Healthcare IT News Recognizes SeniorBridge and Virtual Health for Helping Seniors 'Age Gracefully at Home'

Healthcare IT - October 5, 2011 - Excerpt:

SeniorBridge's national scope and unique model of care are recognized by Healthcare IT News as part of a story about the launch of Virtual Health, a platform of IT tools and technology designed to allow seniors to, among other things, keep track of their vital signs, communicate with caregivers and healthcare providers, receive health and wellness tips, arrange to have meals delivered and deal with certain financial issues.

Below is an excerpt:

Developers of a subscription-based telehealth service launched today in New York say it will give the nation's ever-growing ranks of seniors the ability to "age gracefully at home."

Virtual Living, which will launch initially in New York, will deploy the FDA-approved Care Innovations Guide platform, developed by Care Innovations, the telehealth collaborative formed by tech giants Intel and GE. The Guide is designed to allow providers to remotely monitor a patient's vital signs at home, including blood pressure, weight and blood-glucose levels, as well as giving the patient a video-conferencing link.

In addition, Virtual Health is partnering with SeniorBridge, a New York-based care management company with offices around the nation and an employee base of nurses, home health aides and clinical social workers;

"Personalized healthcare is the way of the future," said Bradford Perkins, co-founder and chairman of Perkins Eastman and a special advisor and board member to the company, in a press release supplied by Virtual Health. "Solutions such as Virtual Health will become increasingly important as more and more seniors aim to age at home gracefully and remain active for as long as possible. The combination of state-of-the-art technology and a responsive national care network will make Virtual Health a valuable addition to the marketplace."

Among the early users of the Virtual Health platform is Selma Farrago, a New York resident involved through Senior Bridge. "My independence is important to me, so I was eager to be a part of an early market trial for the Virtual Health system," said Farrago, in a press release. "After using the Virtual Health system for just a few days, the clinician called to say she noticed a spike in my blood pressure and suggested I contact my primary care physician."

"My doctor told me that we averted a potential health crisis by catching that early," she added. "Having the system in my home makes me comfortable that I am getting the best care possible."

To read the full story, click here.