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We're thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership! 🌍🤝 Generali Health Solutions GmbH, part of one of the world's largest insurance and asset…
We're thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership! 🌍🤝 Generali Health Solutions GmbH, part of one of the world's largest insurance and asset…
Liked by Cynthia Castro Sweet
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Christian Sanchez, ’24, overcame many obstacles on his path to Stanford. Sanchez grew up in San Diego, where his home life was unstable due to…
Christian Sanchez, ’24, overcame many obstacles on his path to Stanford. Sanchez grew up in San Diego, where his home life was unstable due to…
Liked by Cynthia Castro Sweet
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We are thrilled to announce our new Chair of the Stanford Department of Medicine, Dr. Euan Ashley. We have a great future ahead!!! Dr. Ashley becomes…
We are thrilled to announce our new Chair of the Stanford Department of Medicine, Dr. Euan Ashley. We have a great future ahead!!! Dr. Ashley becomes…
Liked by Cynthia Castro Sweet
Experience & Education
Volunteer Experience
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Commissioner, District 6
City of San Jose Senior Citizens Commission
- Present 9 years
Social Services
The Senior Citizens Commission studies, reviews, evaluates and makes recommendations to the City Council on any matters affecting elderly people in the City, including health, education, employment, housing, transportation and recreation.
Publications
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Training the next generation of behavioral medicine scientists to accelerate digital health
Translational Behavioral Medicine
This commentary focuses on the career paths available for behavioral medicine scientists in the private sector digital health industry. Although this field has exciting and impactful career options, graduate training models have been slow to adapt to prepare graduates for these opportunities. We describe many actionable steps that trainees, advisors, and graduate programs can take to help training programs to evolve to prepare graduate for more diverse career paths.
Other authorsSee publication -
Clinical and Economic Impact of a Digital, Remotely-Delivered Intensive Behavioral Counseling Program on Medicare Beneficiaries at Risk for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
Plos One
Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease impose substantial clinical and economic burdens for seniors (age 65 and above) and the Medicare program. Intensive Behavioral Counseling (IBC) interventions like the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP), have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing excess body weight and lowering or delaying morbidity onset. This paper estimated the potential health implications and medical savings of a digital version of IBC modeled after the…
Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease impose substantial clinical and economic burdens for seniors (age 65 and above) and the Medicare program. Intensive Behavioral Counseling (IBC) interventions like the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP), have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing excess body weight and lowering or delaying morbidity onset. This paper estimated the potential health implications and medical savings of a digital version of IBC modeled after the NDPP.
Participants in this digital IBC intervention, the Omada program, include 1,121 overweight or obese seniors with additional risk factors for diabetes or heart disease. Weight changes were objectively measured via participant use of a networked weight scale. Participants averaged 6.8% reduction in body weight within 26 weeks, and 89% of participants completed 9 or more of the 16 core phase lessons. We used a Markov-based microsimulation model to simulate the impact of weight loss on future health states and medical expenditures over 10 years. Cumulative per capita medical expenditure savings over 3, 5 and 10 years ranged from $1,720 to 1,770 (3 years), $3,840 to $4,240 (5 years) and $11,550 to $14,200 (10 years). The range reflects assumptions of weight re-gain similar to that seen in the DPP clinical trial (lower bound) or minimal weight re-gain aligned with age-adjusted national averages (upper bound). The estimated net economic benefit after IBC costs is $10,250 to $12,840 cumulative over 10 years. Simulation outcomes suggest reduced incidence of diabetes by 27-41% for participants with prediabetes, and stroke by approximately 15% over 5 years.
A digital, remotely-delivered IBC program can help seniors at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease achieve significant weight loss, reduces risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and achieve meaningful medical cost savings. These findings affirm recommendations for IBC coverage by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. -
Health Care Utilization and Medical Cost Outcomes from a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in a Medicare Advantage Population
Population Health Management
This study examined the effects of a digital diabetes prevention program (DPP) on health care costs and utilization among Medicare Advantage participants. Patients (n = 501) received access to a plan-sponsored, digitally-delivered DPP accessible through computer, tablet, or smartphone. Prior research demonstrated a 7.5% reduction in body weight at 12 months. A comparison group who did not participate in the DPP was constructed by matching on demographic, health plan, health status, and health…
This study examined the effects of a digital diabetes prevention program (DPP) on health care costs and utilization among Medicare Advantage participants. Patients (n = 501) received access to a plan-sponsored, digitally-delivered DPP accessible through computer, tablet, or smartphone. Prior research demonstrated a 7.5% reduction in body weight at 12 months. A comparison group who did not participate in the DPP was constructed by matching on demographic, health plan, health status, and health care costs and utilization. The authors assessed effects on cost and utilization outcomes using difference-in-differences regressions, controlling for propensities to participate and engage in the DPP, in the 12 months prior to DPP enrollment and 24 months after. Though post-enrollment data showed trends in decreased drug spending and emergency department use, increased inpatient utilization, and no change in total nondrug costs or outpatient utilization, the findings did not reach statistical significance, potentially because of sample size. The population had low costs and utilization at baseline, which may be responsible for the lack of observed effects in the short time frame. This study demonstrates the challenges of studying the effectiveness of preventive programs in a population with low baseline costs and the importance of using a large enough sample and follow-up period, but remains an important contribution to exploring the effects of digital DPPs in a real-world sample of individuals who were eligible and willing to participate.
Organizations
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Digital Medicine Society
Member
- PresentThe Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) is the professional society for the digital medicine community. Together, we drive scientific progress and broad acceptance of digital medicine to enhance public health.
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Society of Behavioral Medicine
Digital Health Council
- Present
More activity by Cynthia
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Must-read for anyone in healthcare start-ups!
Must-read for anyone in healthcare start-ups!
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As Pride month comes to a close, I am grateful that my place of work, #sfva , flies the Pride flag with great honor! #weserveallwhohaveserved
As Pride month comes to a close, I am grateful that my place of work, #sfva , flies the Pride flag with great honor! #weserveallwhohaveserved
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Very excited to see my team present their research at AcademyHealth! We take pride in rigorous scientific evaluation and validation of Hinge Health…
Very excited to see my team present their research at AcademyHealth! We take pride in rigorous scientific evaluation and validation of Hinge Health…
Shared by Cynthia Castro Sweet
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The Omadans have spoken and …. We’re proud to announce that we are certified as a Great Place To Work US for another year! Our team puts people…
The Omadans have spoken and …. We’re proud to announce that we are certified as a Great Place To Work US for another year! Our team puts people…
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Super excited to be joining the advisory board and supporting this team!
Super excited to be joining the advisory board and supporting this team!
Liked by Cynthia Castro Sweet
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