CarePort Health, an Allscripts subsidiary connecting 1,000 hospitals with 180,000 post-acute providers, is launching a COVID-19 Transitions of Care Hub.
The new resource allows providers to share what they’ve learned, see emerging trends and adopt best practices for safe and effective transitions for COVID-19 patients across the healthcare system.
Hospitals across the US send 18 million referrals annually through CarePort to skilled nursing, home health, hospice, long-term acute and acute rehabilitation, which accounts for nearly 40% of all acute to post-acute transitions nationally.
The hub aims to disseminate critical lessons in real time for all those it serves.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presents uncharted territory for hospital and post-acute providers, and CarePort and Allscripts are supporting our partners’ most pressing needs in the fight against this disease,” said CEO Paul Black. “Leveraging the largest network of connected acute and post-acute providers, CarePort technology is already being used on the front lines to support safe and efficient patient transitions during the COVID-19 outbreak.”
In an effort to provide more visibility to COVID-19 hospitalizations, CarePort will publish ongoing reports on COVID-19 trends across its acute and post-acute providers in 43 states.
Hospitals may be aware of COVID-19 diagnoses at their own facilities, but patients often seek care at outside hospitals, and even across state lines. CarePort is enabling providers in its network to receive alerts when a patient with whom they had an encounter is diagnosed with COVID-19. As a best practice, real-time alerts are also being sent to the primary care physician so that they can ensure appropriate follow-up care.
In areas where there is an influx of COVID-19 patients, finding post-acute providers that are willing and able to accept COVID-19 patients has been a challenge. CarePort is working with hospitals to reduce bottlenecks on the discharge end by identifying post-acute providers that are accepting or are currently caring for COVID-19 patients.
Post-acute providers are updating on a daily basis their capacity to accept COVID-19 patients. CarePort is also providing clients with a COVID-19 assessment created by a client partner for patients referred to nursing homes. Nursing homes can use this information to easily identify whether they are able to accept the patient.
Hospitals are also restricting visitors, including family members who would help patients select a nursing home. Nursing homes are also no longer allowing tours that would normally take place. In response, CarePort has enabled hospitals to share nursing home options with families via text message or email. Family members can see an interactive guide that includes virtual tours and pictures to help their loved ones select the right post-acute provider.
