Transactions: Regence BlueShield partners with DispatchHealth; Amedisys is entering a new market
Health insurer Regence BlueShield has partnered with DispatchHealth to provide its members with access to hospital-at-home and high-acuity mobile services.
“Home hospitalization is a game-changing and exciting change in nursing,” said Dr. Drew Oliveira, senior medical director at Regence, in a press release. “Our partnership with DispatchHealth enables Regence members to receive clinically appropriate care safely and conveniently at home.”
DispatchHealth, based in Denver, Colorado, provides advanced home care services through its emergency medicine-trained teams. It currently operates in 29 markets across the United States and is backed by some of the biggest names in healthcare.
As an organization, Regence serves 3.3 million members through its health plans in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
As part of the partnership, Regence members living with acute medical conditions such as cellulite, kidney disease, COPD exacerbations, and more can receive home care services.
“The health landscape is evolving and non-traditional care strategies are becoming the norm as patient attitudes have driven this change over time,” said Dr. Mark Prather, CEO and Co-Founder of DispatchHealth, in a statement. “Additionally, innovative health plans like Regence understand that more home care achieves the fourfold goal of improving affordability, health outcomes, patient experience, and the provider experience – while reducing readmissions.”
DispatchHealth services are currently available to Regence members in Pierce County, Washington. The company plans to expand to additional counties across the state later this year.
Amedisys opens new operations
Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) plans to open its home health operation in Westchester County, New York.
Amedisys, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has a range of home care services, including home health, hospice, and personal care services. The company is the second largest home health provider in the United States, according to LexisNexis.
Amedisys’ latest agreement enables the company to operate in Westchester County and the Bronx. The service area gives the company access to 375,000 Medicare members and 165,000 Medicare Advantage members.
“We are honored to be able to offer our empathetic, clinically differentiated care to more patients in more locations,” said Teonie Aurelio, president of home health at Amedisys, in a statement. “Expanding our presence in this key market further establishes Amedisys as America’s solution to aging.”
Eden Home Health Receives Medicare Certification
Eden Home Health is now Medicare certified. The Washington State Department of Health issued a Certificate of Needs to the Vancouver, Washington, DC provider to provide home health services in Clark County, Washington.
“Community members in the Clark County area are truly unique,” said Brent Weil, president and CEO of the EmpRes Healthcare Family of Companies, in a statement. “We are honored to expand our presence to meet community needs while working with existing providers to expand health services across the continuum of care.”
Eden Home Health is a subsidiary of EmpRes Healthcare. The company’s range of services includes qualified nursing, physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, medical social services and home nursing.
In general, a Certificate of Need program is a government regulatory tool that controls the number of health resources in an area.
Looking ahead, Eden Home Health plans to make growth investments in the company.
“Our goal is to keep health care local to ensure that every community is represented and strategies are specifically implemented to meet the needs of residents in the communities we are so honored to be,” Weil said.
EvergreenHealth works with Luna
The EvergreenHealth healthcare system has partnered with Luna.
Luna, based in Rocklin, California, was founded in 2018 and offers outpatient physical therapy at home. The company’s platform connects patients with a physiotherapist at a time and place of their choice.
Meanwhile, EvergreenHealth operates a 318-bed acute care medical center in Kirkland and EvergreenHealth Monroe, a 72-bed hospital. The system also includes a network of 12 primary care practices, six emergency centers, more than two dozen specialist practices and home care services.
As part of the partnership, EvergreenHealth patients in the Seattle area will have access to Luna’s on-demand therapy services.
“We are very pleased that we were able to connect with over 50,000 patients via virtual care visits during the pandemic last year, and this convenient care model, along with in-home options such as our physiotherapy partnership with Luna, is another path from EvergreenHealth lives our purpose: to work together to enrich the health and wellbeing of every life we touch, ”said Dr. Jeff Tomlin, CEO of EvergreenHealth, in a press release.