Metro Health Introduces Home Care Connect

WYOMING, Mich. - Aug. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Wyoming, Michigan, August 2, 2013 – In an effort to help patients better manage their personal health situations, Metro Health Hospital is introducing Home Care Connect.

Metro Health is the first hospital in Michigan to offer patients the free call service, which provides 24-hour-a-day access to medical personnel who can answer questions about symptoms, medications, discharge instructions and related medical issues.  In the event of an emergency, Home Care Connect staff will immediately relay critical information to 911 and first responders, then reach out to alert a primary care physician, home care agency, family or friends.

Home Care Connect can be used free for 60 days by any Metro Health patient – a patient working to manage diabetes or congestive heart failure, a new mom who has questions about her baby’s care or a patient discharged from the hospital after surgery.  In all cases, the new service is designed to improve the transition of care from physician office to home, hospital to home or respite facility to home.

“Home Care Connect is yet another innovative way we are partnering with patients to improve their health and their overall health care experience,” said Dr. David Duffey, chief medical officer of Metro Health.  “We anticipate that having access to a trained and responsive nurse will help us reduce both admissions to the hospital and readmissions – something that federal health care reform is requiring all providers do.

“Giving patients the right tools and instant connection to a health professional at any time, day or night, will help answer questions and address issues before they necessitate a trip to the emergency room.  For in-patients, Home Care Connect can greatly assist them in making a successful transition from hospital to home.  For all patients, this should prove to be an invaluable service.”

Home Care Connect provides patients with a call button that, when pressed, will dial into a healthcare call center where staff can assist with:

•Questions about hospital discharge instructions

•Scheduling a follow-up physician visit

•Transportation needs

•Medications or new prescriptions

Patients who decide to continue Home Care Connect after the initial 60-day period can do so for a fee of $39.95 a month.

About Metro Health

An award-winning leader in community healthcare, Metro Health serves more than 250,000 patients annually from across West Michigan – and beyond.  The 208-bed hospital provides a comprehensive suite of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services, including the fastest emergency department in the region, cancer and cardiac care, robotic and traditional surgery, family practice, sports medicine and others.  The LEED-certified hospital – one of the first in the nation – sits at the heart of the 170-acre Metro Health Village, a community of support services and retail. The hospital is committed to promoting health and wellness through the work of its foundation, the Metro Health Farm Market, ongoing classes and educational programs.  Visit us online at www.metrohealth.net. Follow us on Twitter @MetroHealthGr and like us on Facebook/MetroHealth.