Though the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that was signed into law in 2010, also known as "Obamacare," remains a contentious piece of legislation in some parts of the country, there are aspects of this measure that most Americans can get behind.
Recently, the Scientific American covered the strict stance that ACA takes in reducing hospital readmissions – an occurrence that places a substantial strain on our overextended healthcare system and puts the health of patients at a greater risk. The federal government will begin penalizing facilities with continually high readmissions rates later this year, the source stated, by withholding financial support.
So, what can care managers and hospital administrators do to address this issue? According to the media outlet, ACA stipulates that "hospitals, healthcare workers and patients […] make greater use of technologies that monitor health remotely."
While some readmissions are inevitable, some may be prevented if people with chronic ailments received more support, both as they transition to at-home care and on a more long-term basis, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing professor Mary Naylor explained.
Elderly individuals make up a significant percentage of these readmissions each year, emphasizing the need to provide more attentive care for this population. And, with technology-enabled eldercare solutions like Independa, it is possible for care managers to meet the growing requirements of their clientele in a cost-effective way.
"If a health device is able to capture data that predicts when a person with, say, heart failure is starting a readmission trajectory, and someone quickly responds appropriately to the incoming data, only then may readmission rates be impacted," Richard Della Penna, Independa's chief medical officer, told the publication.
With Independa's Caregiver Web App, care managers can monitor their recipients continuously, and are also able to schedule reminders regarding medications and appointments. To ensure that directives are followed, elderly individuals are then prompted to respond through their LG televisions. To learn how you can make use of remote monitoring to enhance your services, contact us through our online form today.
