Fitbit Will Track Recovering Addicts To Prevent Relapses And Overdoses After Deal With Health Platform

Fitbit’s wearable devices track a person’s daily exercise, heart rate, sleep, and nutrition – and now, thanks to a revolutionary tech partnership, they can also be used to assist those recovering from drug addiction.
On Tuesday, the Google-owned company announced it has joined forces with Pretaa, Inc., a Boston-based platform that analyzes data from wearables worn by individuals in recovery. Pretaa alerts care providers when users with substance abuse disorders may need extra support. The platform also sends check-ins and positive messages to those wearing the devices to prevent relapses.
Karen Romans, a clinical social worker and the strategic partner clinical lead for Fitbit Health Solutions, said the partnership with Pretaa only extends Fitbit’s “mission to empower people to live healthier lives.”
“Working with Pretaa, we aim to help providers and caregivers in substance abuse treatment facilities deliver better, more personalized care, armed with actionable information about the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
Source: Pretaa
The partnership means Pretaa members will be able to connect their Fitbit devices and data to the platform. They’ll also have access to Fitbit Premium.
In addition to monitoring a person’s activities throughout the day, Pretaa also allows system users to signal if they’d like a caregiver, family or friend to reach out for support. Both companies have confirmed data is tracked and shared to specific caregivers or loved ones with a patient’s consent.
“Pretaa’s analytics platform pairs actionable guidance with positive reinforcement to improve treatment outcomes, build resiliency, and reconnect friends and family with their loved ones in recovery,” Michael Madon, the CEO of Pretaa.
“And we are excited to have Fitbit Health Solutions as a technology partner because of their focus on driving behavior to improve lives, and their ability to deliver a differentiated, personalized experience focused on health and wellness.”
Dr. John Duselis, Pretaa’s chief technology officer, discussed the plethora of new information the digital platform will have thanks to the Fitbit integration.
“Fitbit’s platform, developer support and sensor suite will allow Pretaa to leverage traditional biometricdata (heart rate, SPO2, body temperature) in tandem with robust activity and wellness data (steps and sleep) to provide unique insights derived from our multivariate analyses,” Dr. Duselis said.
“This directly supports Pretaa’s hybrid approach, which combines medical domain knowledge and machine learning techniques offering tailored solutions to inform interventions,” he added.
According to reports, the Fitbit/Pretaa platform will introduce its service to treatment centers in California this month.
With substance abuse and relapses on the rise since the global pandemic, executives from both companies believe the partnership will further inspire those in recovery to make healthier decisions each day and stay connected with their support systems even after leaving treatment facilities.