A company well known for its patient monitoring devices is now making a play for the home healthcare business.
Medtronic has announced that its Cardiocom subsidiary will be providing a telehealth platform for the LMC Group, a national provider of healthcare services for home health, hospice and post-acute care. It's the latest in a series of contracts that Cardiocom has signed to bolster its telehealth platform.
Medtronic senior vice president Mike Genau said in a press release that the deal creates "new value-based healthcare solutions" that encompass its therapy innovation and Cardiocom technology.
Under the new agreement, Cardiocom will integrate its Commander Flex remote patient monitoring platform with LHC's T3 (Transitions, Training and Triage) care management program. The program, designed to reduce avoidable medical issues and emergency room visits, targets patients with complex conditions such as heart failure, hypertension, COPD and diabetes through daily monitoring of vital signs and communication.
With the LHC Group agreement, Cardiocom now has telehealth partnerships with four of the five largest home healthcare companies in the country.
"As more health systems and Accountable Care Organizations look toward maximizing value and population health models, post-acute care providers are playing a critical role in ensuring patients remain healthy through the transition from the hospital to their homes," Daniel L. Cosentino, vice president and general manager of Medtronic's Cardiocom business, said in the release. "We are proud to be providing LHC Group, and all of our partners, with easy-to-use telehealth technology and clinical support services to complement their in-home visit of patients to keep them healthy and out of the hospital."
Medtronic, which made news earlier this year when it acquired Covidien and moved its corporate office to Dublin, Ireland (while keeping a base in Minneapolis), sees integrated health solutions as one of its three key strategies. Company officials have said one of their goals is to deliver long-term value for healthcare providers by improving care management platforms that extend beyond the hospital or clinic.
Medtronic's acquisition of Cardiocom in 2013 was seen as a major move by the company in transitioning from one that produces medical devices to one that offers more integrated platforms and complementary services.
The LHC Group, based in Lafayette, La., partners with more than 60 hospitals and health systems in some 26 states to provide home health, hospice and long-term acute care.
