Half of all Americans have at least one chronic condition such as diabetes or hypertension, better known as high blood pressure.

Digital Medicine programs are changing the lives of these patients by offering them wireless devices they can use at home to take readings that are sent directly to their Digital Medicine Care Team for review. The Care Team uses data from the readings to provide patients personalized lifestyle recommendations and medication adjustments over the phone. Digital Medicine patients are able to interface with their Care Team and actively participate in their personalized care, all from the comfort of their own homes.

Ochsner Health System broke ground in 2014 by integrating Apple's HealthKit with their electronic medical record, Epic. Ochsner has continued to develop opportunities for patients to share– such as blood pressure readings or weights – from their Apple and Android smartphones automatically to their electronic medical records. innovationOchsner (iO), Ochsner’s innovation lab, uses this smart device data integration to create solutions, like Digital Medicine, that keep patients healthier and providers more efficient.  

How it Works:

• Patients, who have been diagnosed with a chronic condition, use wireless devices such as blood pressure cuffs and glucose monitors to take readings from anywhere – at home, at the office or on the go! Device results are transmitted in real-time directly to patients’ electronic medical records for the specialized Care Team to review.
• The Care Team provides individualized lifestyle recommendations and medication adjustments, as needed, over the phone.
• Each month, patients receive a progress report, so they can see how they are making progress towards achieving their personal health goals. 

The Benefits:

• Instant Reports: The patient’s dedicated Care Team and physicians are able to see how their numbers are trending week to week.
• Warning Signs: With weekly or event daily data, the patient’s Care Team can spot trouble before it becomes life threatening.
• Treatment Adjustments: The patient’s Care Team can adjust medications and suggest lifestyle interventions to find the right balance more quickly thanks to the continuous loop of information.

This combination of innovative tools, technologies and processes used to provide tailored care has been shown to change the lives of people with chronic conditions.

Learn more about Ochsner's Digital Medicine programs in the video below.

Want to learn even more? Visit our Hypertension Digital Medicine and Diabetes Digital Medicine websites.