WASHINGTON, D.C. – Howard University’s 1867 Health Innovations Project today announced a new innovation and research partnership with STANLEY Healthcare to bring digital health devices to home health and senior living environments. The first project in the collaboration will focus on developing a digital healthcare delivery model to enhance diabetes care and medication adherence management.

The Howard University College of Medicine 1867 Health Innovations Project has been named a preferred innovation and research partner that will pilot and validate STANLEY Healthcare’s technologies in a clinical setting for specific therapeutic areas, with attention to social determinants of health that limit healthcare access and contribute to poor health outcomes.

Throughout the pilot program, Howard University will collaborate with STANLEY Healthcare to help inform product and healthcare delivery models that best align with patient needs, whether it be medication adherence, telehealth, or connectivity.

“This collaboration with STANLEY Healthcare will focus on developing technology-driven home health solutions that enhance health access, affordability, outcomes, and the patient experience,” said Michael Crawford, associate dean for strategy, outreach, and innovation at the Howard University College of Medicine. “It represents a unique opportunity to undertake a patient-centric approach to designing models of care that align with patient and end user needs.”

In 2017, the CDC^[1] reported that 30.3 million Americans – or 9.4 percent of the U.S. population – have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have prediabetes, a condition that, if left untreated, often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years.

“Diabetes is one of the leading causes of hospitalization and deaths in the District of Columbia,” said Dr. Hugh E. Mighty, dean of the Howard University College of Medicine and vice president of clinical affairs. “We expect this partnership to help address longstanding health issues, such as diabetes, that have disproportionately impacted District of Columbia residents that reside in Wards 4, 5,7, and 8.”

In a small test pilot, the implementation of STANLEY Healthcare’s Pria™ medical dispenser saw type 2 diabetes patients experience a 30% decrease in their glycated hemoglobin A1c levels in just three months.^[2] This number reflects a change in compliance methods only, with participants maintaining all other aspects of their daily routines.

“STANLEY Healthcare has long provided trusted solutions to caregivers and healthcare organizations across the globe,” said Troy Dayon, president of STANLEY Healthcare. “We are excited to collaborate with Howard University to bring innovations in care to the home, allowing for better peace of mind for aging adults and their loved ones.”

Howard University launched the 1867 Health Innovations Project in 2020. Aptly named after the year the university was founded, 1867 aims to collaborate with innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and corporate partners to tackle complex health challenges confronting underserved populations in the Washington, D.C. region and beyond.

In 2020, 1867 Health Innovations Project also established a partnership with AARP Innovations Lab to explore age-tech solutions to enhance healthcare access for individuals with chronic health conditions in medically underserved communities, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to find ways to use technology and data to improve the everyday lives of patients with sickle cell disease.

For more information about the 1867 Health Innovations Project, contact Michael Crawford at michael.crawford@howard.edu.

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that comprises 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.

About STANLEY Healthcare

STANLEY Healthcare’s mission is to empower caregivers – all those who make the world more caring. By connecting caregivers to essential information and to those in their care networks, STANLEY Healthcare helps organizations to deliver connected, productive and safe care. Our solutions are some of the most trusted in the industry, relied on by thousands of healthcare organizations worldwide. We live our mission through active involvement in our communities and through healthcare advocacy. Learn more at stanleyhealthcare.com.

Media Contact: Sholnn Freeman, sholnn.freeman@howard.edu