Grant for Remote Patient Monitoring Awarded to Local Home Care Agency

July 22, 2010

The telehealth program allows for patients with chronic illnesses such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes to be monitored at home and conduct live video visits with a registered nurse. The telehealth station collects data, including blood pressure, pulse, weight and other vital signs remotely. The nurse then reviews the information and provides the patient with feedback and counseling on a daily basis via the stations videoconferencing feature or by phone.

Erin Denholm, CEO of Centura Health at Home, said we have seen tremendous success in reducing rehospitalizations and frequent ER visits for our patients on telehealth. Our nurses are able to recognize potential warning signs and work with the patients physician to make changes in diet or medications before the patient is in danger."

Rehospitalization rates for Centura Health at Homes telehealth patients (measured over 30 days from an initial hospital visit) are 9.1 percent, versus approximately 20 percent for all Medicare patients nationwide. With the grant from The Center for Technology and Aging, our goal is to continue to improve the quality of life for the chronically-ill population in Denver. This project aligns with the Centura Health 2020 strategic plan and supports our initiative to move upstream by promoting wellness and preventative care, and providing the education patients need to manage their illnesses," Denholm said.

With this project, Centura Health at Home will be demonstrating how an important technology can make a significant difference in the quality of life for older adults with chronic conditions," said David Lindeman, PhD, Director of the Center for Technology and Aging. This project and those of the other remote patient monitoring grantees will help speed the adoption of important technologies across the country."

The five $100,000 grants will be supplemented with a total of over $1,746,000 in matching funds. A detailed summary of projects and the Remote Patient Monitoring Position Paper are available on the Centers Web site (www.techandaging.org).

About Centura Health at Home
Centura Health at Home brings a continuum of expert, innovative, compassionate care to people of all ages, in all the places they call home. Our more than 1,300 employees serve communities across the state, caring for more people in more places than any other organization of its kind in Colorado. The Centura Health at Home continuum of care includes home care, telehealth services, rehabilitation therapies, oxygen, home medical equipment, both inpatient and home hospice services and seven senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living, nursing home care, memory care and adult day programs. For more information about Centura Health at Home, visit centurahealthathome.orgor the Media Room at centurahealthathome.mediaroom.com.


About Centura Health

Centura Health is Colorados largest hospital and health care network and we are charting the course for the future of health care. Approximately 14,500 of the health care industrys best and brightest, including more than 6,000 physician partners, deliver advanced care to more than half a million people each year, across 13 hospitals, seven senior living communities, medical clinics, affiliated partner hospitals, Flight For Life Colorado, and home care and hospice services. Our strength lies in our ability to offer a team of connected networks and shared resources to deliver accessible, reliable and cost-effective health care across the state. For information on Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit www.centura.org.

About The Center for Technology and Aging
The Center for Technology and Aging (techandaging.org) supports the rapid adoption and diffusion of technologies that enhance independence and improve home and community-based care for older adults. Through grants, research and development of practical tools and best practice guidelines, the Center serves as an independent, nonprofit resource for improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of long-term care services. The Center was established with funding from The SCAN Foundation (thescanfoundation.org) and is affiliated with the Public Health Institute (phi.org) in Oakland, CA