After being named the preferred telehealth provider of the National PACE Association in 2020, GrandPad, creator of the first purpose-built tablet for people over the age of 75, announces that its telehealth platform has been adopted by 71 PACE centers that serve a combined 16,000 seniors and at-risk adults. PACE stands for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
PACE organizations coordinate and provide preventive, primary, acute, and long-term care services to approximately 55,000 individuals at 263 locations in 30 states. PACE participants are at least 55 years old and have been certified to need nursing home care. Most are at elevated risk of complications from COVID-19 due to age or underlying medical conditions, and many may be isolated from friends and family as a result of the pandemic, putting them at risk of additional health problems.
According to the NPA, enrollment in PACE plans grew by 55% in 2019 alone, indicating the need for comprehensive, preventive care for the aging population. Meanwhile, PACE organizations nationally hope to grow to serve 200,000 seniors by 2028.
Growing Numbers of Users
According to Scott Lien, co-founder and CEO of GrandPad, thousands of GrandPad tablets and the corresponding telehealth platform are being used by PACE organizations, and that number continues to grow. PACE has been widely recognized in recent months for its approach to protecting those they serve from infection and for its ability to deliver improved outcomes for at-risk patients, a media release from GrandPad explains.
“Traditional telehealth technology presents several barriers for seniors that can negatively influence their ability to engage with clinicians,” Lien says. “From lack of home internet access or cellular data to an overwhelming or complicated interface to a user experience that is less than joyful, standard telehealth devices were not built for elderly seniors — those whom we call super seniors. GrandPad addresses these accessibility issues and improves telehealth engagement and patient outcomes for healthcare organizations like PACE.”
In a short period of time, GrandPad has demonstrated its ability to effectively and consistently engage seniors. For comprehensive care organizations like PACE, that means that when a senior answers their GrandPad, their clinicians and care team members are able to deliver care and services or to virtually check on and monitor the status of a patient.
“Building trust and relationships with our participants is essential to being able to successfully deliver telehealth services that improve the quality of life and health outcomes,” said Cynthia Schoffstall, a center manager with LIFE NWPA in Meadville, Pa. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the need for effective telehealth remains a priority for PACE clinics like ours. GrandPad has allowed us to achieve continuity of care during the worst of times, while delivering a wealth of social engagement options and support for our patients.”
PACE organizations provide participants with services including primary health care, physical and occupational therapy, home care coordination, and transportation. PACE services help reduce hospitalization rates, ER visits, and hospital readmission for participants, the release continues.
GrandPad/PACE Stats
The success of using GrandPad to engage PACE participants is evident in the data:
- More than 96,000 video chats have been conducted between PACE plans and participants using GrandPad.
- Nearly 26,000 hours have been logged between participants and PACE providers.
- PACE participants have spent a collective 386,000 hours interacting on and with the GrandPad.
“When first adopting GrandPad into our business model, we viewed it as a valuable tool during the pandemic, but perhaps not a long-term necessity,” said Scott Nadeau, director of health information systems, Element Care. “Today, we realize that GrandPad has the power to connect participants to their care team and to their broader social network, which makes it invaluable for providing the level of care our participants need and expect.”
[Source(s): GrandPad, PRWeb]
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