Wise Health System Launches At-Home Care Program With RPM

To expand care for patients with post-acute and chronic conditions, Wise Health System has partnered with Biofourmis to create an at-home hospital program that will leverage artificial intelligence (AI)-based remote patient monitoring technology.

Located in Boston, Biofourmis offers AI-driven advanced technology, clinical support, and digital therapies to improve patient care.

Wise Health System is located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and consists of four hospitals, 200 physicians, and 2,000 employees.

The health system will deploy the Biofourmis Hospital@Home solution, which includes clinical care tools and non-clinical services such as program management and revenue cycle management.

Patients who are eligible and opt for the hospital-at-home program will receive a virtual bed kit that contains a wearable biosensor, which enables continuous monitoring of vital signs, a blood pressure cuff, and a tablet pre-loaded with an app they can use to connect with their care team.

Clinicians at Wise Health System intend to examine patients twice a day in person in addition to continuously monitoring physiological signs virtually. They plan to use AI-powered devices to determine whether a patient is stable in their home or requires hospitalization.

"Wise Health System is rapidly building a comprehensive network of specialized services and offerings to meet our region's current and future healthcare needs, and hospital at home aligns with that mission," said Kimberly Cantrell, the health system's director of care management, in the press release. "Not only does Biofourmis' Hospital@Home solution offer real-world results that support its efficacy, but it is a truly turnkey solution that will enable our care system to reduce costs, improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience."

Also launching the program will enable Wise Health System to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Acute Hospital at Home program.

The Acute Hospital at Home program allows patients to receive hospital-level care at home while offering providers the same reimbursement as they receive for inpatient care. 

The prevalence of at-home hospital systems has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as both patients and providers recognized its associated benefits.

In February, Vanderbilt University Medical Center launched a program that enabled patients to receive care from clinicians while in their homes. After receiving approval to enroll in the program from providers affiliated with Vanderbilt, patients are provided with a tablet device that allows for communication with their care teams. Clinicians check on all patients twice a day.

In November 2021, UCI Health worked with DispatchHealth to create an at-home care program for those who face simple and complex illnesses and minor injuries. Available to patients in Orange County, the program also enables those at high risk of readmission after a hospital procedure to access in-home care for a day or two post-discharge.