Interactive Technology to Engage Patients, Reach Triple Aim

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has selected “Technology to Reach Triple Aim” as a storyboard topic for display at the 23^rd Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Healthcare, December 4-7 in Orlando, Fla. The storyboard will feature data from three health systems showcasing how interactive, web-based patient programs from Emmi Solutions engage patients in support of improving the experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing per capita costs of health care.

Emmi Solutions' technology empowers patients across the continuum of care with interactive and easy-to-understand tools. The Emmi platform engages patients by combining multiple learning styles (voice, image, text) with various delivery methods.

"Despite the current state of the healthcare system, I believe the goals of Triple Aim are well within reach,” said Jordan Dolin, co-founder of Emmi Solutions. “We can – and must – change the healthcare cost curve, and to do so we have to engage and empower patients to take a more active role in their care. The studies featured in this storyboard demonstrate that when patients are provided the information and tools they need, costs go down, satisfaction scores go up and patients are healthier and more compliant."

Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix, The Delta Health Alliance (DHA) in the Mississippi Delta, and Pittsburgh-based UPMC have conducted data analyses to measure the technology's impact on specific quality improvement objectives, detailed below:

1. Improved patient experience: Banner Estrella Medical Center, part of Banner Health, conducted a data analysis that included results from over 2,900 patient surveys completed between November 2008 and September 2010. Eighty-eight percent of patients who viewed the program about their upcoming procedure rated the hospital very highly; only 75 percent of patients who did not view the program ranked the hospital as high. Of those patients who viewed the program, 89 percent said they would recommend the hospital, whereas only 81 percent of the non-viewers said they would.

2. Improved health: DHA, a research organization that applies the latest findings and technology through partnership with local providers, used these programs as part of an effort to engage an expanding underserved population of patients with chronic conditions in the Mississippi delta region to better understand and take a more active role in their care. DHA used trained community health workers (CHW) to address barriers, deliver motivational, non-clinical coaching, and to reinforce chronic disease education in a relaxed environment in the patient's home. And, it relied on interactive online Emmi^® programs to ensure the consistency of the “message” and to help patients make sense of the complex medical information central to their care. They achieved a 98 percent program start rate among 500 patients with diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease over a one-year time period. This led to improved HEDIS metrics, lower no-show rates for scheduled visits, and increased voluntary enrollment for weight-loss programs.

3. Reduced cost: UPMC conducted a data analysis that included 3,300 inpatient medical records in six diagnostic-related groups and found that patients who viewed the programs had an average length-of-stay 0.7 days shorter than non-program viewers.

The findings of these organizations can guide other health care providers who wish to utilize technology as they work to promote transformation in health care delivery.

“UPMC originally purchased Emmi programs to inform and engage patients about their upcoming procedure, chronic condition, or a particular moment in care,” said Thomas Worrall, M.D., medical director, UPMC Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation. “Now, in addition to these benefits, we are seeing a correlation between Emmi programs and improved outcomes such as shorter hospital stays.”

The storyboard will be featured at the IHI Forum as part of the 2011 Storyboard Display in the Exhibition Hall. It will be open for viewing throughout the day on Tuesday, December 6, and for a half day on Wednesday, December 7.

About Emmi Solutions, LLC

Emmi Solutions enables healthcare providers to reduce costs, increase revenue and improve outcomes by engaging and empowering patients. Emmi® programs help reduce surgical cancellation rates, length of stay and malpractice claims, and improve efficiency and patient satisfaction. The interactive media platform enables hospitals to track patient participation, enhance the patient experience and meet regulatory guidelines.

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