Nhaomie Health Coach Coordination Center Douyon asks his client, Ruby, a number of questions raised by a special software - loaded generated program on the tablet, part of a program to rehospitalizations patients prevent avoidable at high risk. (Photo: Julie Appleby, KHN)
BALTIMORE In life there are very little, the Ruby is simple. Almost blind and could not walk more than a step or two, the struggle of 39 years to raise three children, while an overwhelming number of health problems is diabetes has recently landed him in the hospital in pain bulging discs.
Without support, the chances are you end up in hospital again upwards. But Rubin, who asked that his name will protect the privacy of your family is not used, is part of an effort to reduce the chances increasingly arming home health to reduce workers and other non-medical workers with the power of data.
On Monday, visited the health coach Nhaomie Douyon Rubin in the intestine, rented two-storey house, where she lives with her children. Douyon works for the Coordination Center, a nonprofit organization based in Maryland, the medical and social needs of clients such as Rubin helps organize who live without medical services in the designated areas.
The two chatted in the living room, where a sofa and chairs divide obscure the view to the outside, where small groups of young people gather on the steps and some houses were boarded up windows with boards the square with a white curtains bed. Douyon, 28, was with a table equipped with a software program loaded, the Predictive Analytics uses specific questions for the patient to produce.
The software was developed by the protective hand, a private company that is among a small but growing number of companies, products touting recognize the potential health problems before they require hospitalization. The software was designed for use created by non-medical and auxiliary Douyon and home care workers serving millions of elderly, sick and disabled.
Skeptics point out that there are few studies demonstrating the technique proves problems accurately predict prevent save hospitalizations and money. However, the company has attracted venture capital investments and can lead to more applications for the healthcare consumer.
Rubin had your medicines trouble paying? It is her feel nauseous? swollen ankles more today? These are some of the 15 questions the Agency Douyon program used for Ruby generated.
If written in response Ruby your ankles and legs were badly swollen, an alarm is triggered, they maintain back to your office manager. Within minutes, a nurse Chris Parsons asked called from the office of the Coordination Center, more questions and, the couple, the office of Dr. Ruby Contact for medicine that could help. Try to lift your feet, he said Ruby and go to the emergency room when inflammation is worse.
"It's like a nurse Chris bag with you wearing" Douyon studying for a master's degree in public health and has for groups that raise awareness of health in Ghana and Haiti worked said.
"Do not just go through medical questions, but raises questions about the resources they need, and help us some warning signs or barriers they get confronted," said tablet.
Another company, eCaring aimed more directly at home care assistants and their agencies. The company's software provides for the promotion of the welfare of the time a patient per hour observed by means of symbols, such as a happy or sad mental state to document your face. The information is also used to predict the patients who may be at higher risk, and send an alert back to a nursing manager.
"This is a picture of what happened in the house," said Robert Herzog, CEO and founder of eCaring to use a private company that contracts with the agencies of home care in New York your software. "It is home to a black box in a data-rich environment."
Other companies, such as honor Home Team California and New York offer more consumer-oriented services, such as applications that use home health aides to connect daily observations. The companies have each been withdrawn by venture capital funds well known, including Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Silicon Valley venture Andreessen Horowitz, Yelp co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman and investors of new technologies Lux Capital. The applications help recruit families and utility home care and keep current the family, as the mother with text, images and updates daily activities.
A big question is who will pay for the technology? Agencies with programs for consumers can build the cost into their home care services, the customer more for agencies store, do not use the technology. ECaring Herzog said his company for tablets pays, and a data packet low-cost internet use - that tablets need - Verizon. He then built these costs in their contracts with hospitals and insurers. Coordination Center, the Hand Care in Baltimore and elsewhere in Maryland used similarly constructed these costs in their contracts. She also receives government subsidies and other organizations care coordination efforts.
Thomas Scully, former superior to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, and now a lawyer who advises clients on health issues and a partner in a private investment company manager, said the idea behind this company is good. He added, however, the growth potential may be limited because tablets and software issues they will make more expensive home care services. "All this is part of the answer, but should the savings show" Scully said.
Look for signs of success
Billions are spent each year across the country on preventable hospitalizations, prompting measures to prevent more of them. The federal health law, for example, created to reduce financial incentives for hospitals readmission.
The new software will be integrated into the house. However, obstacles, such as the big question is whether they actually work better than others efforts to achieve this objective.
The companies behind the products - mostly small private companies - the data showed a significant reduction in hospitalizations and costs.
"Welfare workers are able, some out do to predict whether a patient in risk of the hospital will be observations," said Andrei Ostrovsky, a doctor who is well within the reach of hand CEO and founder of nursing.
Not everyone is convinced that home care workers provide software will be effective.
"It is more theory than reality," said Bob Kocher, Venrock Partner of venture capital firm in Palo Alto, California, after reviewing some companies, Kocher said Venrock decided not to invest -. However. "I have no doubt that 10 years in the framework we improve the training of workers home and have much better diagnostic tools at home -. And it will work"
However, the number of older people is growing rapidly and avoid nursing homes most want. "The industry is a big bet that technology is the missing variable ... that will take care of many elderly people at home can take," said Jared Landis, director of the practice of the Advisory Board, a company that consultation with the hospitals.
"As a tool" In a further effort
Ruby is the tablet only a piece of a larger effort by the coordination center, which also has its share of a practicing physician of the city, a date for the eye clinic was planned and looking for an alternative recipe that insurance does not cover.
It is motivated: "I want to be here for my children on the stage graduation go from high school to see if they have children."
This combination - to coordinate motivated patient and a broad effort that - I can Rubin to prevent high blood sugar or other problems to the hospital back.
"The tablet is just a tool. We reduce readmission without them, but if they are implemented, which has managed to get out more," Carol Marseille, vice president for strategic initiatives at the center.
Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
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