Preliminary data from the first 40 stroke survivors served by Kandu demonstrated excellent 90-day modified Rankin Scores (mRS), a measure used to assess the degree of disability in patients who have had a stroke. The data also indicate promising trends for low hospital readmissions and continuity of care for participants.

Kandu Health is working to fulfill an urgent need in healthcare by supporting stroke patients returning to community settings after hospital discharge from stroke. Through its team of expert clinically-licensed navigators, Kandu offers extensive tools and resources for optimized stroke recovery, as well as remote community support groups and an easy-to-use app. With goals to reduce hospital stays and readmissions, lower the cost of healthcare and improve patient outcomes, Kandu Health works closely with healthcare institutions to ensure that care is well integrated and coordinated with existing programming.

“We co-developed Kandu Health with stroke survivors and clinicians because we strongly believe that the holistic support a stroke survivor receives beyond acute hospitalization greatly influences health outcomes and recovery,” said Kirsten Carroll, CEO of Kandu Health, “Early on, we encountered skepticism as to whether this community could engage with an app-based platform, and whether we could make even a small difference in their outcomes. These preliminary results are gratifying, and exciting to share as we continue to build the body of evidence for this type of care.”

Appointment of Kirsten Carroll as Chief Executive Officer of Kandu Health

“The patient is the one constant in the continuum of care for stroke. Our vision for Imperative Care has always been to connect each part of the care journey for patients affected by stroke and be the company that delivers both treatment and post-acute care for stroke survivors,” said Fred Khosravi, Chairman and CEO for Imperative Care. “Kirsten has championed this vision for Kandu Health since its early days. Through her leadership and the company’s impressive bench of leaders, I see the embodiment of our mission to provide real, life-changing care to stroke survivors.”

Carroll previously served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Kandu Health, leading the company from inception through its formation as an independent company. She brings more than 20 years of experience in stroke product development, clinical research, marketing, strategy and business development. Carroll holds an MBA and a Masters of Public Health from Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor’s of Science in biomedical engineering from Yale University.

“Once a person has a stroke, every aspect of their life can be affected, diminishing both their quality of life and health. Improving these outcomes for stroke survivors has been my passion for over 20 years now, and Kandu is the most important thing I have worked on in that time,” said Carroll. “The Kandu program is intended to address critical gaps in care and to provide personalized support to stroke survivors as they transition back home from the hospital. It is my greatest privilege to step into this new role and lead the company forward in delivering on our mission.”

In the U.S., approximately eight million people are living with the effects of stroke.1 Historically, most investment in stroke care has focused on acute intervention. Kandu Health delivers tech-enabled healthcare services, providing remote support to stroke survivors and care partners after hospital discharge.

The company also announced that Tudor Jovin, M.D., an internationally renowned researcher and practitioner in the treatment of stroke and other cerebrovascular disorders, has joined Kandu Health as its Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Jovin serves as Medical Director of the Cooper Neurological Institute, and Chairman and Chief of Neurology at Cooper University Health Care in Camden, New Jersey. He is also a Professor of Neurology and Neurological Surgery at Rowan University’s Cooper Medical School.

“The formation of Kandu Health as an independent company will allow us to scale our programs to bring critical support to people affected by stroke,” said Kirsten Carroll, Kandu Health’s General Manager. “We are honored to have Dr. Jovin’s expertise and guidance. With the support of our team of stroke survivors and healthcare professionals, Kandu Health is empowering stroke survivors to take charge of their recovery and achieve their best life after stroke.”

“Our commitment to transforming the full continuum of care for people affected by stroke and other vascular conditions is rooted in the reality that the challenges for these patients do not end when they leave the hospital. Our strategy at Imperative Care has been to foster connected innovations across multiple development programs that can, in turn, connect care across the entire patient journey,” said Fred Khosravi, Imperative Care’s Chairman and CEO. “Through this formation as an independent company, Kandu Health will focus on its digital health platform and scale its critical patient solutions rapidly.”

In the United States, 800,000 people have a stroke each year¹. Historically, most investment in stroke care has focused on acute intervention. While most people who have a stroke survive, they usually return home with changed bodies, minds, and lives. Research indicates that in the first three months after a stroke, the average survivor needs nearly 50 hours a week² of informal care. Post-acute clinical care in the first year after stroke is estimated to cost $20 billion annually, primarily driven by a one-year re-hospitalization rate of about 50% from events like recurrent stroke, infections and falls. ³

Kandu Health offers remote clinical support from Kandu Navigators who are licensed healthcare professionals who provide education, resources and guidance, tailored to each participant. Kandu educational content and clinical programming is developed in collaboration between stroke survivors, care partners, and clinicians representing over 10 disciplines of medicine. Kandu’s services are primarily delivered through Kandu’s app and further supplemented by in-app tools and support groups. Kandu Health works closely with client healthcare institutions to ensure that care is well integrated and coordinated with existing programming.

“The Kandu platform serves as a bridge for stroke survivors, guiding them along their care plan and beyond after leaving the hospital,” said Dr. Jovin. “It also gives the survivor’s healthcare team new visibility and insights into the quality of life and long-term outcomes for patients who have returned home. Our hope is that this combination of technology and human care will decrease secondary events and help survivors maximize their potential for prevention and recovery after stroke.”