C Spire, Delta Regional Medical Center Partner on Remote Patient Monitoring

C Spire is teaming up with the Delta Regional Medical Center to debut a remote patient monitoring program in Mississippi for a broad array of chronic medical conditions that will help manage health care costs for hospitals in rural areas and improve the quality of life for patients.

C Spire is teaming up with the Delta Regional Medical Center to debut a remote patient monitoring program in Mississippi for a broad array of chronic medical conditions that will help manage health care costs for hospitals in rural areas and improve the quality of life for patients.

The company is providing Delta Regional Medical Center with a cutting-edge, white-label platform from Vivify Health that enhances existing electronic health records (EHR) and work efficiency while delivering proven results with over 97 percent patient satisfaction, up to a 65 percent reduction in readmission and double-digit returns on investment.

C Spire Remote Patient Monitoring helps hospitals and doctors monitor patients from smartphones – giving individual patients more freedom to live independent lives and reducing emergency room visits and readmissions. Video chat, audio calls and secure text can be used when an appointment or other intervention is needed.

Major health care operations across the U.S. are implementing remote patient monitoring for chronic and high-risk patients as part of a voluntary transition from a traditional "fee for service" model to a value-based accountable care organization (ACO) approach where hospitals and clinics focus on preventative care to avoid hospitalization.

"This life-saving technology is engaging and easy to use and teaches patients the information and habits they need to get on the road to a better life," said Wade Smith, Senior Vice President of Business and New Products for Consumer Technology at C Spire. "Our mission is to help hospitals and doctors transform chronic care through technology."

Mississippi has some of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease in the U.S. and has ranked near the bottom in most of these critical chronic health condition categories for decades, according to 2018 data from the state Department of Health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"We're excited about being the first hospital to work with C Spire and Vivify to implement this hospital and patient-friendly platform in Mississippi," said Scott Christensen, Chief Executive Officer for Delta Regional Medical Center. "Through proactive, daily digital monitoring, we're confident we can reduce fluctuating episodic care while primary care physicians stay advised and in control of patients' wellbeing."

Smith said the platform allows hospitals and doctors to follow patient biometrics, medication adherence, diet and other health choices. With 12 percent of the state's residents without health insurance and 22.6 percent living in rural poverty, RPM will help "deliver more efficient services, stretch limited health care dollars and help keep patients away from waiting rooms and emergency care," he said.

C Spire plans to conduct an Aug. 18 webinar with the Mississippi Hospital Association to provide the state's 63 hospitals and medical centers with more details about how remote patient monitoring can help prevent life-threatening, costly health problems and keep high-risk patients isolated and safe.