Axena Health has announced the launch of its telehealth services for women seeking first-line treatment for urinary incontinence. The company, known for its focus on female pelvic health, is now offering the Leva® Pelvic Health System through its platform www.levarx.com. This new service is in partnership with UpScriptHealth and connects women with clinicians who can assess their symptoms and prescribe the Leva System if appropriate. This move comes amid a shortage of OB-GYNs in the United States, aiming to provide quicker access to treatment and reduce healthcare costs.
Urinary incontinence affects over 60% of adult women in the U.S., with more than 28 million experiencing moderate to severe symptoms. The globally recommended first-line treatment is pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), which can be challenging to perform correctly without guidance. The Leva System offers a solution by helping women perform PFMT effectively, avoiding the need for medication or surgery.
Women interested in using the telehealth service can start by visiting www.levarx.com and filling out a short questionnaire about their medical history and symptoms. This is followed by a private online consultation with an UpScriptHealth healthcare provider who will explain the Leva System and issue a prescription if necessary. The Leva Women’s Center will then assist with insurance coverage and costs. Importantly, there is no obligation to proceed with treatment after the consultation.
Jim O’Connor, Axena Health’s Interim CEO, stated: “Nearly half of U.S. women skipped a preventive care service in 2022, with difficulty scheduling an appointment among the most common causes. Telehealth can be an important part of fixing this distressing gap in care. We remain steadfast in our commitment to breaking down barriers to first-line care for urinary incontinence, whether the normalization by adult diaper industry or the disparity in insurance coverage for women’s health conditions such as urinary incontinence. We believe this new offering in partnership with UpScriptHealth can help women who have had difficulty accessing first-line treatment.”
The Leva Pelvic Health System is a small, flexible intra-vaginal device equipped with motion sensors to assist women in performing PFMT accurately. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the device treats stress, mixed, and mild-to-moderate urgency urinary incontinence, including overactive bladder, as well as chronic fecal incontinence in women. The system requires just five minutes of daily use, usually over eight to twelve weeks, and can be done at home.
Sarah Jenkins, Executive Director at the National Association for Continence, praised the initiative: “We are incredibly grateful to Axena Health for launching this innovative telehealth platform. Access to care is a growing issue, particularly in women’s health and for those outside major cities. This initiative will significantly enhance access to treatment for urinary incontinence, empowering more women to manage their health with greater convenience and confidence.”
With this new telehealth service, Axena Health aims to address the increasing challenges women face in accessing timely and effective healthcare for urinary incontinence, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden on the healthcare system.