December CTA e-Newsletter Released: UK Telehealth Study Shows 45% Reduction in Mortality Rates, Emerging Lessons from CTA Tech4Impact and RPM Grantees

12/28/11

The December newsletter discusses the UK Telehealth Study Whole System Demonstrator Program that has shown a 45% reduction in mortality rates. The newsletter also includes a presentation on implementation barriers, preliminary findings, and next steps from CTA Remote Patient Monitoring grantee, HealthCare Partners, presented to the ONC-CTA Cosumer eHealth Beacon Affinity Group. In addition, this issue includes several compelling patient and program stories from CTA's Tech4Impact program on the use of technologies to improve post-acute care transitions for older adults. Also highlighted are two articles discussing technology use to help older adults with their care management - the first focuses on the lack of use of current remote patient monitoring technologies while the second article highlights how the Tech4Impact Rhode Island project seeks to reduce medication problems following a patient’s hospital discharge by implementing an electronic health record (EHR) coupled with pharmacy services.

November CTA e-Newsletter Released: California Telehealth Legislation Passed, Emerging Lessons from CTA Grantees

11/30/11

The November newsletter discusses California's Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011 that introduced practical advancements to California’s telehealth law. The newsletter includes presentations about findings from CTA Remote Patient Monitoring grantees presented at the AgeTech Conference and lessons learned from the Medication Optimization Grant Program presented at the Gerontological Society of America Conference. Also highlighted is the recently released CTA Issue Brief on Return on Investment (ROI) for Remote Patient Monitoring, which provides guidance on factors to consider when conducting an ROI analysis. This issue provides an in depth look at the successful outcomes of the medication optimization intervention developed by Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation, as well as links to a new video showcasing their intervention.

October CTA e-Newsletter Released: Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation CTA Grant Project Produces Positive Health Outcomes and Cost Savings

10/31/11

The October newsletter includes a blog entry, presentations, issue brief, grantee video and an upcoming conference agenda. Take a look at the blog entry highlighting the successful completion of one of CTA's MedOp Grantees, Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation. View the presentation from the CTA-ONC Consumer eHealth Affinity Group Webinar where Sharp HealthCare shares their lessons learned to date on their RPM grant project. Read the ROI Issue Brief, which provides guidance on factors to consider when conducting an ROI analysis, as well as the presentation discussing the CHCF funded ROI initiative with CTA and CCH. See the Video showcasing the Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation MedOp grant project. Be sure to catch David and CTA grantees present at the AgeTech Conference in Pasadena on November 15.

This project demonstrates how telehealth, including video conferencing, can cost-effectively improve access to care for a high-medical-need population that is socially isolated, geographically dispersed, and experiences language and cultural barriers to care. In this project, specially trained pharmacists provided medication therapy management services to nearly 100 older Cambodian-Americans. Results: Pharmacists identified 604 potentially harmful medication-related problems (MRPs). During the 12-month project, 93% of MRPs were resolved, medication adherence behaviors improved 23%, and therapy outcome goals were achieved 24% more often. The projected ROI from avoided hospitalizations and ER visits was approximately $6 saved for every $1 spent on the project.

September CTA e-Newsletter Released: CTA-Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Held Consumer eHealth Affinity Group Session at Health 2.0

9/26/11

The September newsletter includes a blog entry, presentation, updated position paper, project outcomes and a podcast. Take a look at the blog entry discussing CTA and ONC Beacon Communities collaboration at Health 2.0. View the presentation by the CTA-led Consumer eHealth Implementation Panel at Health 2.0. Read the updated medication optimization position paper. Hear the podcast from iHealthbeat on CTA mHealth grant programs and the growing importance of mobile health in supporting older adults. Read through the results and outcomes from CTA's RPM Grantee, Centura Health at Home.

August CTA e-Newsletter Released: Centura Health at Home Completes CTA Grant Project with Positive Outcomes

9/5/11

The August newsletter includes a blog entry, announcement, podcast and project abstracts. Take a look at the blog entry discussing results and outcomes from CTA's RPM Grantee, Centura Health at Home. Listen to a segment from NPR highlighting the mHealth Diffusion Grants Program. Read about the recently formed collaboration between CTA and ONC Beacon Communities. Take a look at the new mHealth grantees through their abstracts for more information around their projects.

mHealth Grantees Selected and Awarded Funds

7/27/11

CTA is investing a total of $477,150 in one-year grants among five organizations that will demonstrate the best ways to implement mobile health (mHealth) technologies for older adults with chronic health conditions. The five organizations are: CalOptima, Family Services Agency of San Francisco, Front Porch Center for Technology Innovation and Wellbeing, HealthInsight, and Sharp HealthCare Foundation. For more information on these projects, please see the mHealth project Abstracts.

July CTA e-Newsletter Released: mHealth Grantees Selected, CTA-ONC Collaboration on Consumer eHealth Affinity Group

7/28/11

The July newsletter includes a blog entry, project abstracts, two press releases and a presentation. Take a look at the blog entry discussing the recently formed collaboration between CTA and ONC Beacon Communities. Read about the new mHealth grantees and look to their abstracts for more information around their projects. Explore a presentation by CTA and Tech4Impact grantees at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) Annual Conference & Tradeshow. View the press release on the mHealth Position Paper.

Press Release: Center for Technology and Aging Announces Tech4Impact Diffusion Grants Award

2/15/11

The Center for Technology and Aging has awarded a total of $500,000 to California, Indiana, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington through the Tech4Impact diffusion grants program. The grants will enable each state, through their Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), to gain more experience with and to evaluate the benefits of technologies that improve patients’ transitions from hospitals to their homes or other settings.