With the onslaught of COVID-19, health systems have turned to technology to find better solutions for patients. INTEGRIS Health is proud to announce a new partnership that will provide hospital-level care to patients in the comfort and convenience of their own homes.
The program is called INTEGRIS Health @ Home and will offer at home services to patients who would otherwise require inpatient hospitalization. The model is only available through a handful of health systems across the country. Here is a recent success story as seen on NBC’s Today Show.
Eligible patients typically suffer from common chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, respiratory ailments, diabetes complications, infections like pneumonia, as well as COVID-19. Using a new technology platform, certain patients will have the choice to transition to a home-based setting where they will receive a combination of virtual and in-person care, as well as recovery services.
“We began researching innovative ways to provide this type of care to eligible patients before the pandemic began, but the COVID crisis prompted us to accelerate our timeline,” said Timothy Pehrson, the president and chief executive officer of INTEGRIS Health. “We see the benefit as two fold. The program allows our patients to heal in a familiar environment surrounded by loved ones, while improving access by opening up beds for other high acute issues .”
Qualifying patients will receive a remote patient monitoring kit and other home health equipment as needed for their particular diagnoses. Standard equipment includes a blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, cellular-enabled digital tablet and a digital scale. Based on need, additional equipment such as a continuous heart rate and oxygen sensor will be added. All the devices connect to a tablet through Bluetooth and transmit vital signs to a remote monitoring center. Patients are also given an emergency call bracelet.
The command center that receives all the data is monitored 24/7 by a team of INTEGRIS Health physicians and nurses who will respond immediately to a patient’s medical needs via video or telephone. Daily in-home visits by a nurse practitioner and other health care professionals are also part of the treatment plan. IV therapies, oxygen treatments, lab tests, mobile imaging like x-rays and ultrasound are all performed in the home. Other services include skilled nursing, medications, infusions, behavioral health and rehabilitation.
Pehrson adds, “Technology is enabling us to provide the right care to patients in a way that is safe and helps them recover where they are most comfortable. As the Hospital at Home model continues to expand across the country, we expect more and more patients will choose to receive this high-quality care at home. We are proud to partner with Medically Home to bring this revolutionary concept to Oklahoma.” The INTEGRIS Health @ Home program is expected to be up and running by January.
