- Connecticut/Minnesota: Yale University and Mayo Clinic are establishing the Yale-Mayo Clinic Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation to measure the "safety and efficacy of FDA-regulated products," according to Yale Daily News. The Center, which is a network of individuals rather than a physical building, is funded by an FDA grant of up to $6.7 million over two years. Joseph Ross, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine, said, "We are particularly interested in working with [FDA] in understanding the real-world adoption of medical products and their safety once they're available on the market" (Lin, Yale Daily News, 2/13).
- Michigan: Livonia-based Trinity Health on Feb. 1 announced a new initiative designed to expand the role of remote monitoring among patients admitted to its home care agencies. The Home Care Connect program, which will be offered through the health system's home health care division Trinity Health at Home, will provide patients with a wireless 4G-enabled tablet that uses Bluetooth technology, biometric devices, and consumer electronics to enable remote monitoring, virtual visits, and patient education programs. Erin Denholm, president of Trinity Health At Home, said, "Patients can call us at any time. There will be a nurse right there who can intervene accordingly" (Hirsch, Hospitals & Health Networks, 2/14).
- Pennsylvania: LifeCare Health Partners has opened a new freestanding inpatient facility in Pittsburgh. LifeCare Behavioral Health Hospital has 49 private rooms and will significantly add to the region's inpatient psychiatric capacity to better meet patient demand in recent years, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. LifeCare Behavioral Health Hospital CEO Catherine Kalas said LifeCare is focused on partnering with community organizations and families to "maintain continuity of care for our patients during and after any necessary hospitalization" (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/13; LifeCare Health Partners release, 1/19).
Other hospitals are going digital. Do you have a virtual strategy?
A phenomenon that is quickly gaining traction in the health care world, virtual medicine represents a unique opportunity to deliver high-value care to consumers while also increasing the geographic scope of your organization and improving clinical outcomes.
Implementing a virtual medicine program takes careful clinical and IT redesign to successfully meet the needs of consumers. Don’t get left behind—start exploring your virtual care options now.