The Washington, D.C.-based Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute awarded the Pittsburgh-based UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care $3.8 million to study the effectiveness of using telehealth to treat patients with complex care needs.
The study will compare two approaches that focus on Medicaid and dual-eligible beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions. These patients often have multiple health-related and psychosocial needs.
One approach involves nurses and social workers who provide patients in-person support services in their homes and communities, while the other will use telehealth, remote monitoring and other web-based tools. The study will span four years, examining outcomes like hospital readmission, patient activation and health status on the two patient groups.
"The UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care project was selected for PCORI funding for its scientific merit and commitment to engaging patients and also for its potential to fill an important gap in our health knowledge related to this at-risk group of individuals," said Joe Selby, MD, executive director of PCORI.
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