To help clinicians better manage patient care, Garmin will join with Allscripts to integrate its vívofit suite of wearable devices into the FollowMyHealth and CareInMotion platforms, designed to address specific population health management priorities. Berkshire Medical Center (Pittsfield, Mass.) will serve as the beta site for this 2016 initiative.
As part of pilot, Berkshire Medical Center will identify a specific patient population to wear vívofit devices and use the Index Smart Scale. Through an integration with FollowMyHealth, Berkshire Medical will receive updated, real-time data about the patient between office and hospital visits, improving patient monitoring and facilitating informed decisions about patient care. The vívofit wearable has a one-year battery life and is water resistant to 50 meters, allowing it complement the patient’s lifestyle.
“This technology will give our care managers a clearer view into their patients’ health status between visits,” Bill Young, Berkshire Medical Center Chief Information Officer, said. “We expect to demonstrate improvements in patient engagement and monitoring for patients, as well as more efficient workflows for our providers.”
Berkshire Medical Center is on the forefront of a growing trend. An IDC Health Insights report found that 70% of healthcare organizations worldwide will invest in a consumer-facing technology by 2018.
Allscripts CareInMotion is a suite of population health management solutions that help healthcare organizations better provide patient-centered and value-based care. FollowMyHealth is a patient engagement platform that enables patients and their families to stay connected with physicians and become active members of their care team.
Garmin offers a broad range of products designed for use in health and wellness programs. These devices can integrate into wellness programs, providing motivation and recognition for the participants.