Kate Prior
As corporate vice president of long-term care at Bethesda Health Group, Kiel Peregrin sees the big picture: “The Affordable Care Act developed what was called the triple aim: better experiences and better outcomes at a lower cost,” he says. Since then, tech advances and better-coordinated care have allowed “more and more health services to converge on assisted living.” If you're imagining clunky robots stalking the hallways or flashing lights and buzzers, relax. The subtlety of the data-gathering keeps the atmosphere homelike, but expert care is interwoven:
- A patient with congestive heart failure who starts gaining water weight can immediately be given a diuretic to manage the flare-up.
- “Primary care physicians are now being reimbursed for telehealth,” says Peregrin, “so they can offer more timely interventions.”
- Primary care physicians come into the building routinely. Bluetooth-equipped scales or blood pressure cuffs feed data back to a doctor’s office.”
- Secure text messaging between assisted living and healthcare providers is faster and more efficient.
- Changes in condition can be addressed right away, heading off emergency trips to the hospital.
