New Partnership to Develop Comprehensive Care-at-Home Services Program

Aiming to increase patient comfort and convenience, three organizations have formed a partnership to create a comprehensive program comprised of care-at-home services for recovery care, rehabilitation, palliative care, primary care, and home health.

Alongside the in-person care restrictions that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of telehealth-based solutions flourished. A new partnership between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Amedisys, and Contessa, aims to capitalize on the rise of virtual care options by creating a comprehensive suite of care-at-home services that aims to provide patients with access to healthcare while allowing them to remain in their homes. 

Known as UAMS Health Comprehensive Care at Home, the suite includes various primary, hospital, and rehabilitative care components. It also aims to improve satisfaction while maintaining cost-effectiveness, according to the press release.

In the new collaboration, Amedisys, a company specializing in healthcare at home, and Contessa, an Amedisys company and a comprehensive care-at-home provider, will support the delivery of remote care services.

“UAMS is leading the ambitious goal of making Arkansas the healthiest state in the region, and this strategic initiative supercharges that vision,” said Cam Patterson, MD, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health, in a press release. “We are thrilled to partner with Contessa and Amedisys to bring this first-of-its-kind model to the region and the first Comprehensive Care at Home program to the state. We look forward to giving our patients an innovative option that delivers on our commitment of community-focused, patient-centered care.”

The services provided by the model are varied. They include Recovery Care at Home and Rehabilitation Care at Home, which involves the use of remote patient monitoring devices and in-person and virtual visits with a care team.

Another service, called Palliative Care at Home, aims to support patients battling serious illnesses through in-person and virtual care and 24-hour services related to physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

The new suite of services also includes home healthcare services, such as skilled nursing care and physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Further, medical social workers and home health aides are available to assist in daily living tasks.

The UAMS Health Comprehensive Care at Home program will accept home health patients in late 2022 or early 2023.

Recently, the use of at-home care services to treat various conditions has become increasingly common, and researchers continue to search for ways to enhance practices.

In October, a new collaboration announced its plans to review the efficacy of a virtual care method for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The method involves the use of patient-reported outcomes, healthcare utilization, and medical expenditure data.

Another program created in September plans to use a remote patient monitoring strategy to assist those with chronic conditions such as hypertension and heart failure. The program will leverage various cellular-enabled devices, such as blood pressure monitors and weight scales.