WiHealthProject.Org

Transforming Healthcare

The 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report found that there is a larger gap in health care than previously reported. While many acknowledge that healthcare disparities exist, the failure to improve chronic disease diagnosis and treatment outcomes disproportionately affects populations at higher risk, even when they have insurance and access to care.

In response to the pervasive health care crisis, fundamental changes are taking place on the front lines on how physicians are delivering care. “Physician driven - Patient-centric” systems are evolving in which the patients are empowered with WiHealth tools to become fully engaged in his or her own good health. This change is made possible by advances in technology, but it also is being driven by market forces and the need to eliminate disparities in care and the societal desire to improve the health of the nation’s citizens, while reducing the burden and costs of chronic diseases.

This approach to patient driven personalized medical care is not a futuristic utopian dream; tools like the Medical Home Chronic Care Portal, now available are creating more rational, cost-effective, efficient health care processes.

WiHealth, conceptually, is a patient centered-physician driven seamless integration of office based healthcare information technology and:

• evidence-medicine based health risk assessment tools
• mobile self-care and remote monitoring tools
• interactive televideo-telehealth enabled biometric applications
• two-way patient-physician secure communications
• mobile diagnostics and point-of-care medications compliance tools
• extends and documents care between patients visits

“Trends in Remote Patient Monitoring 2009″ is a follow-up to the Spyglass Consulting Group’s 2006 report on the same topic. Spyglass is based in Menlo Park, Calif. Remote patient monitoring solutions have demonstrated success for patients with congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. According to the study, remote monitoring not only saves unnecessary trips to the emergency room. Convergence with consumer electronics products enables patients to use devices with which they are already comfortable, including smart phones, personal computers and cable boxes. Prices for remote patient monitoring devices and associated have dropped from several thousand dollars to less than $500 per unit. A cost effective “prevention” investment compared to preventable hospital admissions and procedures.

The expansion of WiHealth will significantly reduce the cost managing chronic diseases with pro-active physician driven disease management. WiHealth will improve healthcare delivery through closing the continuity of care loop, reducing the duplication of diagnostic tests results with real time documentation of care.

WiHealth helps the healthcare team meet consumers and caregivers where-ever there is access to a broadband connection at home, work, hotels, libraries, Kinkos, community centers or group home. Yes, the vast majority of Americans, even the uninsured and underserved, have access to the web. What consumers and caregivers do not have is awareness and education and access to healthcare providers and hospitals that are WiHealth enabled. Clearly, the value of health information technology tools to transform healthcare, put prevention first and promote equality in care is undeniable. The question now is “how do we do it?”

Putting health information technology, WiHealth, in the hands of physicians, providers, consumers, and caregivers today will enable and empower patients with tools to proactively manage his/her own health life from cradle to grave. Surprisingly, user friendly and cost effective WiHealth is available today; however, adoption is minimal due to the lack of education and awareness. Nineteen billion dollars is scheduled to flow into health care in the coming months. A large portion of that is slated to enhance wireless health systems and technology as well as the expansion of broadband across the nation.

What does this mean for you, your patients and our community? With enhanced connectivity, providers will have access to the tools to monitor patients’ vital signs remotely and people living with chronic conditions will be able to lead healthier lives by connecting to their health care teams in-between office visits or in a medically emergent situation. Not only will these technologies help to create a more personalized patient care experience, but an enabled, empowered consumers as well, who can engaged and proactively manage their own health life long. We have a unique opportunity to build a WiHealth foundation for the delivery and maintenance of health care. The political will and resources are available for the first time in history of our healthcare system.

Next Steps:

Educate and Dialogue: All healthcare is local.

• Challenge state and local health care commissions to issue white papers that will compile and assess WiHealth best practice implementation on integration models.
• Provide Health policy makers, healthcare advocacy groups, coalitions, community and faith-based organizations and professional health associations with resources to incorporate WiHealth education and awareness into their agendas and platforms. Healthcare payers are resistant to providing reimbursement for remote patient monitoring despite evidence of their efficacy by the Veterans Administration, which has deployed more than 35,000 units. Healthcare payer reimbursement is focused on a healthcare delivery model ill-equipped to address the needs of an aging Baby Boomer population with chronic illness. Payers reward healthcare providers for the quantity of the procedures performed rather than the quality of care delivered.
• Engage in local dialogue with policy makers on ways to overcome social, political and legislative barriers to the growth of wireless health.
• The WiHealth community must provide education materials and support to organizations and advocates closest to the consumer and the point-of-care.
• State and local workforce programs must implement strategies to meet the demand of the WiHealth expansion.

Patient-Centered WiHealth Medical Home and House-Call physicians

• Target the expansion of Patient-Centered Medical Home and House-Call providers with WiHealth tools to practice prevention to reduce the burden of chronic diseases and to eliminate disparities in care.
• Advocate for value based disease prevention incentives for office-based physicians and House-Call practicing as a Patient-Centered Medical Home and private payer models that support the adoption of wireless health solutions
• Supports the expansion of Community Health Workers to promote prevention through WiHealth training and education in the community

The Medical Home Chronic Care Portal (MHCCP) is the first fully integrated bi-directional web-based patient care coordination and communication application that supports self-management and extends patient care between doctor visits.

Telehealth enabled glucometers, weight scales and blood pressure cuffs electronically upload device readings to the portal. Physicians and patients can view these biometric readings and personal health record uploaded to portal.

Integrated two-way video-conferencing technology connects patients with the health care team to review biometric readings, adjust action plans and provide learning materials as necessary.

The Portal engages the patient and the family to assess readiness for change and self management when they are at home, work or on travel.

Patients and families have continuous access to their treatment action plans and targeted e-learning educational resources presented in interactive multi-media formats to increase engagement. Access to these resources and the interactive visits are automatically monitored and time stamped to track utilization.

In addition to moderated forums, patients have access to tailored surveys and questionnaires that provide on-going feedback to physician and the health care team. On-line physician generated patient-specific treatment actions plans and personal on-line journal, self-monitoring tools encourages and supports self-management.

The Portal supports information (discharge summaries, on-going updates) exchange with facilities systemically facilitates coordination of care with external disease management and case management as needed.