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Americans living in rural areas are disproportionately affected by the lack of quality healthcare service. With higher rates of preventable diseases and worse health outcomes than the 57 million Americans living in urban areas1. At the same time, rural physicians are challenged by workplace shortages and thin margins. To further compound this prevalent issue, in the past decade, 120 rural hospitals have closed. Of these, 39 were designated critical access hospitals, intended to keep essential services in rural areas3. These persistent issues can be solved through technology and the increase in home health. If COVID-19 has demonstrated anything, it was the [...]

COVID-19 imposed many challenges for the healthcare sector. Fears of contracting the virus led many patients to cancel in-person visits, generating large demand for telehealth and virtual care. While telehealth technologies are not new, they have long been discussed. However, the pandemic forced providers to quickly implement virtual care options to support the patient demand, advancing the use of this technology “seven years in the last seven months”1. This especially makes access to care easier for the older population that may prefer to receive care at home. In a study, 60% of patients report the desire to continue receiving healthcare through [...]

As we mark American Heart Month this February, a combination of virtual care and monitoring technology enables CHF patients to stay connected to care in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Home is where the heart is – it’s also the place we usually feel most comfortable, which can be a boon to the healing process. And being at home instead of the hospital reduces the risk of infections and dramatically reduces cost. Linking Home and Hospital At the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), a team of physicians has been working with remote patient monitoring and telehealth to [...]

Getting a diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF) is difficult and often alarming, but the good news is that people can live happy, fulfilling lives in spite of it. If you’re bringing home a family member who’s been discharged from the hospital after a CHF diagnosis, it can feel like a huge responsibility to take on. But you’re not alone. Over 5 million people live with CHF, many of whom are able to be at home relying on family members as caregivers. And with the procedures doctors have honed over time, combined with new technologies like remote patient monitoring and video [...]