How to be successful when innovating in healthcare? In short – put patients in the center at all times.
While this is certainly our core value at Vigo Health, the reality of reorganizing in the medical industry is not always so simple. There are many plates to spin from our users-stroke survivors to enjoy and engage with the program, to medical professionals who should not have Vigo as an added burden to their workflow, and the medical system who have to remain efficient and oversee the patient population. Without considering all these stakeholders, the most important one – the patients could not be served in the best possible way.
For this reason we are particularly humbled and honored for our digital post-stroke therapeutics program Vigo to be recognised as the Innovation in Medicine of 2021 by the leading healthcare organizations in Latvia. We are excited to see where this will take the industry as a whole in the future.
To get here, we have involved our stakeholders to provide their expertise and feedback in all stages of Vigo development. Therefore all functionalities are easy to comprehend and the therapy program is aimed at the best possible results.
Vigo has been available to the Latvian audience since 2020 and more than 150 stroke survivors have already given this digital therapy a go. For now the optimal duration of the program is 90 days, but nearly a fifth of the users have used it for up to a year.
Following we present Vigo functionalities through the eyes of our users. The main thing everyone loves about Vigo is the usability and convenience of the service:
“Exercises are an important feature and before Vigo it was awful to be clueless in finding suitable therapy! And emotional support is just as critical. I extended the Vigo program because it is very easy to exercise at home and I could avoid having to visit a physiotherapist during the pandemic.” – Janis
More often than not stroke has emotional consequences – depressive tendencies, anxiety and lack of motivation. Most can be overcome by a steady daily and weekly routine as well as extensive support from friends, family and medical staff. Many users highlight the benefits of daily program offered by Vigo:
“I’ve decided to extend the Vigo program because it seems that I need such a daily routine, and stay active every day especially in the initial stages of my rehabilitation.” – Val
Most Vigo users were introduced to the program during their stay in our partner hospitals and rehabilitation centers. After the trial period, they can choose to take Vigo home and continue the therapy there.
“I saw and tried Vigo and realized that it would be just as comfortable and convenient to continue exercising at home.” – Arthur
For those asked to describe Vigo in three words, the answer usually is: “Understandable, easy-to-use, accessible.” The app is developed keeping in mind our main target group – seniors, most of whom find it frustrating to navigate in an otherwise complex digital setting. Vigo has a sleek design and is intentionally kept simple yet engaging to use.
“The Vigo program is professionally designed, and the exercise demos are extremely high quality. I like that there is a program covering a variety of impairments and their recovery so that all content is relevant for me personally. I also appreciate the option to schedule a call with a physiotherapist. ” – Irma
By gathering the user experience and collecting usage data points, Vigo is constantly evolving. And for the most part, we have to thank our Vigo user community for their feedback and commitment, along with our partners and healthcare professionals who help us challenge the industry standards.
