Tech Beat: Capitol Home Health Pursuing Telehealth, Emails Hacked at Ohio Provider

Capitol Home Health Launches Telehealth Partnership 

Capitol Home Health is partnering with telehealth company Health Recovery Solutions (HRS) on an effort to bring remote care capabilities to Medicare patients with congestive heart failure.

Austin-based Capitol Home Health, recently recognized by Inc. as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United states, provides skilled nursing, therapy and hospice services to patients living in nearly two dozen Texas counties.

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Hoboken, New Jersey-based HRS is a provider of remote monitoring technology focused on changing patient behavior to reduce readmissions and improve clinical outcomes. In addition to Capitol Home Health, its clients include MaineHealth Care at Home, McAuley Seton Home Care and Cornerstone VNA, among other businesses.

Capitol Home Health will use HRS’ telehealth software as a tool to promote disease self-management with the goal of reducing both long- and short-term hospital readmissions. In practice, the HRS technology will allow clinical staff at Capitol Home Health to remotely monitor — and identify — at-risk congestive heart failure patients via tablets paired with biometric devises that measure blood pressure, weight, heart rate and other key health markers.

The HRS tech will also provide Capitol Home Health patients with daily medication reminders and video conferencing services.

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“Capitol Home Health will utilize the HRS software to provide patients with direct access to Capitol’s case management staff,” the home health provider’s director of marketing, Spencer Shults, said in a statement. “This software will allow patients to monitor vitals, contact clinical staff through video chat and text messaging and give patients access to clinical staff in real-time.”

HRS’ solutions are currently utilized by more than 80 medical centers, according to the company.

Ohio Living Employee Email Reportedly Hacked 

A hacker has accessed the email account of an Ohio Living employee, potentially putting the personal health information of patients at risk, according to a report from Health Data Management.

Ohio Living operates 12 retirement communities in Ohio, also offering home health and hospice services. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio Living and its wholly owned subsidiaries provide services to more than 73,000 people annually.

On July 10, the provider discovered suspicious activity in an employee’s email account and determined that an unknown individual had gained unauthorized access. Then, on July 19, the provider detected possible unauthorized logins into other Ohio Living email, Health Data Management reported.

Ohio Living later determined that protected health information — including patient names, contact information, Social Security numbers, financial information, dates of birth, medical record numbers, medical information and insurance information — could be vulnerable. To prevent similar issues from happening in the future, it has implemented password resets and data security training.

“Although we are not aware of any actual or attempted misuse of any individual’s information, we also are providing the impacted individuals access to complimentary credit monitoring services as an added precaution,” the company told customers, as reported by Health Data Management.

Roommate-Matching Platform for Baby Boomers Raises $3 Million 

Silvernest, an online platform that connects baby boomers and empty nester with compatible roommates, has raised $3 million in series A funding. Incenter, a Blackstone Group portfolio company, led the fundraising round.

Launched in 2015, Denver-based Silvernest has raised $4.45 million to date.

The startup plans to use the additional funding to expand its user base, acquire new talent, and build out Silvernest’s digital platform with new features and functionality. Its platform works by using a complex algorithm to match baby boomer homeowners with roommates looking for housing options, giving aging individuals the ability to generate additional income and establish new social connections.

Silvernest is currently available in all 50 states and has made nearly 40,000 matches in its system.

About 90% of adults over the age of 65 want to remain in their homes as they age, according to AARP. About 80% of them own their home.

Mediware — rebranding to WellSky — Acquires Rock-Pond Solutions 

Mediware Information Systems, Inc., a portfolio company of TPG Capital, has acquired business intelligence and analytics software supplier Rock-Pond Solutions.

Lenexa, Kansas-based Mediware is a major supplier of software for health care and human services providers and payers, including hospitals, rehab centers, home health providers and hospice agencies. Mediware, which also recently acquired home health and hospice consulting firm Fazzi Associates, announced Tuesday that it is rebranding under the name WellSky.

Conway, Arkansas-based Rock-Pond Solutions provides software solutions to the home infusion, HME and speciality pharmacy industries. Its flagship prpdoucts, CareTend BI and CareTend BI for CPR+, are designed to help post-acute care providers maximize efficiency, profitability and quality.

“Rock-Pond Solutions has a proven 17-year track record of providing high-quality business intelligence and analytics solutions to meet the unique requirements of home infusion, HME, and specialty pharmacies,” Bill Miller, CEO of Mediware, now WellSky, said in a statement. “By acquiring Rock-Pond Solutions, we are strengthening our software offerings to truly help our customers deliver better care to patients across the entire spectrum of post-acute settings by using business intelligence and analytics in meaningful ways.”

eSolutions, Inc. has New CEO

Overland Park, Kansas-based eSolutions, Inc., a provider of health care technology and analytics solutions, has named Gerry McCarthy as the company’s new CEO.

Among its products, eSolutions offers revenue cycle management analytics and cloud-based workflow solutions. The company’s customer based is comprised of more than 30,000 providers representing hospitals, home health and hospice agencies, skilled nursing facility, durable medical equipment suppliers, physician practices and other groups.

McCarthy replaces Gene Creach, who is retiring as eSolutions’ CEO.

McCarthy most recently served as president of TransUnion Healthcare

Written by Robert Holly