CareLoop Health partners with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to launch major US study for first-episode psychosis relapse prevention

A real-world study has been launched to evaluate the clinical and economic benefits of CareLoop – a digital health platform designed to prevent relapse in people living with psychosis – within the American mental health system. 

The prospective cohort study will be conducted at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s EPICENTER – one of the largest psychosis programs in the US, and the largest in Ohio. 

Researchers will track individuals with first-episode psychosis using CareLoop and measure time to relapse as the primary outcome. Results will be compared against historical control data from similar patients who received standard care at the same facility. 

The CareLoop platform enables patients to track their day-to-day experiences and uses clinically proven technology to alert them and their support team to signals that might suggest they are at risk of relapse.   

In a multi country trial published in The Lancet Psychiatry, using CareLoop Health alongside standard care resulted in 50% fewer relapses, an overall reduction in healthcare costs of 14% and 33% reduction in hospital-related costs. The study with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will help provide US healthcare systems with nationally relevant data, showing CareLoop’s effectiveness in their contexts.  

Professor Nicholas Breitborde, Chief Investigator of the study from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center said: “First-episode psychosis is a critical window for intervention, and relapse can have profound consequences for individuals, their families and healthcare systems. This study reflects our commitment at EPICENTER to conducting rigorous, real-world research to find better ways to support individuals through what can be an incredibly difficult journey. We hope the evidence we generate will help shape how we manage the burden of relapse across the United States.” 

Beyond clinical effectiveness, the study will examine the practical side of using CareLoop in routine care. A comprehensive process evaluation will investigate which factors drive user engagement, gathering perspectives from both service users and clinical staff about their experiences with the technology. 

Crucially, the research team will also conduct a health economic evaluation to determine how the reductions in healthcare and hospital costs CareLoop seen in other health systems translate to the US healthcare environment. 

Zoë Blake, Founding CEO at CareLoop Health, said: “For 80% of people living with psychosis, the risk of relapse each year is one in four. Relapses are harder to treat than a first episode of psychosis – they are debilitating, life interrupting and often lead to lengthy hospital stays. This is why it’s crucial we intervene early to prevent relapse with tools like CareLoop.  

“Through this study, we hope to show that CareLoop can be successfully integrated into everyday clinical practice in America’s mental health care. We’re grateful to EPICENTER for partnering with us on this rigorous, real-world evaluation, and we look forward to contributing evidence that can benefit people living with psychosis across the US.” 

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