Humana tests seniors' personal medical alert system
Humana Inc. is testing the use of an enhanced medical alert system with its Medicare Advantage members to prevent serious long-term effects of medical emergencies and falls.
The payer also hopes that the use of personal emergency response devices can reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, readmissions and emergency room visits.
Humana is working with Valued Relationships Inc. (VRI) of Dayton, Ohio, a telehealth monitoring provider, to include 500 Humana Medicare members nationwide, identified by its chronic care management division, to participate in the six-month pilot, the payer said in a news release Monday.
When help is needed, the member pushes a button on the device and a care center representative answers the call and gets the help that is needed. VRI also uses the device to track motion and is alerted if the device senses a lack of activity that may signal a health emergency.
One third of people over age 65 fall at least once a year and nearly half cannot get up without help, said Gail Miller, Humana Cares/SeniorBridge vice president of telephonic clinical operations. "Our goal is to continue to find ways to help our Medicare members stay longer and safer in their homes," she said in the release.
The medical alert system detects when the person wearing the device falls and automatically calls them to check if they are all right. GPS-tracking in the device helps to locate the member if he or she is unable to call out or doesn't answer the call. The device can work like a two-way, hands-free radio, the company said.
