATA

“Overall, suicide rates in counties with higher levels of health insurance coverage, household broadband internet access and household income were lower than rates in counties with lower levels of these factors,” the report stated.

Suicide rates were highest among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people, males and rural residents, according to the CDC.

“It might feel uncomfortable to act on potential warning signs, but in reality, it is courageous and can save a life.”

Data for the report was pulled from the 2022 National Vital Statistics System.

Fox News Digital reached out to the CDC for comment.

Warning signs to know

The best suicide prevention is to check in on loved ones regularly and understand how they are doing, according to Cara McNulty, the Minneapolis-based president of behavioral health and mental well-being at CVS Health.

“By doing this, you can notice any changes in mental health and begin to offer support before the signs of suicide,” McNulty previously told Fox News Digital.

On World Suicide Prevention Day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report identifying the top three factors driving suicide rates. (Reuters/Tami Chappell/File Photo)

“If your loved one has a preexisting mental health issue, such as depression, substance-use disorder, anxiety or psychosis, they are at an elevated risk of attempting suicide.”

Other risk factors for suicidal thoughts include eating disorders, trauma or personality-related disorders, McNulty warned.

YOUNG WOMAN IS TALKED OUT OF SUICIDE BY A PASSERBY, AN OFF-DUTY PARAMEDIC: ‘ARE YOU OK?’

“However, it’s crucial to note that mental illness alone doesn’t cause suicidal thoughts. It’s the combination of distress from these conditions and life challenges that can lead to such feelings and behaviors,” she added.

Environmental factors such as prolonged stress and life-altering events, as well as a family history of mental health issues or suicide, can also contribute to suicidal tendencies, the expert noted.

Environmental factors such as prolonged stress and life-altering events and a family history of mental health issues or suicide can contribute to suicidal tendencies. (iStock)

Some signs a loved one may be considering suicide include the mention of feeling a sense of emptiness or being better off dead, increasing alcohol or drug use or saying goodbye to loved ones, according to McNulty.

“If you hear any of the above, it is time to seek out help,” she said.

“It might feel uncomfortable to act on potential warning signs, but, in reality, it is courageous and can save a life.”

ARMY VETERAN SAYS FAITH IN GOD SAVED HIS LIFE AFTER 12 SUICIDE ATTEMPTS: ‘SOMETHING STRONGER THAN MYSELF’

Suicidal ideation isn’t black and white but more of a spectrum, noted Dr. Ryan Sultan, a board-certified psychiatrist and research professor at Columbia University in New York and medical director of Integrative Psych NYC.

“While active plans or intentions to commit suicide are on the more severe end of this spectrum, even passive thoughts about suicide should never be dismissed,” he previously told Fox News Digital.

“Every expression or hint of suicidal ideation, no matter how seemingly benign, warrants attention, understanding and appropriate intervention,” a mental health expert said. (iStock)

“Such thoughts, while not always leading to active plans or attempts, are concerning and should raise yellow or red flags for both the individual experiencing them and the people in their lives,” he added. 

“Every expression or hint of suicidal ideation, no matter how seemingly benign, warrants attention, understanding and appropriate intervention.”

Debunking myths about suicide

One of the most common misconceptions is that mentioning the word “suicide” to people in crisis increases the chances that they will act on it, said McNulty. 

“Having open and honest dialogues can promote healthy relationships and reduce the feeling of isolation that someone struggling may be experiencing,” she said.

“It’s not just about recognizing the signs — it’s about feeling empowered to act upon them.”

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People also may incorrectly believe that suicide is not something that can be preventable, McNulty noted.

“Suicide is very complex, and it may feel that stopping an attempt is impossible, but the reality is if we continue to discuss the warning signs and connect people in need to available resources, we will have a better chance to reduce suicide rates nationwide,” she said.

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“Most people with suicidal ideation or intent are highly ambivalent, driven by intolerable pain. Guiding someone to receive professional help can tip that critical scale. People typically don’t want to die. They want the suffering to end.”

The best suicide prevention is to check in on loved ones regularly and understand how they are doing, an expert said. (iStock)

Sultan calls for better education, open dialogue and improved access to resources to “bridge the gap” between suicide awareness and prevention. 

“It’s not just about recognizing the signs. It’s about feeling empowered to act upon them,” he said. “Only then can we hope to stem the rising tide of suicidal ideation among our younger generation.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

If someone exhibits signs of suicidal thoughts, experts urge seeking help immediately by calling or texting 988 or chatting at 988lifeline.org.

CVSHealth.com also offers a number of mental health guides, podcasts and training centered around different populations and their unique mental health needs.