Washington, DC-based hospital system MedStar Health announced its partnership with a home care provider DispatchHealth to provide acute care services to patients recently discharged from Medstar facilities.
The partnership will aim to avoid readmissions and visits, which typically occur 72 hours after discharge.
Denver-based DispatchHealth offers in-home urgent care medical visits with telehealth and in-person options. In-person visits can be scheduled in as little as two hours.
MedStar will connect patients to DispatchHealth based on clinical need and geographic information prior to discharge. Medical treatments provided by DispatchHealth include labs, EKGs, IV fluids and medications.
“I have worked in the emergency department at MedStar Washington Hospital Center for 19 years and I know that when a patient goes home, sometimes they need another point of contact. This acute home care service avoids returns to hospital by providing care that can be managed. in the patient’s home, such as medication management. This partnership supports better coordination of care in underserved areas, including Services 7 and 8,” Ethan Booker, chief medical officer of telehealth at MedStar Health, said in a statement.
THE BIGGEST TREND
MedStar Health in partnership with start Baby scripts in 2018 to provide pregnant women with wireless scales and blood pressure cuffs for home monitoring. The pilot program was used at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and included a rollout to 60 patients.
In September, MedStar opened a new urgent care center in Ballston, Virginia, which offers telehealth consultations for specialties including cardiology, orthopedics and pediatrics.
DispatchHealth closed $135.8 million in Series C funding cycle in 2020. The digital health company used the funds to increase its reach into new markets. The investment was led by Optum Ventures with participation from Alta Partners, Questa Capital, Humana and Epic Health Ventures.
In 2021, the Colorado-based company earned a $200 million Series D round this brought the company’s valuation to $1.7 billion. Tiger Global led the round with participation from Alta Partners, Echo Health Ventures, Humana, Oak HC/FT and Questa Capital. The company planned to use the funds to expand into more markets, with a goal of reaching 100 new markets.
Georgia-based Emory Health and DispatchHealth in partnership in 2023 to offer patients home care and follow-up. The health system would use DispatchHealth’s AcuteCare and Bridge Care platforms for post-discharge follow-up visits.
Last July, DispatchHealth and home cancer care platform Reimagine Care associates for home oncology care. The partnership would ensure coordination of care at home without requiring oncology visits to hospitalized patients.
Grocery delivery company Instacart in partnership with DispatchHealth in January to prescribe dietary interventions to patients who use the grocery delivery service Instacart Health.