A recent article from HealthcareITNews explored the benefits of remote patient monitoring programs (RPM) by highlighting the success of Trinity Health’s recently deployed system.
In 2017, Trinity Health was feeling the weight of its scale, with a 16% readmission rate for its high-risk Medicare population across 94 hospitals in 24 states. The health system was beginning its transition to a value-based care model and seeking to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs by lowering its readmission rate to single digits.
To accomplish this, Trinity Health created a plan to avoid preventable hospitalizations through a dual-approach RPM program:
- Home Care Connect – For skilled home care patients that require persistent attention, Home Care Connect utilized Vivify Health’s connected care platform to offer chronic-condition pathways and a home care kit that addresses diagnosis-specific needs. Patients were provided an LTE-equipped tablet and monitoring devices including a pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff.
- Virtual Care Center – Patients who did not meet skilled home care eligibility were given access to Trinity Health’s Virtual Care Center, which connects patients to remote care services through an online portal.
Results
Following the RPM program’s month-long pilot with 55 patients, only a single patient was readmitted to the hospital, giving Trinity Health the confidence to expand the program nationally. Over the next year, readmissions dropped from 16% to 6%, leading to not only lower costs, but also to an increase in CMS incentives.
Trinity Health attributes the success of its RPM program to its user-friendly interface and a strong educational component, driven by the tablet’s ability to provide voice instructions and answer condition-specific questions.
For the Home Care Connect program, the proof is in the patients, with compliance and satisfaction numbers remaining high at 85% and 96%, respectively.
