Neck pain image by Klara Kulikova on unsplash.com

Two Fresno-based companies have teamed up with an industry-leading musculoskeletal (MSK) pain recovery company, providing greater access to pain relief and discomfort.

SimpleTherapy, along with Fresno-based companies PhysMetrics, a musculoskeletal benefit administration company, and Halcyon Behavioral Health, a behavioral health and wellness company, have joined as one to pool resources to help those with MSK pain recover as well as take care of their mental wellbeing.

The merger — the terms of which were not disclosed — will give members access to a wide range of professionals including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and every type of behavioral health provider including psychiatrists and facilities, according to a news release.

According to Joshua Oswald, previous vice president of Halcyon and PhysMetrics, one of the main drivers for the merger was because the company lacked the technology to have a strong digital interface, which is what attracted them to SimpleTherapy.

As a result of the merger, Oswald is now the senior account executive of Fremont-based SimpleTherapy.

“They really had that consumer-facing, front-end, high-tech integration that we were missing as a more traditional health care company,” said Oswald.

SimpleTherapy is the industry-leading digital MSK pain recovery and mental health solution for employer-based health plans. By combining evidence-based exercise therapy and artificial intelligence (AI), members are given personalized plans and exercises based on their limitations and therapeutic responses, according to the release. Through SimpleTherapy, members have access to digital, self-guided programs, virtual telemedicine services and a nationwide network of more than 20,000 providers.

The National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) defines MSK as acute or chronic pain that affects bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and sometimes nerves. Chronic MSK pain can make even the most daily tasks agonizing, and if left untreated can require to surgery.

Additionally, the merger will allow SimpleTherapy to expand its existing digital and virtual physical therapy programs, as well as behavioral health services, under a single, multidisciplinary care team.

“It’s essentially an at-home anytime, anywhere physical therapy program,” said Oswald.

According to the NCBI, chronic MSK pain can result in high rates of sick leave and disability pensions, which create substantial costs for health care systems and insurance. According to data collected by SimpleTherapy, self-insured employers spend more on MSK disorders than on any other condition or disease — 14.5% for osteoarthritis and 9.7% for spinal or back disorders.

For this reason, the merger was attractive to the parties involved because they would be able to not only increase resources for members, but limit barriers to care as well.