Portland 'prescription music' pioneer inks national distribution deal

Photo / Courtesy of MedRhythms MedRhythms Inc., a Portland-based digital health startup staffed by 40 employees, has pioneered a platform that uses music to deliver rhythmic auditory stimulation to support walking.

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By Renee Cordes

MedRhythms Inc., a Portland-based digital health startup behind the world’s first prescription music platform, has struck an agreement for national distribution of two of its medical devices.

Under the agreement, MedRhythms’ InTandem device for adults with chronic stroke walking impairments and another branded as Movive for people with Parkinson's disease will be distributed by Edwards Health Care Services, a family-owned provider of medical products and diabetes supplies based in Hudson, Ohio.

For MedRhythms, Edwards Health will distribute the two devices to patients with Medicare and/or commercial insurance. The Portland startup said the agreement builds on its national reimbursement setup via the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

InTandem and Movive — which support chronic stroke and Parkinson’s patients with their walking, mobility and motor function — use music to deliver rhythmic auditory stimulation and are intended for at-home use and are available by prescription only.

“Our partnership with EHCS is a consequential milestone in MedRhythms’ growth trajectory,” said Larry Jasinski, an industry veteran who took the reins as CEO of MedRhythms earlier this summer to lead expansion.

“It enhances our ability to scale nationally, strengthens our commercial infrastructure and advances our mission to improve the lives of people with neurologic diseases,” he added. “With expanded access through commercial insurance, Medicare, and VA coverage, MedRhythms is positioned to drive meaningful clinical impact while building a strong business in a large and growing market."

'Proven solutions'

Matthew Edwards, CEO of Edwards Health Care Services, said through the partnership with MedRhythms, “we can deliver proven neurorehabilitation solutions directly to patients’ homes, supporting better mobility and quality of life for those managing Stroke Recovery and Parkinson’s disease.”

MedRhythms, founded in 2015 by Brian Harris and Owen McCarthy, employs more than 40 people and plans to add field personnel across the country, according to a spokesman for the company. It has raised more than $50 million in funding to date.

Harris and McCarthy were honored on the Mainebiz Next list in 2018 for their contributions to Maine’s economy. McCarthy is a Republican candidate for governor in 2026.