According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in 2005, the 297 million individuals living in the U.S. each incurred an average of $6,697 in healthcare expenditures — expenditures that are paid for by both private and public programs. Public programs are financed by many different public entities, including the VHA and CMS. The VHA operates the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S., with 155 hospitals, nearly 900 outpatient clinics and 135 nursing homes and more than 5.4 million veterans treated annually. CMS has the largest share in public healthcare programs. In 2005, CMS financed $661 billion in healthcare services, accounting for one-third of the total U.S. healthcare bill.

Many ask what is causing these expenditure increases and what can be done to fix, or even diminish, the problem. The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report, Crossing the Quality Chasm, highlighted the large gaps in care that our current medical system has in adequately supporting individuals with chronic conditions. With tighter budgets and a rapidly growing aging population, both the VHA and CMS are challenged to comply with and operationalize federal mandates to provide healthcare services to older adults, indigents and veterans — some would argue our riskiest populations.

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Pharos is now nationally contracted with the VHA under the General Services Administration.

Contact us at Pharos@pharosinnovations.com or your VISN lead for more information about how to get started increasing your Veteran population’s access to telehealth today.

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Device-free, technology leveraged telehealth

Unlike the remote patient monitoring you are used to, Tel-Assurances uses a device-free, technology-leveraged platform to enhance access to and coordination of services and increased veteran satisfaction.

Tel-Assurance does not require special equipment. Implementation is simplified, engagement is increased and costs remain low because Veterans can use any available telephone (land line or cell phone) or internet connection and basic health measurement tools to gather and report basic symptom information.

Your Veterans who currently are not able to be monitored because of physical or technological issues will now be eligible for chronic care coordination and monitoring. Your care managers’ roles are simplified as they do not have to deploy or retrieve any equipment, or worry about equipment infection control issues or special equipment to accommodate language, vision or literacy impairment challenges.

Tel-Assurance is the only solution to solve the challenges of accessibility. Our device--free platform means that:

  • Veterans can access the program anywhere, anytime and from anyplace, using the communication method they prefer - land line, cell phone, Internet or pay phone
  • No equipment deployment, retrieval or infection control
  • No worries about special equipment to account for language, vision or literacy impairment challenges
  • Keeps costs down since there is no costly equipment and no extensive training is needed

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Collaborative Forum

Visit Pharos' new blog on the issues that will get us closer to transforming our healthcare delivery system.

Virtual Pharos

Commonwealth Fund Briefing: "Pathways to Payment Innovation in a Post-Health Reform Era" View video of the May 10 briefing on the impact of healthcare reform on our healthcare delivery and payment system.

Chicago Business Today Features Pharos Innovations on Healthcare Reform View video news clip of Lisa Leiter's interview with Pharos' CEO on shaping healthcare delivery system reform.

Pharos Findings

South Jersey Healthcare Seeks to Reduce Readmissions, Improve Quality - Preliminary results show an 83% reduction in avoidable admissions and .5 day decrease in average length of stay per admission.

Henry Ford Health System Reduces Costly, Avoidable Admissions - Results show 36% admissions reduction in HF program participants and return of 2.3:1 vs. program costs.

Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Reduces Hospital Admissions - Admissions reduced in HF program participants by 75%; includes preliminary results using Tel-Assurance®

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