Atrio Home Health Lakeshore consults on VitalCare®™ remote patient monitoring and telehealth system during pandemic that is now used with more than 10,000 patients nationwide
(HOLLAND, MI) – This spring, as it became clear that COVID-19 was going to temporarily change the way health care is delivered, organizations across the nation pivoted to incorporating telehealth systems into care plans. One West Michigan agency, Holland-based Atrio Home Health (Atrio), was no exception to the increased need for remote patient monitoring (RPM) and telehealth capabilities. The senior home care organization was one of only 5 organizations in the nation and the only organization in Michigan to test and influence modifications on a new RPM platform that is now in use by over 10,000 patients nationwide.
Atrio partnered with Texas-based tech startup VitalTech on the development of the RPM system. The partnership began as a pilot program at Holland Home, an affiliate of Atrio, with 30 residents and the goal of enhancing VitalTech’s VitalCare®™ platform into a more user-friendly and feature-rich software, capable of monitoring everything from oxygen level and temperature to weight and blood pressure. The enhanced platform can be used by clinicians, patients, caregivers and family members to monitor a patient’s health, collect and save data for future use, and alert clinicians and family members to health care issues, all without entering the home, which has been proven particularly necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic. The RPM units are sold for approximately $35 to $500 each, depending on individual patient need.
Atrio and VitalTech worked together for more than a year redeveloping features on the VitalCare®™ platform using feedback from Atrio clinical staff and their family members. The result is a patient-centered and personalized care platform that allows Atrio to closely monitor a patient’s health and care, while maintaining privacy and safety for the patient and the clinician. Atrio has expanded home health services here in West Michigan with the addition of 35 RPM units, which it has begun to deploy with its lakeshore clients.
“I had the privilege of partnering with Atrio at the inception of its remote monitoring program. Based on the needs they expressed, VitalTech’s software team developed several functionality features within our platform that helped not only Atrio, but other customers as well,” said Athar Zafar, Vice President of Sales and Solutions for VitalTech. “Several of the robust features we have today are there because of Atrio’s valuable input. We are grateful for their partnership.”
Atrio already had plans in place to add telehealth capabilities to its services, which were accelerated by the pandemic. Those plans were made a reality when a local donor provided a $100,000 estate gift, to provide better care and monitoring for individuals in lakeshore communities. The gift from the Edna Mae Haworth Trust allowed Atrio to purchase the RPM units from VitalTech and implement the units in patient homes, something that would not otherwise have been possible this quickly.
“This gift from the Edna Mae Haworth Trust made it possible for us to get VitalTech RPM equipment into patient homes on the lakeshore and monitor the health and well-being of those residents more quickly,” said Kelly Wierenga, Administrator at Atrio Home Health Lakeshore and lead on the pilot program. “VitalTech’s use of our feedback during the pilot has given our caregivers a tool which focuses on the types of diseases we see most in our community, and provide care that is specific to those issues for each patient.”
Atrio pilot users are also lauding the RPM capabilities for the additional care and peace of mind the technology offers. Rick Zweering, has been a part of the pilot program from the beginning and has been providing feedback on his experience during the pilot process. While not an Atrio patient, Zweering has used the RPM technology to communicate health concerns to his own providers.
“My first task in the morning is to record my vital health data, which can be accomplished in the amount of time it takes to brush and floss my teeth,” Zweering noted. “Logging information has been so helpful in my personal health life, as well as in several virtual communications with my health professionals.”
About Atrio Home Care
Committed to providing compassionate and skilled care, Atrio Home Care is a joint venture between Holland Home, Resthaven and Clark that provides Home Health and Help at Home services to seniors in West Michigan. Atrio Home Care employs 225 nurses, therapists, aides and other clinicians delivering a broad range of skilled and private duty services. Based in Grand Rapids and Holland, Atrio serves about 2500 seniors and their families in Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Barry, Ionia, and Montcalm counties each year. For more information, visit atriohomecare.org.
About VitalTech
VitalTech is a rapidly growing provider of fully integrated digital health solutions and smart biomedical wearables that provide real-time remote patient monitoring. Our proprietary Connected Care platform enables health systems, skilled nursing facilities, home health providers, physicians and senior living facilities to streamline workflows while improving health outcomes, increasing patient safety and lowering the cost of care. Our innovative medical grade biosensors integrate seamlessly into our suite of easy-to-use devices and software, which increase patient engagement and compliance. For more information, visit vitaltech.com.
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