Once exclusively involved on the disease management side of healthcare, Cardiocom® has recently been making a name for itself within home care and hospice. During July, the Chanhassen, Minnesota home telehealth manufacturer and vendor announced three major new contracts.
Norwell VNA and Hospice has announced that it has entered into a business relationship with Cardiocom® to provide advanced home telehealth and disease management technology to patients with chronic illness. Cardiocom designs and manufactures its own line of in-home patient monitors and provices clinical services as well.
Norwell provides services south of Boston. Since 1920, it has been the only independent, free-standing, non-profit agency providing Medicare-certified home health care and hospice services for residents in over 20 communities. It also offers community support and educational programs.
Norwell VNA and Hospice patients are using Cardiocom’s Commander Telehealth System to communicate with an agency nurse. The system guides the patient through a daily, interactive symptom management assessment and vital signs collection routine, including weight, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and heart rate. Collected measurements are transmitted via a standard phone line or cellular connection to the patient’s caregiver for review.
“After a very extensive vendor selection process, we decided that the Cardiocom System had many key differentiators from our current telehealth provider,” says Jackie Crossen-Sills, PT, PhD, Director of Program Development for Norwell VNA and Hospice. “With Cardiocom’s strong disease management background and software application, the new program will allow Norwell VNA and Hospice to further achieve clinical and financial goals within the organization,” adds Dr. Crossen-Sills.
Englewood Hospital Home Health and Hospice Services, the oldest homecare agency in Bergen County New Jersey, has also selected Cardiocom to provide home telehealth technology to help care for patients with chronic illness.
A Medicare-certified home care agency, Englewood Hospital Home Health and Hospice has been providing services to Bergen County residents since 1924. The agency also offers skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aide, medical social work and private duty services. Cardiocom’s telehealth system provides an opportunity to proactively interact with patients in order to manage care. Patient vital signs are monitored by an Englewood Hospital Home Health nurse.
“The Cardiocom system helps ensure coordinated care from a hospital, nursing home or clinic to the patient’s home,” explained Katherine Clark, MSN, RN, BC, manager of Englewood’s telemedicine department. “By transmitting objective, real-time health data every day, the patient is connected to our medical team so that their care plan can be adjusted as needed. “We anticipate this system will improve patient engagement and quality of life,” added JoAnn Walter, MSN, RN, BC, Executive Director of Continuing Care.
Silas Home Care, Inc. announced its Cardiocom contract on July 20. Silas is comprised of two sister companies, both JCAHO accredited. Together, the two companies strive to meet short-term and long-term home care needs of residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties in southeast Michigan.
“The Cardiocom System ensures coordinated care from our staff visitations and client self monitoring,” explained John Dziubik, RN, Director of Nursing of Silas Home Care. Cardiocom’s Commander device reports measurable data that is vital to home care goals. With it, we can adjust outcomes based on real time information. We are very excited about being one of the agencies using Cardiocom in the State of Michigan.”
“Our agency is confident that with this business relationship completed and the launch of the Cardiocom System our clients will have a unique benefit to their care that they cannot find anywhere else,” added Robin E. Silas, BSA, MSA, president and founder of Silas Home Care.
