New Research Shows Connect America’s Personal Emergency Response Services (PERS) with CareSage Analytics Prevent Unnecessary Care Utilization, ED Visits, and Hospital Readmissions Among Seniors
Connect America Home platform data and recent Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved study confirms that its PERS with CareSage analytics solution
Connect America, the nationally recognized innovator in connective care technology for seniors and vulnerable populations, announced the results of an internal analysis of its PERS digital health and safety platform data, combined with a recent IRB-approved study. Key findings from the research illustrated that its PERS with CareSage analytics solution, which is part of the Connect America Home platform, went far beyond fall alerts and management, by identifying at-risk individuals and delivering actionable insights that prompt earlier interventions and proactive care to considerably reduce the need for care escalation. In addition, the comprehensive PERS solution demonstrated a significant decrease in emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and overall hospitalization costs.
PERS goes far beyond fall management
According to the National Council on Aging, 1 in 4 seniors will experience a fall this year, resulting in more than $50 billion in healthcare costs. These costs do not account for the long-term effects of fall injuries, such as disability, loss of independence, dependence on caregivers, lost time from work and reduced quality of life. Research has also shown a direct correlation between chronic disease and the risk of falls in the elderly.
Traditionally, PERS has been a highly effective fall alert and management system for seniors who wish to age safely at home. While this is an essential aspect of PERS, these recent discoveries revealed that the benefits of Connect America’s PERS with CareSage analytics solution extend beyond helping with a wide array of adverse incidents.
In fact, data collected from the internal study suggests that falls attributed to just 53% of all alert calls. PERS was also widely utilized for individuals with symptoms related to other health conditions, including:
- Respiratory issues representing: 12.1%
- General pain: 10.6%
- Gastrointestinal issues: 3.1%
- Cardiac symptoms: 2.9% and
- Stroke: 1.1%
Additionally, the PERS research demonstrated that:
- Approximately 90% of all PERS subscribers did not require escalation to higher levels of care
- Roughly, 42% of PERS users were able to be assisted with their care needs onsite with no emergency intervention or hospitalization, and less than half resulted in a hospital transport.
“We are pleased to share these findings, which show the significant impact our PERS with CareSage solution has on more than just helping with falls. It also enables the ability to address the growing needs of an expanding senior adult population who often have chronic conditions that lead to unnecessary ED visits, needless healthcare usage and increased medical costs,” said Rosemary Kennedy, Chief Health Informatics Officer, Connect America, “Connect America’s comprehensive PERS solution helps identify and address care needs at home and onsite, which is crucial for cost containment, early interventions and improved outcomes.”
PERS with CareSage showed significant reductions in readmissions, ED utilization and hospitalization costs
In addition to the platform data analysis, research was conducted to measure the impact of Connect America’s PERS with CareSage analytics on care utilization and hospitalization costs. The IRB-approved study results showed significant reductions in readmissions, ED visits and overall hospitalization costs, including:
- 68% decrease in 90-day hospital readmissions
- 53% decrease in 180-day hospital readmissions
- 49% decrease in 180-day Emergency Medical Service (EMS) encounters
- 31% decrease in hospitalization costs
These findings confirm that PERS with CareSage can offer a cost-effective home health solution that helps facilitate earlier interventions and reduces unnecessary care utilization while enabling vulnerable and senior populations to remain safely in their homes.
“For healthcare organizations and payers seeking solutions to help lower care costs and enable aging seniors to live more independently in their homes, connective health technologies such as our PERS with CareSage analytics solution are a proven and reliable investment,” said Kennedy. “Once more, healthcare entities that embrace preventative care delivery strategies using connective health technology such as PERS can help better address the burden of unnecessary care usage and pave the way to a future of care beyond the hospital’s four walls.”
For additional details on this study, click here to review the white paper.