Commonwealth Health to Launch Care at Home Program for Chronic Conditions

Commonwealth Health today announced a new remote monitoring and virtual care support program for Commonwealth Health Physician Network patients managing certain chronic health conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 60% of Americans have at least one chronic condition, and 40% have two or more chronic conditions. Chronic conditions are among the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S. and a leading driver of healthcare costs.

Care Management at Home will initially serve patients managing hypertension, heart failure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with the goals of helping patients stay well between physician visits and reducing avoidable hospitalizations.

“We are committed to delivering more ways to help people in our community get well and live healthier,” says Michael Curran, Chief Executive Officer of Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital. “Remote patient monitoring is an innovative and convenient way for patients to monitor changes to their health and can provide peace of mind for patients who have serious health concerns

Through a partnership with Cadence, a leader in remote patient monitoring, qualified patients will be given cellular-enabled devices, such as blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, weight scales, or glucometers to capture daily vital information from the comfort of home.  Daily readings are then transferred to Cadence clinicians who can help monitor for change in a patient’s condition and provide virtual care support when needed. 

Other benefits of remote patient monitoring can include fewer preventable hospitalizations and a reduction in the cost of care for specific patient populations. Many patients who participate in remote monitoring programs report stronger engagement in managing their own health as well as higher satisfaction with the overall healthcare experience.