MedAdvisor’s first joint project under our strategic alliance with US-based HMS has gone live.
MedAdvisor completed the technical integration for Sydney’s Westmead Hospital secure digital discharge program. The project is supported by the Australian Government Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre and will test if atrial fibrillation patients can be supported by digital health engagement.
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a heart condition that affects between 2% to 4% of the overall Australian population. Powered by HMS’ health engagement solution Eliza in collaboration with MedAdvisor, the six-month program will use digital tools to provide personalised support and outreach for Sydney-based patients to navigate their condition and drive better health outcomes.
“Atrial fibrillation is a complex condition to manage, and many patients struggle to keep track of multiple visits to their general practitioner and important treatments,” said Dr. Clara Chow, cardiologist at Westmead Hospital. “Through this program, we aim to show that we can aid in improving AFib patients’ health management through the use of technology solutions.”
Using interactive voice response (IVR) technology and SMS capabilities, HMS and MedAdvisor will conduct bi-weekly and monthly engagement outreach to approximately 350 existing and newly diagnosed AFib patients. The goal is to guide patients who have been discharged from hospital wards or the Rapid Access Arrhythmia Clinic (RAAC) into community general practitioner practices for care and management. Also, the program aims to help patients better understand their treatment programs to reduce the risk of AFib complications, including inappropriate emergency department utilisation, poor anticoagulation management and increased risk of stroke.
Once finalised, the program will empower Australians who currently suffer from AFib to better manage their diagnosis. Also, the program will gather patient self-reported data on health perceptions, as well as barriers to care and social determinants of health utilised in ongoing engagement and treatment, which can translate to other chronic diseases.
This is the first example of how the technology alliance between HMS and MedAdvisor, is working in the real world. This alliance, announced in July, is enabling health organisations to effectively communicate with the right person in a timely manner.
MedAdvisor CEO and Managing Director Robert Read said: “The ability to now connect insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, hospitals GPs and patients, all on one end-to-end platform, gives MedAdvisor and HMS a unique offering. The MedAdvisor and HMS solutions complement each other nicely and together we can help improve patient health outcomes and reduce medical complications.”
The program will not generate material revenues for MedAdvisor, however the company expects the results to show that it has a positive impact on patient outcomes and the ability to generate Patient Reported Outcomes. Should the project demonstrate positive outcomes for patients transitioning from hospital to the community setting following an atrial fibrillation admission, HMS expects to roll these services out more broadly across Australia and around the globe.
The integration is also an important reference site for similar and larger scale Secure Digital Health Programs in the US.