Sano Health: Digital Health Made Accessible to the Underserved

Liliane A. Offredo-Zreik, Co-Founder, Sano Health

Sano’s solutions address the three main reasons underprivileged populations struggle with digital health: lack of adequate devices, connectivity, and digital literacy. Sano works with provider groups to create tailored solutions to help their patient overcome these obstacles. Sano provides cost-effective, quality mobile devices that come pre-loaded with the digital health assets the healthcare provider selects (for example telehealth app or utility, clinic’s website, remote patient monitoring app, one tap access to customized SDoH resources, etc.). The device arrives to the patient fully configured and ready to use upon receipt, without any need for downloading or settings configurations, thus removing major barriers to use. The devices work on multiple wireless carrier networks. Underprivileged patients often lack WiFi at home or sufficient mobile connectivity, making ubiquitous mobile connectivity especially important.

Sano’s solutions make a difference. For example, Sano collaborated with the Starzl transplantation group at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to provide Sano devices to pediatric transplant patients. Immunocompromised patients who had already undergone transplants or were slated for surgery were unable to see providers in-person due to pandemic-related social-distancing requirements. Sano’s devices also protected patients who lived in rural areas far from the hospital from losing their place on the organ transplantation waiting list despite being unable to visit their attending physician in person.