LifeBot® Telehealth and Senior Care
Improving Outcomes and Reducing Cost
Improving coordination among care givers via telehealth programs can lead to increased quality and lower healthcare costs for patients in Continuing Care Facilities (CCFs).
LifeBot® is a proven fully integrated “award winning” Telemedicine / Telehealth solution offering these diagnostic capabilities along with redundant communications in one single device:
- ePCR Electronic Patient Call Report (exclusive to LifeBot®)
- Electronic “wireless” Stethoscope
- ECG 12 Lead
- Peripheral Pulse
- Pulse Oximeter
- Respirations (eTCO2 and capnography)
- Two Temperatures
- NIBP and Invasive Mean Arterial Blood Pressure
- Heart Rate
- Embedded Ultra Sound (plug and play with optional hand-held probes)
- Ability to connect multiple cameras
- Connection to other ancillary devices (i.e. defibrillator) via Bluetooth
Implementing this type of unique telemedicine / telehealth solution provides for onsite assessment and treatment options for patients at the senior or extended care facility that allows the facility’s clinical team to practice within the full scope of their license without requiring a very costly and traumatic disrupting transport to the hospital for the resident.
By having this direct communication (audio / visual) link via our LifeBot® telehealth technology; EMS, the hospital, and the CCF clinical staff are able to forge a close collaboration to quickly and effectively recognize and agree on the need for “on-site” clinical testing equipment plus delivery of any needed enhanced medications and IV fluids.
Workflow processes are implemented enabling the CCF to contact ED providers are established with the caveat the providers at either location could contact EMS for transport if either party was concerned about the condition of the patient.
The resulting package of interventions, decision tools, and clinical workflows have been shown via a very in-depth “published” study to reduce the number of CCF patient transfers to hospital ERs thus significantly reducing cost and improving overall quality of patient care.
Cost Effectiveness
In determining the return on investment for the program outlined in the video, the partners considered several factors.
The most important of which was the variable cost savings associated with avoided ED visits and inpatient or observation hospital stays. The finance team at UMUCH calculates that each avoided ED visit has resulted in a cost savings of approximately $125, while an inpatient or observation day eschewed can save up to $450. Given the admission percentage and average length of stay, the savings to the hospital under the Global Budget Revenue payment methodology exceeds $70,000 annually. Including at-risk quality-based incentives and penalties and each case may have a greater impact on the hospital finances that just the variable cost. Using conservative assumptions this program should meet the breakeven point near the end of the first year.
Another component of the cost effectiveness accrues to the payer. Each patient transport via private or EMS ambulance costs the Medicare between $600 -$750. By this measure, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid saved approximately $25,000 as the result of reducing transports from Lorien to UMUCH.
Conclusion
Beyond the finances, this new process has reduced the number of patients transferred to the hospital which can be beneficial to patients. Having the ability to monitor and alter treatment plans without a transfer alleviates the potential for repetitive tests, infection and other hospital complications. Further, patients with mental status issues or dementia can benefit from remaining in a single treatment environment
For more detailed specification on the LifeBot6 CLICK HERE
