CHICAGO, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) has released an independent evaluation of virtual solutions for gastrointestinal conditions, highlighting peer-reviewed clinical outcomes and measurable economic savings associated with Cylinder Health’s digestive care model.
The report applies rigorous clinical and economic analysis to one of health care’s fastest-growing specialty categories. As employers and health plans face rising gastrointestinal (GI) costs tied to emergency department visits, specialty care utilization, and pharmacy spend, the evaluation underscores urgency for employers and health plans to address digestive health earlier and more effectively.
Using a PROSPERO-registered systematic review methodology, the evaluation assessed published and unpublished studies using established risk-of-bias frameworks. The review examined clinical effectiveness, patient experience, health equity, and economic impact across five virtual GI care solutions.
The findings come as employers and health plans reassess rising specialty care spending. During a recent webinar discussing the evaluation, PHTI experts emphasized that gastrointestinal conditions are an area purchasers should be examining now given the significant opportunity to improve outcomes and reduce avoidable costs.
Digestive conditions affect an estimated 60 to 70 million Americans and account for approximately $136 billion in annual health care spending, driven in part by avoidable emergency department visits, specialty utilization, and delayed diagnosis.
As GI-related claims continue to rise, independent evaluations, like the PHTI report, play an important role in helping employers and health plans distinguish between emerging care models and evaluate which solutions deliver meaningful clinical and economic impact.
Peer-reviewed evidence demonstrates clinical and financial impact
As part of its assessment, PHTI reviewed 41 articles, including 11 studies evaluating Cylinder’s clinical and health economic outcomes, five of which were peer-reviewed publications. All studies were assessed as having low risk of bias.
Across these peer-reviewed publications, Cylinder’s program demonstrated:
Financial impact
- 18% reduction in total medical and pharmacy spend
- $1,889 savings per member per year (PMPY)
Meaningful symptom improvement
- 85% of participants reported improvement in digestive symptoms, including individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Measurable productivity gains
- 17% reduction in sick days among employees age 50+
For individuals, these outcomes translate into fewer days managing disruptive GI symptoms such as abdominal pain, reflux, bloating, and unpredictable flare-ups. For employers and health plans, the results reflect reduced avoidable utilization and more efficient specialty care spending.
Cylinder’s coordinated digestive care model brings multidisciplinary and specialty care together
The evaluation organizes virtual GI solutions into two primary models: wraparound care and clinician-led care. Wraparound programs typically emphasize multidisciplinary support and longitudinal symptom management, while clinician-led models focus on physician-directed diagnosis and treatment. As PHTI noted, these categories reflect how solutions are commonly described in the market and do not necessarily capture the full range of services a program may provide.
Cylinder’s coordinated digestive care program integrates elements of both approaches. Through structured symptom assessment and clinical triage, individuals can begin with multidisciplinary care while gaining access to gastroenterologists who provide patient care on the platform when specialist evaluation or treatment is clinically necessary. This approach helps ensure patients receive the appropriate level of care based on their symptoms and condition.
Cylinder launched its multidisciplinary digestive care model in 2021 and embedded gastroenterologist-led clinical services within the platform beginning in 2023. Today, the program supports more than 145,000 patients across employer and health plan populations.
“Digestive care is both highly fragmented and a major driver of health care spending,” said Dr. Amit Ahuja, gastroenterologist and Head of Gastroenterology at Cylinder Health.
“When patients are left to navigate disconnected services, it often leads to unnecessary and redundant tests, repeat visits, and delayed care. Coordinating multidisciplinary support with specialist oversight allows us to triage patients to the right level of care earlier, improving outcomes while reducing avoidable costs.”
Cylinder’s care model includes:
- Virtual visits with board-certified gastroenterologists
- Medication prescribing and management
- Registered dietitians and certified health coaches
- Behavioral health support addressing the gut-brain connection
- Structured symptom tracking and triage
- Coordinated referrals within the existing provider network
Addressing a major but often overlooked health care cost driver
Digestive conditions remain one of the most underrecognized drivers of health care spending for employers and health plans.
As virtual GI care continues to mature, independent evaluation will play an increasingly important role in helping employers and health plans assess emerging care models and their impact on clinical outcomes and health care spending.
“Employers and health plans are looking closely at specialty categories that drive avoidable utilization,” said Ryan Sloan, Chief Commercial Officer at Cylinder Health.
“As costs continue to rise, organizations need clinically rigorous solutions that can reduce unnecessary utilization while improving outcomes for the people they serve. Independent evaluation brings clarity to those decisions.”
As the category evolves, expectations around clinical rigor, coordinated care delivery, and measurable economic results will continue to rise.
Selected peer-reviewed publications referenced in the assessment
- A Health Economic Evaluation of Digital Digestive Care Management (American Journal of Managed Care, 2026)
- The Effects of a Digital Digestive Care Management Program on Employee Absenteeism A Case-Control Study (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2025)
- Impact of a Digital Digestive Health Program and Telehealth Visits in Socially Vulnerable Populations: A Cohort Evaluation (JMIR Formative Research, 2025)
- Digital disease management programme reduces chronic gastrointestinal symptoms among racially and socially vulnerable populations (BMJ Open Gastroenterology, 2024)
- Improvements in Digestive Symptoms After Participation in an App-Based Chronic Digestive Disease Management Program: A Prospective Cohort Evaluation (Cureus, 2024)
About Cylinder Health
Cylinder Health helps employers and health plans manage rising digestive health costs, a major but often overlooked spend category. By giving members experiencing GI symptoms convenient access to appropriate care earlier, Cylinder reduces avoidable ED visits, unnecessary specialist care, and time away from work.
Care is delivered through virtual-first access to a multidisciplinary clinical team that supports digestive, nutrition, and behavioral health needs. Results are measured using validated clinical, economic, and patient experience metrics, delivering measurable ROI for leading, large employers nationwide. Learn more at www.CylinderHealth.com.
About the Peterson Health Technology Institute
The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) is an independent, nonpartisan organization that evaluates health care technologies to inform purchasing and policy decisions.
Media Contact: Kati Nortrup VP, B2B Marketing Cylinder Health knortrup@cylinderhealth.com
