Page 5 CaseStudiesinTelehealthAdoptionCenturaHealthatHomeHomeTelehealthastheStandardofCare

centurA heAlth At home: home teleheAlth AS the StAndArd oF cAre 5

EVIDENCE OF OUTCOMES period using the SF-36 scale that examines health and
Prior to the implementation of the integrated program, wellbeing across eight physical, mental and social
the telehealth program at CHAH demonstrated a aspects, showed a statistically significant increase for
reduction in hospital readmissions to 6 percent, from patients receiving home telehealth care in specific age
the average 19 percent rate at Centura Health. The groups and sexes with comparatively greater increases
goal of the merged telehealth program was to expand for women compared with men, but did not present a
access to the telehealth program for a broader popula- statistically significant increase in overall quality of
tion of older adults in Centura’s hospital system most life. Patient satisfaction and self-management, mea-
responsible for the systemwide 19 percent readmis- sured on a monthly basis using Centura’s telehealth
sion rate. Specific goals were to enroll at least 200 patient satisfaction tool, showed positive perceptions
patients, decrease 30-day readmission rates related to and beliefs about health technology, patient satisfaction
congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary with the technology, and self-management. The fre-
failure, and diabetes at participating Centura hospitals quency of RN visits was reduced from the traditional
by 2 percentage points, and measurably increase par- two to three visits per week over a 60-day episode
ticipants’ quality of life. About one-quarter of the 200 of care to approximately three visits over the entire
patients used telephonic telehealth, while the major- 60-day telehealth care management period. The result-
ity used remote patient monitoring with access to the ing cost savings is between $1,000 and $1,500 of total
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clinical call center. costs per patient.
Results from the program show that 30-day Over the course of the year-long program,
rehospitalizations related to congestive heart failure, there were seven readmissions for 87 patients with
chronic obstructive pulmonary failure, and diabetes congestive heart failure, three for 67 patients with
were reduced by 62 percent, and rehospitalization rates chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, and no read-
for patients receiving telehealth home care (6.3%) were missions for the 34 patients with diabetes (Exhibit 2).
significantly lower than those for traditional home care Quality of life was measured at baseline and at
patients (18%). Emergency department use decreased the end of the study period using the SF-36 scale that
from 283 visits in the year preceding the study to 21 examines health and well-being across eight physical,
visits during the year-long study. Quality of life, which mental and social aspects. An increase of five points is
was measured at baseline and at the end of the study statistically significant. The project found that quality

Exhibit 2. Program Readmission Rates: Centura Health at Home Remote Patient Monitoring

Pre-intervention Post-intervention readmission
Facility and condition: readmission rates rates (n=200)
St. Anthony’s Central
• Congestive heart failure 13.8% 4.2%
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 14.1% 6.7%
• Diabetes 14.7% 0.0%
Porter Adventist Hospital
• Congestive heart failure 17.7% 9.5%
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 12.5% 2.7%

• Diabetes 9.5% 0.0%
Source: Data provided by Centura Health at Home, reporting outcomes to the Center for Technology and Aging.