For Immediate Release:
Changing The Way And Cost Of Chronic Disease Management Is Delivered Through Telehealth 360 Technology
Utilizing real time data exchange between a telephone and an electronic medical record, HomeCare Interactive, LLC introduces Telehealth 360. Telehealth 360 system manages chronic diseases at a much lower cost and efficiency.
Galveston, Texas - December 9, 2009 - HomeCare Interactive, LLC, has introduced a new telehealth technology model for chronic diseases that replaces the data input/out telehealth box with simply the home telephone to exchange information directly with an electronic medical record (EMR) in real time. This model of telehealth technology will allow more patients with chronic diseases such as Diabetes, CHF, COPD and Hypertension to be managed without the worry of the extra cost for extra equipment as the new technology relies primarily on 'off-the-shelf' vital signs equipment such as blood pressure, blood sugar and pulse oximeter. This model eliminates the up front cost of the monitoring Telehealth equipment for heath care providers who are looking into utilizing telehealth technology to improve the quality of care for chronically ill patients and to reduce hospitalization and ER visits. Medicare and most insurance companies have long resisted the idea of compensating providers for the cost of equipment involved in Telehealth programs, an apparatus that is eliminated in this model.
The HomeCare Interactive® - Telehealth 360 Model, distinguishes itself; not only by utilizing a home or a cell telephone and off-the-shelf vital signs equipment to reduce cost, but also by the instant alerts sent by the system to inform selected clinicians such as a home health agency or disease management program nurse or the patient's physician office of the out-of-ranges value and health information. Alerts are immediate; they are initiated within a split second after the patient data is received in the EMR. Alerts are delivered in the form of text messaging with the option of secured e-mail and faxes to the persons involved in the patient care. Due to the nature of the way the system operates, there is no need for a clinician to continuously monitor the patient's incoming data; the out-of-range values are delivered without limitations by time or place.
There is a significant cost saving to health care providers, insurance companies as well as the Medicare program when utilizing Telehealth 360; using home telephone and 'off-the-shelve' vital signs equipment not only reduces the up-front-cost for providers of telehealth, but the installation and the training fee, the replacement cost, insuring of the equipment and the maintenance cost. For providers like hospitals, cost saving on Medicare 'frequent flyers' chronically ill patients comes from the fact that a hospital would not be paid twice under the DRG program for the same chronic illness adverse event when a patient is admitted within 30 days. For home health agencies, however, the system can cut down on the number of nursing visit to the home and increases the frequency of patient contact by obtaining patient information and vital signs so the quality of care can be improved.
Satisfaction levels by patients are high when using the telehealth360 model. Using a familiar device (the telephone) that does not intimidate the patient or requires training, makes the patient look forward to a telephone call. This not only gives a sense of care about the patients' health, but a sense of security knowing someone is watching them closely. For health care providers, satisfaction levels go up as well. It gives immediate alerts from patients in real time to the clinician. This in turn reduces hospitalization and increases the quality of patient care.
Telehealth for chronic disease management has been adopted for over a decade, starting from: audio/video monitoring, dialing up and manual download of patient vital signs, to the most current store and forward technology provided by a digital box placed in the patients' home that forwards the information to a server at a scheduled time of the day to be received and interpreted by an office clinician when available. Telehealth 360 model, however adopts real time data exchange with the EMR. This communication model allows clinicians to provide immediate intervention that, in most scenarios, puts a stop to any further decline in patient health as it allows clinicians to return patient to a more stabilized level without a time laps, immediately and in real time.
HomeCare Interactive, LLC
HomeCare Interactive, LLC HomeCare Interactive, LLC (HCI) strives to develop innovative models of home care delivery that utilizes advanced Telehealth and communication technology at an affordable cost. The goal of the company is to allow for increased use of the technology to ensure the best possible quality of care and the best possible patient outcomes. In 2002 The Company developed HomeCare Interactive® a home health EMR software solution, they were first to introduce a physician portal to the home heath industry. The company has also introduced HomeCare Interactive® TV in 2005. A tool that was utilized for patient education and chronic disease remote monitoring.
For more information about HomeCare Interactive, LLC contact Amer Taha, President & CEO at the contact information listed below.
Contact Info:
Amer Taha President and CEO
HomeCare Interactive, LLC 1613 Tremont Street Galveston, TX 77573
Phone: 409-763-6800
Email: Ajtaha@homecareinteractive.com
Web: www.homecareinteractive.net
