A system based on multimedia and interactive voice response phone calls has expanded into the post-acute market, with executives describing it as a way to maximize nurse efficiency.
Emmi, which has been used for 15 years by acute providers, saw the shift into value-based care in the post-acute market, Pam Holt, RN, BSN, Operations Consultant Director at Emmi, told McKnight’s. Last year, Emmi partnered with 10 post-acute organizations to begin using its suite of programs.
There are several uses of Emmi for skilled nursing, Holt said. The multimedia programs, for example, can be assigned to a patient based on their specific issue, such as diabetes or a fall at home.
“Some organizations, upon admission, are doing the one-on-one assignments of ‘what to expect of your SNF short stay’ to set expectations upon admission,” she said. That can reduce some of the fear for those entering post-acute care.
Other organizations are assigning the advanced directive program, while still others are using the general discharge series for residents leaving the nursing home.
In that case, the former resident will receive a phone call from Emmi asking questions such as, “Did you weigh yourself today?”
“We have a real human voice on the other end and they understand the inflection in your voice. Many people think they are talking to a real person,” Holt said.
Emmi flags results in reports around a patient’s health status, allowing nurses to focus on those most in danger of readmission. That reduces routine readmission calls, which can take up to 45 minutes each.
“What we are seeing in post-acute space is saving time,” Holt said. “We all know there’s a significant nursing shortage in the market. The Emmi tools can deliver and continue to let people work at the top of the licenses.”
While it’s too early to prove the system will reduce readmissions, the results so far are promising with regards to long-term care resident engagement, with 75% of post-acute patients saying they had a higher opinion of the organization after the Emmi program. Executives also believe it will make post-acute care partners more desirable to hospitals.
From the October 01, 2017 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
