Preventive Medicine, LLC

ROGER^sm was developed to reduce human suffering and to help solve a key economic issue…the treatment of chronic diseases account for 75% of health care expenditures in the United States ($2.2 trillion in 2007). Prevention of chronic diseases and reducing their principal risk factors is mission-critical to reducing health care costs.

ROGER^sm is up to the mission. Here’s why.The lion’s share of chronic disease that is prevalent in our population is PREVENTABLE. The CDC tells us that if we could eliminate inactivity, poor nutrition and  ^smoking, the result would be an 80% reduction in stroke, heart disease, type-2 diabetes and a 40% drop in cancer occurrence.  ROGER^sm's health and lifestyle behavior change model was created through the collaboration of physicians, psychologists, specialty health and lifestyle experts, e-learning wizards, and information technology gurus – literally with hundreds of years of combined clinical and practical experience – married to 21st century technology. The result of blending real scientific and psychological know-how with the power and reach of web-based interactivity has generated a totally new approach to behavior change. ROGER^sm focuses on those lifestyle traits and behaviors that people CAN CHANGE and meets each individual exactly “where they are” so that they may begin effecting change and incorporating healthy habits every day of their lives. ROGER^sm is designed to be a part of a person’s every day life in a supportive and unobtrusive way.

So How Does It Work?

ROGER^sm’s behavioral change model is based on the well researched fact that most humans do not make decisions relating to their lifestyle and health based on cognitive and rational thought.  The overwhelming majority of these decisions are made on emotional and social values bases.  This use of a model that recognizes that there is a strong underpinning of unconscious behavior in the persistent practice of activities that are not conducive to better health is revolutionary. ROGER^sm takes into account that such unconscious ongoing behavior contains a strong momentum, a strong push towards continuance. Changing a behavior that is automatic takes small incremental nudges based on gaining credibility, adding a feeling of intrigue and commitment to change, and then the rewarding of progress with positive and timely feedback. ROGER^sm does not make judgments, but works with its growing understanding of the user’s motivations to affect change naturally.

The key to ROGER^sm is how the program uses its knowledge of each individual (gained through access to medical claims, as well as the responses to a series of assessmentsassessments about psychological motivations and lifestyle behavioral information) to build trust and a relationship before introducing change. Assesent tasks are fun and positive experiences that stimulate each person to become curious about the results. ROGER^sm identifies positive behavior patterns and uses them to introduce lifestyle changes based on those existing behaviors. In addition, the participant feels in control of the process.

ROGER^sm is not a static, text-based program, but instead presents its guidance in a highly animated and interactive format. This unique design is the result of extensive research into how people learn when using web-based tools. ROGER^sm does have a deep and broad reservoir of lifestyle practices and information available to each person who wishes to delve deeper into a topic. Individuals return to the program because they want to reach a goal. ROGER^sm is designed to be intriguing and modern, more like a video game than a textbook.

ROGER^sm provides a win-win-win solution to the problem of rising health care expense by focusing on behaviors and lifestyle traits that people CAN MODIFY. People will make healthier lifestyles a part of their every day life. This is real change. This is real progress.