Empowered Patient Podcast Supporting Caregivers to Bridge the Gap Between Clinical and In Home Care for Patients with Steven Lee Ianacare
Steven Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of Ianacare, is in the business of supporting caregivers by working with employers, health plans, and providers to offer services that patients and their families need. Effective hospital-at-home and home non-clinical care models show a reduction in hospital readmission and cost of care. This care navigator approach allows caregivers to keep patients in their homes and reduces employee absenteeism. Working with partners, Ianacare has applied to be an approved provider in the new CMS program GUIDE, the Guiding and Improved Dementia Experience program, to expand the application of this model.
Steven explains, "This has become really critical. For one reason, good caregiving in the home keeps patients in the home and out of institutions. And that's a win-win-win for everybody. Patients prefer being in the familiar surroundings of their home. We all would prefer to age in our own homes. It's cheaper for the healthcare system. Every inpatient admission or ER visit prevented by a family care member is thousands of dollars saved in the healthcare system."
"So it's really a win-win-win. The numbers and the research out there clearly prove these caregivers' critical role. I'll cite a couple of studies. There's a UPMC study that shows when family caregivers are involved and engaged in care plans, hospital readmissions decrease by 25%. Conversely, there's a study from the Journal of American Geriatric Society when patients have caregivers who are depressed, burnt out, or tired, they experienced a 73% increase in ED utilization and $2,000 higher medical costs over six months. So, to summarize, good caregiving keeps patients in the home, and that's why this is important."
"What we've done is bring together all the layers of resources you might need at some point in the care journey into one easy-to-use experience. We have a platform accessible through a browser or smartphone, and it starts by matching you up with unlimited access to a care navigator who's your right-hand expert to not only guide you through decisions and planning but also ensure things get done."
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