HLTH21 – Aimee Quirk from Ochsner on Remote Digital Care

Speaker 00:00:03 Today in. Speaker 00:00:03 Health it interviews from the health conference in Boston Speaker 00:00:06 My name is bill Russell. Speaker 00:00:07 I'm a former CIO for a 16 hospital system and creator of this week and Speaker 00:00:11 health it a channel dedicated to keeping health it staff current and engaged. Speaker 00:00:15 Just a quick reminder, I'm going to be dropping interviews Speaker 00:00:18 over the next couple of days. Speaker 00:00:20 And into next week from the floor of the health conference. Bill Russell 00:00:23 All right. Bill Russell 00:00:24 We're here at the health 2021 conference in Boston. Bill Russell 00:00:26 We're here with Amy quirk, the digital health. Bill Russell 00:00:29 Uh, you're seeing. Bill Russell 00:00:31 Digital health for so, Aimee Quirk 00:00:33 well, the way that, um, I've been in Austria now for Aimee Quirk 00:00:36 six years, and at that time, uh, we formed an innovation company. Aimee Quirk 00:00:40 You call it IO, which stands for innovation officer. Aimee Quirk 00:00:43 And I served as the CEO of that group. Aimee Quirk 00:00:45 And, um, more recently I've been focusing on scaling a lot of our digital health, Aimee Quirk 00:00:50 um, businesses and services and products across our, some many of which we Aimee Quirk 00:00:55 created inside of our innovation shop IO. Bill Russell 00:00:59 I, I stopped by your booth. Bill Russell 00:01:00 It's one of the more interesting ones to me because when the, the, uh, solution Bill Russell 00:01:06 was described to me, I said, you know, my audience would love to hear about this. Bill Russell 00:01:10 So I'd love for you to just discuss what you guys are talking about at the, Bill Russell 00:01:14 at the health conference with people. Aimee Quirk 00:01:16 Yeah, no, thanks for coming by. Aimee Quirk 00:01:18 So, um, you know, we have been on a journey, um, in digital, Um, for Aimee Quirk 00:01:24 many, many, many years at Osher Osher. Aimee Quirk 00:01:27 And for those in your audience who may not know, we're a large nonprofit Aimee Quirk 00:01:30 health system headquartered in new Orleans, the greater new Orleans Aimee Quirk 00:01:33 area, but we serve all of Louisiana. Aimee Quirk 00:01:36 And, um, and you know, we have a population that we feel committed Aimee Quirk 00:01:42 to serving and making sure that we're bringing, uh, breakthroughs Aimee Quirk 00:01:45 and care to them every day. Aimee Quirk 00:01:47 And so, um, in 2014 we launched, um, the first ever Obar. Aimee Quirk 00:01:53 Uh, it's a genius bar for healthcare apps and technology, because we wanted Aimee Quirk 00:01:57 to bridge the gap between technology and availability that had just Aimee Quirk 00:02:01 started to come out on the market. Aimee Quirk 00:02:03 And even back then, there was a lot of noise, you know? Aimee Quirk 00:02:06 And so we wanted to bridge that gap. Aimee Quirk 00:02:07 And so we created a no bar, a place where people to DM, who, who needed it, Aimee Quirk 00:02:12 who wanted to get engaged, it could be, you know, we're an epic shop, right. Aimee Quirk 00:02:15 It could just be on the, the, my Asher or my truck. Aimee Quirk 00:02:18 Um, it could be with wearable devices, connected devices, apps, you name it. Aimee Quirk 00:02:22 And we curated those types of tools. Aimee Quirk 00:02:24 And that was in 2014 was our first one. Aimee Quirk 00:02:26 Now we've got 10 plus and a mobile and we've since virtualize it so we can Aimee Quirk 00:02:30 provide that support to patients wherever. Aimee Quirk 00:02:32 So that was sort of our, you know, one of our first forays into that and really Aimee Quirk 00:02:36 thinking about the patients first, Bill Russell 00:02:37 if I'm a consumer, I go to the O bar. Bill Russell 00:02:40 I like my, my, uh, my physician says, Hey, you should probably do these three things. Bill Russell 00:02:44 Just go to the other bar. Bill Russell 00:02:45 They'll help you get set up. Aimee Quirk 00:02:46 And they saw that we've got, we offer a bunch of connected Aimee Quirk 00:02:49 devices, doctor approved, connected devices, many of which we use in our Aimee Quirk 00:02:52 programs, which is sort of phase two. Aimee Quirk 00:02:54 So first we started with saying, how do we connect and help with Aimee Quirk 00:02:57 access with literacy, with people understanding how to use technology Aimee Quirk 00:03:02 and make sure that people can, you know, we'll meet them where they are. Aimee Quirk 00:03:05 The next thing we did was really think about how, how do we re-engineer Aimee Quirk 00:03:09 care, um, leveraging some of those tools, that data, the connected. Aimee Quirk 00:03:15 Uh, to, to create an opportunity for more, um, continuous rather Aimee Quirk 00:03:20 than episodic care, particularly for conditions that, that need that Aimee Quirk 00:03:23 particularly chronic diseases, which of course is a huge issue in a country. Aimee Quirk 00:03:27 Um, and so that was really where we started hypertension, the most Aimee Quirk 00:03:29 prevalent of all the chronic diseases. Aimee Quirk 00:03:31 And we said, you know, rather than go in three times a year, four times a year Aimee Quirk 00:03:34 and get four readings, you know, and 15 minute visit, what if we create a Aimee Quirk 00:03:38 continuous care model that allows for. Aimee Quirk 00:03:41 Do you know, view of how someone's doing. Aimee Quirk 00:03:43 And we also will collect data on their lifestyle, their behaviors, Aimee Quirk 00:03:49 you know, so we can get sorted to the social determinants questions Aimee Quirk 00:03:51 that we know are really impacted. Aimee Quirk 00:03:53 So you take a broad view, getting more regular blood pressure Aimee Quirk 00:03:56 data, but also getting a more complete view of the patient, Bill Russell 00:04:01 a whole Aimee Quirk 00:04:01 person profile. Aimee Quirk 00:04:02 Totally. Aimee Quirk 00:04:03 And so we started that in 2015. Aimee Quirk 00:04:05 Um, our team's amazing. Aimee Quirk 00:04:07 Um, I work with Dr. Aimee Quirk 00:04:08 Malani Richard Romani. Aimee Quirk 00:04:10 Who's a cardiologist, but a visionary technologist, many years. Aimee Quirk 00:04:13 You may know him. Aimee Quirk 00:04:14 Um, and our amazing team built this all into epic. Aimee Quirk 00:04:17 Um, so it's not a separate platform. Aimee Quirk 00:04:19 It's not a separate, we've committed to trying to reduce friction. Aimee Quirk 00:04:23 Um, and you know, don't introduce more fragmented. Aimee Quirk 00:04:27 The system. Aimee Quirk 00:04:27 So the team was able to make this all work and epic. Aimee Quirk 00:04:30 And then, um, we also, we didn't just say we're going to collect the data Aimee Quirk 00:04:34 and then have doctors looked at it. Aimee Quirk 00:04:35 We created a whole new care team, um, with really the right level Aimee Quirk 00:04:40 of care to, to monitor the data. Aimee Quirk 00:04:42 So, um, we, we built a team of pharmacists, um, who are the best ever Aimee Quirk 00:04:47 at medication management, introduced medication management, according to the Aimee Quirk 00:04:51 latest evidence-based guidelines that change all the time, coupled down with Aimee Quirk 00:04:54 health coaches that really can focus. Aimee Quirk 00:04:56 You know, lifestyle choices that are really important in chronic disease. Aimee Quirk 00:05:00 Um, and we started that in populations for whom we have financial risks. Aimee Quirk 00:05:03 So Medicare populations, our employees, things like that to Aimee Quirk 00:05:06 test it, but will it even work? Aimee Quirk 00:05:08 Right? Aimee Quirk 00:05:08 And what we found over time is that it does work. Aimee Quirk 00:05:11 What it does is it, um, improves the blood pressure control. Aimee Quirk 00:05:16 We eventually launched diabetes. Aimee Quirk 00:05:18 Now we have hyperlipidemia, we also have CLPD and then we've got other Aimee Quirk 00:05:21 programs that are in pregnancy and, um, that we call connected moms. Aimee Quirk 00:05:26 Um, monitoring for COVID using pulse-ox is, but we've Aimee Quirk 00:05:29 created a number of programs. Aimee Quirk 00:05:30 And here we're really focused on the chronic disease solutions, um, where Aimee Quirk 00:05:34 we're able to get far far superior results in blood pressure control. Aimee Quirk 00:05:39 We're seeing reduced cost of care. Aimee Quirk 00:05:41 Um, so reduce utilization, the kind of utilization we don't want to see. Aimee Quirk 00:05:44 It could be any, you know, visits and patient admissions. Aimee Quirk 00:05:48 We're seeing increased medication adherence, you Aimee Quirk 00:05:51 know, so that's a big thing. Aimee Quirk 00:05:52 That's hard to measure and sees. Aimee Quirk 00:05:53 We're seeing. Aimee Quirk 00:05:54 And, and then, and then patients like it, our last MPS score was an 87, um, which Aimee Quirk 00:05:59 is really, you know, it was pretty good. Bill Russell 00:06:01 So we're talking to people in healthcare and they're listening to Bill Russell 00:06:03 this going, okay, how are you doing this? Bill Russell 00:06:05 Cause this is like, uh, this to me feels like a combination of nurses Bill Russell 00:06:10 going into the home, getting social determinants data and that kind of stuff. Bill Russell 00:06:13 There's self-reported data, there's technology solutions. Bill Russell 00:06:16 There's an awful lot of things that you're talking about here. Bill Russell 00:06:18 Are you doing a majority of it through technology? Aimee Quirk 00:06:21 So we don't have nurses going in the homes. Aimee Quirk 00:06:23 Determines data we've, we've tried to enable as much self-service as we can. Aimee Quirk 00:06:27 Right? Aimee Quirk 00:06:28 So it comes in through surveys and questionnaires and, and whatever we Aimee Quirk 00:06:32 can get, you know, from a third party standpoint or any objective data, but we Aimee Quirk 00:06:36 are able to collect that recommendation. Aimee Quirk 00:06:37 So we're not depending on, you know, humans to collect that information. Aimee Quirk 00:06:41 We've tried. Aimee Quirk 00:06:42 Make this as frictionless for everyone and, and really just put the people where Aimee Quirk 00:06:47 we need it, let the technology do where it can and put the people so it can scale. Aimee Quirk 00:06:51 Yes. Aimee Quirk 00:06:51 Oh yes. Aimee Quirk 00:06:52 It's scaling right now. Aimee Quirk 00:06:53 So what we're doing, um, and why we're out here at health is, you know, we Aimee Quirk 00:06:57 started, as I mentioned earlier of this program in populations for whom we have Aimee Quirk 00:07:01 financial risk to see if it worked right. Aimee Quirk 00:07:03 And this is before there were any payment codes and CMS or anything Bill Russell 00:07:06 like that, you guys do have. Bill Russell 00:07:10 Yes. Aimee Quirk 00:07:10 Yes, yes, we do. Aimee Quirk 00:07:11 What we did. Aimee Quirk 00:07:12 We take a lot of risks because we believe in our care. Aimee Quirk 00:07:15 No, it's like being an actor in that situation, but not all Aimee Quirk 00:07:18 of our patients are that way. Aimee Quirk 00:07:19 And so we were able to prove out the value of the program, make sure that Aimee Quirk 00:07:23 it was getting the clinical results. Aimee Quirk 00:07:25 We wanted to see an outcomes that it was getting the cost of care reduction Aimee Quirk 00:07:29 outcomes that, that our doctors, you know, responded well to it, which they did. Aimee Quirk 00:07:33 And they're, they've been great champions. Aimee Quirk 00:07:35 And then finally that patients liked it. Aimee Quirk 00:07:37 Once we had all that, we went, we've been able to start talking to payers about Aimee Quirk 00:07:40 expanding that, including some self-funded employers who said, we want you to bring Aimee Quirk 00:07:45 this and offer this to our employees. Aimee Quirk 00:07:47 And so we then started doing that for local employers who then said, well, Aimee Quirk 00:07:50 wait, we have employees all over the country, like come to us everywhere, Aimee Quirk 00:07:54 you know, bring it to everywhere. Aimee Quirk 00:07:56 So now were the programs available and in our product, The 48 states. Aimee Quirk 00:08:00 Um, and they'll soon to be 50. Aimee Quirk 00:08:02 And so it's allowed us to be able to provide this, this product Aimee Quirk 00:08:06 that we know to be successful. Aimee Quirk 00:08:07 That really is integrated, um, to people wherever they are. Aimee Quirk 00:08:11 Are you taking Bill Russell 00:08:12 this nationally as an Oschner brand or you just, you are. Bill Russell 00:08:16 So it's not like some digital health startup that you're spinning out. Bill Russell 00:08:19 This is part of it's connected to Osher Oschner for the physicians. Bill Russell 00:08:23 And you're, you're offering this literally in what'd you say, 49 states. Aimee Quirk 00:08:28 48 as of today, but we're going to, we're gonna, you know, Aimee Quirk 00:08:31 waiting on the last, last couple, but, um, but yeah, no, we're doing this Aimee Quirk 00:08:35 as Ashner because, um, I'm not, this was, these were products that were Aimee Quirk 00:08:39 developed by doctors to care for our Bill Russell 00:08:41 patients and it is the power of the solution. Bill Russell 00:08:43 Right. Bill Russell 00:08:43 It's connected back to world-class physicians and cause we're sitting Bill Russell 00:08:47 here across from a million startups that aren't connected to a world-class Bill Russell 00:08:51 healthcare system and I'm sure there's solutions are great, but that is one Bill Russell 00:08:56 of the differentiators, I mean, Uh, you have a solution that has on one end Bill Russell 00:09:00 world-class physicians on the other end, I would assume really, because I want Bill Russell 00:09:05 to get into the technology a little bit, because you're talking about putting Bill Russell 00:09:08 some sophisticated monitoring devices and those kinds of things in the home, Bill Russell 00:09:12 for some challenges with doing that, how did you overcome those challenges Aimee Quirk 00:09:17 for the most part were, um, and you know, there each program's Aimee Quirk 00:09:22 a little bit different, but for the most part, um, we've been able to. Aimee Quirk 00:09:27 I mean, explain it to patients and support them and how they do it. Aimee Quirk 00:09:31 Download the app, you know, connect there, things that you probably do every day, Aimee Quirk 00:09:34 multiple times a day, that we've figured out how to explain and make sure that at Aimee Quirk 00:09:38 scale, we're able to get people to do it. Aimee Quirk 00:09:40 But, um, really as, as more and more people have smartphones, there's more and Aimee Quirk 00:09:45 more people have access to these tools and are used to pairing Bluetooth and, Aimee Quirk 00:09:49 you know, doing those sorts of things. Aimee Quirk 00:09:51 It hasn't been as hard. Aimee Quirk 00:09:52 Now we are starting to do more things in the home to allow for. Aimee Quirk 00:09:56 Passive monitoring. Aimee Quirk 00:09:57 Um, and so those are some of the newer things that the team's been working on. Aimee Quirk 00:10:01 Um, and, uh, which, which I think will be very impactful as well, and Aimee Quirk 00:10:05 already showing a lot of promise. Aimee Quirk 00:10:07 And those, you know, we're still working out the kinks about how do you get those Aimee Quirk 00:10:10 set up in the home, but the people are used to setting up cable boxes or whatever Aimee Quirk 00:10:13 the thing is in the, in the house. Aimee Quirk 00:10:15 And we'll be able to help support, um, patients do those things as well. Bill Russell 00:10:19 So if I thought about this, the market for this is, is self. Bill Russell 00:10:25 Uh, employers it's payers. Bill Russell 00:10:29 I think payers would do Aimee Quirk 00:10:30 this Bill Russell 00:10:30 as well with other health systems that maybe don't have the Bill Russell 00:10:33 sophistication, but have risk contracts. Bill Russell 00:10:36 Look at this as well. Aimee Quirk 00:10:38 I talk to several health systems and, um, you know, Aimee Quirk 00:10:42 and many of them have approached us and then they thought, well, Aimee Quirk 00:10:44 maybe we're not ready for this. Aimee Quirk 00:10:46 Particularly when the reimbursement schemes weren't as advanced as Aimee Quirk 00:10:48 they are now, although they're still not perfect today. Aimee Quirk 00:10:51 Um, and so, you know, we continue to talk. Aimee Quirk 00:10:54 And partners, this is all an epic, it's not a separate Aimee Quirk 00:10:57 platform, which is really nice. Aimee Quirk 00:10:59 Um, and we know how to do this. Aimee Quirk 00:11:01 And so I think, you know, we're very interested in talking Aimee Quirk 00:11:03 to health systems as well. Aimee Quirk 00:11:05 Um, but right now the, the, the, the greater interest to act is Aimee Quirk 00:11:09 becoming from payers, from employers. Aimee Quirk 00:11:11 And, you know, honestly how we manage our own populations, um, you know, that Aimee Quirk 00:11:16 were natural ways for, because we know that this is a better way to care for Aimee Quirk 00:11:21 people and it, and, um, and it allows us. Aimee Quirk 00:11:24 Have that sort of continuous connection. Aimee Quirk 00:11:26 And our CEO, Warren Thomas was just on a panel panel here at health. Aimee Quirk 00:11:30 And he described it as, you know, this idea that we'll never, we Aimee Quirk 00:11:33 don't discharge you, you know, it's, it's not a one and done. Aimee Quirk 00:11:36 It's like, we're gonna maintain that engagement with you and Aimee Quirk 00:11:38 be there when you need these. Aimee Quirk 00:11:40 And hopefully we're getting to the point where not only we're Aimee Quirk 00:11:43 proactive, but we're predictive. Aimee Quirk 00:11:45 We're able to say, oh wait, something that you know is not Aimee Quirk 00:11:48 trending in the right direction. Aimee Quirk 00:11:49 How do we bring that back? Bill Russell 00:11:51 Yeah. Bill Russell 00:11:51 The reimbursement reimbursement models. Bill Russell 00:11:54 Allowed for this. Bill Russell 00:11:54 But when I came into CIO, I came from outside of healthcare. Bill Russell 00:11:57 I'd like, we need to increase the number of times we talk to patients, Bill Russell 00:12:00 the number of times we're interacting. Bill Russell 00:12:01 And they're like, well, we don't get reimbursed for that. Bill Russell 00:12:03 And I'm like, all right, then we have to figure out how to do Bill Russell 00:12:04 it at a very low cost, but they still feel like they're protected. Bill Russell 00:12:09 There's their health system is, is part of their, their daily health, uh, Aimee Quirk 00:12:14 conversation. Aimee Quirk 00:12:15 Oh, you have to get it right. Aimee Quirk 00:12:17 Right. Aimee Quirk 00:12:17 They're going to want to hear from us all the time, you know, are you stressed? Aimee Quirk 00:12:20 Are you stressed? Aimee Quirk 00:12:20 But I think, I think. Bill Russell 00:12:23 No, but when they are stressed, they, they want to Aimee Quirk 00:12:26 get through, be able to try to help support them, Aimee Quirk 00:12:29 um, and know when they need us and be there when they need us. Aimee Quirk 00:12:32 And that's really what we're endeavoring to do and have been building over Aimee Quirk 00:12:36 time is to really try to be that partner, to help people live their Aimee Quirk 00:12:40 best lives, stay healthy at home and in technology can help us do that. Aimee Quirk 00:12:44 It takes more than just the technology. Aimee Quirk 00:12:45 Um, but it's, um, you know, And, you know, I think we've got, we've got an Aimee Quirk 00:12:51 amazing team and incredible leadership. Aimee Quirk 00:12:53 That's allowed us to invest in these things. Aimee Quirk 00:12:55 Maybe, you know, a lot sooner than other Bill Russell 00:12:57 folks. Bill Russell 00:12:58 Amy, thank you for your time. Bill Russell 00:12:59 Really appreciate it. Bill Russell 00:13:00 Thanks. Bill Russell 00:13:02 Check back for Morris. Bill Russell 00:13:03 The, we continues. Bill Russell 00:13:04 A lot of great interviews, a lot of great conversations. Bill Russell 00:13:06 I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. Bill Russell 00:13:09 That's all for today. Bill Russell 00:13:10 If you know someone that might benefit from our channel, Bill Russell 00:13:12 please forward them a note. Bill Russell 00:13:14 They can subscribe on our website this week, health.com or wherever you listen Bill Russell 00:13:17 to podcasts, apple, Google, overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, you get the picture. Bill Russell 00:13:22 We are everywhere. Bill Russell 00:13:24 We want to thank our channel sponsors who are investing in our mission to develop Bill Russell 00:13:27 the next generation of health leaders. 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