Trinity Health joins a growing trend among hospitals and health systems that provide virtual care to patients in their homes. Among them are Kaiser Permanente and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Livonia, Michigan-headquartered Trinity includes 93 hospitals, and 120 continuing care programs that include PACE, senior living facilities, home care and hospice services.
Home care patients often need frequent monitoring for numerous medical complications, and have unique needs and questions that can be difficult to address on a timely basis through sporadic in-clinic visits, Trinity Health executives noted.
The initiative, Trinity Health At Home, aims to keep patients well and out of the hospital, reduce readmissions and ER visits. To that end, Trinity will employ Vivify Health technologies.
The product is designed for use out of the box. It includes a wireless 4G-enabled tablet configured with voice and text instructions that walks users through the steps for monitoring and reporting on their current wellness status and for taking part in virtual visits and patient education programs.
Additional wireless health devices connected to the tablet automatically collect patient data regarding weight, blood pressure, and other relevant measurements. The technology makes it possible for patients to "self-report" and receive feedback on their health status immediately.
[Also: UPMC invests in Vivify population health technology]
"Our goal is to provide all Trinity Health At Home patients with care that is compassionate, proactive and transforming while keeping them in their own homes," said John Capasso, executive vice president of Trinity Health Continuing Care, in a statement.
"By investing in an innovative technology that addresses the unique and immediate needs of higher-risk and rising-risk patients, we are demonstrating our commitment to the people we serve as a health system focused on helping them transform their health and improve their lives," he said.
"These technologies will enable us to proactively monitor our home care patients and provide in-the-moment interventions that can make the difference between their staying at home or being transferred to the hospital," added Erin Denholm, president and CEO of Trinity Health At Home.
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