Humana leads telehealth pilot targeting CHF patients

A nine-month telehealth pilot program was launched by Humana and AMC Health to evaluate clinical and financial outcomes of home-based monitoring for congestive heart failure (CHF) patients.

The program will equip 450 Humana Medicare Advantage members suffering from CHF with blue-tooth enabled scales and blood pressure monitors all linked to a cellular modem and voice response technology, the company reports.

The goal: To help patients better manage their conditions and adhere to their care plans.

The Humana Cares Heart Failure Remote Monitoring Program aims to evaluate how telehealth technology will transform
clinical and financial outcomes.

CHF reportedly affects about 5.7 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 25% of Medicare patients admitted for heart failure were readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Poor care transitions, exercise activity, diet and adherence to treatment plan are the leading causes of those readmissions, Humana reports.