New SPIRIT® Software Will Save $42 Billion in Healthcare Costs with Early Detection of Primary Immunodeficiency

The SPIRIT® 3.0 Analyzer (Software for Primary Immunodeficiency Recognition, Intervention and Tracking) can screen up to one million patients within 30 minutes, identifying a potential Primary Immunodeficiency (PI), a genetic disorder of the immune system that causes increased susceptibility to infections that are often chronic, debilitating and sometimes fatal.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that at least one in 500 Americans are affected by PI, most of who are not aware of the underlying cause of their repeated infections.

Early recognition of PI is essential, which is why JMF created SPIRIT®, which matches 352 ICD-10 codes to JMF's 10 Warning Signs of PI to identify at-risk patients.

The SPIRIT® Analyzer software will be accessible and distributed to medical providers and healthcare insurance companies as a public service by JMF. There are no HIPAA obstacles and the Analyzer is compliant with all applicable regulations. The software is very simple to download. As software advances, and the use of Electronic Medical Records increases, the time is opportune to utilize the SPIRIT® software and integrate point-of-care screening tools to assist with the identification of patients with PI and referrals to appropriate care and treatment.

Full implementation and utilization of SPIRIT® allows healthcare organizations to alert physicians of medium- and high-risk patients with recurring infections and encourages appropriate assessment, ultimately leading to disease prevention, electronic recognition and tracking, significant reduction of healthcare costs, and improved quality of life for patients, allowing them to lead full and independent lives.

Recently, Dr. Nicholas L. Rider, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, conducted a one year study to screen for PI using the SPIRIT® Analyzer. After removing all patients known to be diagnosed with a PI from the database, 185,892 individuals were selected at random for the study. Following identification of 2,188 medium-and high-risk (MHR) individuals, letters were sent to their primary care physicians to alert them of patient risk. A second analysis of these MHR individuals was performed one year later and 1,068 patients were accessible for analysis. Of these patients, 104 had a PI diagnosis or a history of PI, further proving that the SPIRIT® 3.0 Analyzer is effective at identifying persons at risk for PI.

Study results showed significant reductions in acute and chronic infections, pneumonias, hospital and emergency room visits, days on antibiotics, days in the hospital and school/work days missed, after proper diagnosis and treatment. Clinical outcomes and quality of life dramatically improved.

Healthcare costs for each category were identified from U.S. Government websites. The study demonstrated that annually an undiagnosed patient can cost the healthcare system around $100,000 more than a diagnosed patient. The study concluded that the cost of undiagnosed patients with PI in the U.S. represents more than $42 billion in preventable healthcare costs.

About Jeffrey Modell Foundation
Vicki and Fred Modell established the Jeffrey Modell Foundation in 1987, in memory of their son Jeffrey, who died at the age of fifteen from complications of Primary Immunodeficiency -- a genetic condition that is chronic, serious, and often fatal.

JMF is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to early diagnosis, meaningful treatments and, ultimately, cures through research, physician education, public awareness, advocacy, patient support, and newborn screening. The Jeffrey Modell Centers Network (JMCN) includes 781 physicians at 356 academic institutions, in 273 cities, 86 countries, spanning 6 continents and growing.

For more information about Primary Immunodeficiency, visit the Jeffrey Modell Foundation at www.info4pi.org or email [email protected]. You can also follow the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Press Release Media Contacts:
Vicki Modell, Jeffrey Modell Foundation, (212) 819-0200
Fred Modell, Jeffrey Modell Foundation, (212) 819-0200

SOURCE Jeffrey Modell Foundation

Related Links

http://www.info4pi.org