UnitedHealth Group, Cisco Launch Connected Care, First National Telehealth Network to Expand Health Care Access
Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2009) – UnitedHealth Group [NYSE:
UNH] and Cisco [NASDAQ: CSCO] today announced they are partnering to
build the first national telehealth network, which will give patients
access to physicians and specialists when in-person visits are not
possible. The new “Connected Care” program combines audio and video
technology and health resources to greatly expand physicians’ reach
into rural, urban and other underserved areas. UnitedHealth Group has
committed tens of millions of dollars toward the new initiative.
UnitedHealth Group’s national care provider network, including 590,000
physicians and care professionals and more than 4,900 hospitals,
combined with Cisco’s industry-leading video conferencing and other
collaborative network technologies, will help connect patients more
easily with primary care physicians, specialists and hospitals.
Connected Care will make clinics available in the workplace, as well as
in rural and retail locations. In-home visits using similar technology
will also be introduced to truly bring care to the patient.
UnitedHealth Group’s diverse health businesses serve more than 70
million Americans and are able to integrate and share health
information to help better coordinate patients’ care. The company’s
national reach and deep experience in merging technology with clinical
expertise gives Connected Care the broad scale that other telehealth
programs have not achieved.
“Connected Care is the house call for the 21st century and is our
latest innovation providing people with greater access to quality
care,” said Stephen J. Hemsley, chief executive officer, UnitedHealth
Group. “The combination of Cisco’s technology and our national health
care resources will make it easier for people to receive care where
distance has been an obstacle.”
Cisco HealthPresence will be one of the principal technologies enabling
Connected Care, using video, audio and medical information to create an
experience remarkably similar to an in-person visit with a doctor.
To mark the announcement, the companies unveiled today on Capitol Hill
the UnitedHealth Group Connected Care mobile clinic – an 18-wheel
clinic showcasing the technology and connectivity available through the
network.
“In developing advanced telemedicine technologies, we’re unlocking new
possibilities for how patients can interact with doctors and medical
staff. The in-person visit with a doctor is no longer the sole ‘gold
standard’ method for delivering high-quality health care services,”
said Dr. Kaveh Safavi, vice president Global Healthcare Practice, Cisco
Systems, Inc. “Instead, we’ve now introduced a new care at-a-distance
health care delivery model that better connects people, information and
processes into one continuum of care. This new technology-enabled
delivery model will improve productivity and efficiency in health care
while at the same time minimizing costs for access to quality care
services.”
Connected Care is being built on an open network that will integrate
multiple vendors’ technologies with Electronic Health Records and other
IT platforms. The program will enable real-time connectivity and
consultations among doctors, nurses, and health system professionals
across the country, creating a more connected system of health care.
Cisco’s Contact Center facilitates the intelligent routing of caregiver
communications, and its network security technology ensures remote
communications between patients and caregiver staff is safe and secure.
The two companies successfully tested the Connected Care program in a
pilot with Cisco employees in San Jose, California over a recent,
seven-month period. Ninety percent of participants said they would
recommend the program to others. The San Jose telehealth pilot program
is one of three telehealth pilots recently conducted by Cisco. Other
pilots included Aberdeen, Scotland and New Zealand. For results on
these pilot programs, please see Cisco’s International HealthPresence
Pilot Program press release at www.news@cisco.com. UnitedHealth Group employees in Minneapolis are preparing to participate in a similar pilot.
There are six Connected Care programs in development that will explore
how this approach is received in communities across the country and
provide valuable insight on using this technology to extend access to
quality care in a more efficient manner.
Partnering With Project HOPE to Overcome Health Disparities in the U.S.
UnitedHealth Group announced today a partnership with international
health education and humanitarian assistance organization Project HOPE
– one of Connected Care’s first implementations. A Connected Care
mobile clinic will help residents in New Mexico obtain health
screenings and treatment. The program will have a focus on identifying
and addressing diabetes and other chronic diseases.
John P. Howe, III, M.D., president and chief executive officer of
Project HOPE, said, “The United States is renowned for the latest
advances in health technology and care, but not all Americans have
access to them. This unique partnership will help improve access to
care through initiatives like this. Project HOPE is proud to partner
with UnitedHealth Group to work toward a sustainable approach to
overcoming health care disparities in rural and other underserved
populations.”
The program will be available to residents in the first quarter of 2010
and will also include a “train-the-trainer” component to advance local
health worker capacity, helping improve care quality in these
communities for the long term.
Connected Care to Help With Physician Shortage, Uneven Access to Care
The Association of American Medical Colleges has estimated that due to
population growth, aging and other factors, the country is facing a
potential shortage of 159,000 primary care physicians by 2025.
Moreover, studies show that inconsistent access to physicians and other
care providers results in poorer health.
“Educating and training more physicians is a long-term solution to
addressing this country’s physician shortage. Through Connected Care,
we can advance access to medicine in America and spread clinical
expertise over greater distances today to people who are suffering from
inadequate access to care,” said Reed V. Tuckson, M.D., executive vice
president and chief of medical affairs, UnitedHealth Group.
The initiative will help address these inconsistencies in care by
providing an array of preventive health care as well as specialty care
services including:
- Treatment of a wide variety of conditions, ranging from
common ailments like colds, flu, fevers, and allergies, to more chronic
conditions like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, which require
specialist attention;
- Follow-up exams for those being treated for specific conditions or illnesses;
- Wellness programs for employees/patients to stay healthy; and
- Acute care for the ill.
More details on the Connected Care initiative can be found at
www.ConnectedCareAmerica.com.
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being
company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of
products and services through six operating businesses:
UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and
Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth
Group serves more than 70 million individuals nationwide.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that
transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information
about Cisco can be found at
http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to
http://newsroom.cisco.com.
