UH Uses New App to Help Heart Patients Stay Safe for Surgery During COVID-19
February 04, 2021
CLEVELAND – University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute has launched SeamlessMD, a HIPAA-compliant platform for patient engagement, remote monitoring, and virtual care. It is now using the platform for patients undergoing open-heart surgery at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, to keep patients safe, on-track and connected while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The platform is designed to empower patients and their families while improving the quality of care throughout the course of their treatment. Patients and caregivers access SeamlessMD on their smartphones, tablets, or computers, and are guided before and after surgery with reminders and education to reduce anxiety and help them follow the Enhanced Recovery care plan prescribed by their UH provider.
Upon discharge from the hospital, patients report their pain scores, symptoms, and share wound photos from their own devices to receive personalized, automated feedback on how to self-manage concerns based on their input. Clinicians also have access to alerts and dashboards to monitor patients remotely and address patient concerns earlier, leading to better patient experiences and health outcomes.
In the first month, UH already caught an infected incision through remote monitoring and started the patient on antibiotics quickly. By prompting the patient to send a photo of their wound, SeamlessMD alerted the UH care team to follow-up accordingly based on the reported sign of infection.
“SeamlessMD helps us deliver our Cardiac Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols more effectively to ensure every patient gets the right care for them. By empowering patients to track their progress remotely, we are able to keep patients healthy at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a well-thought-out program that keeps the patient at the center of our care,” explains Marc Pelletier, M.D., Chief of Cardiac Surgery at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Director of the Heart Surgery Center for University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.
“We are excited to be the first health system in Ohio to use SeamlessMD to educate, engage, and monitor patients undergoing open-heart surgery,” said Eric Hess, Vice President at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. “This relationship is a testament to our cardiac center’s leadership in providing innovative patient care for our community.”