Medical Home Network Receives Grant from The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute for Hypertension Outreach during COVID-19

  • Published On  Dec 14, 2020

CHICAGO – Circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in many Americans avoiding medical care and preventative services leading to new concerns by medical professionals: uncontrolled chronic conditions. For many, managing chronic conditions has become secondary leaving a looming threat of poor outcomes and future upticks in utilization.

As part of their COVID-19 Safety Net Response Plan, Medical Home Network (MHN) has implemented comprehensive, virtual care management programs aimed at chronic condition management. With the help of The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute, MHN’s latest initiative seeks to better assist Cook County Medicaid patients with hypertension by integrating remote monitoring technologies into their high-touch model of care. MHN received a $100,000 grant from The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute to support their Blood Pressure Management Program and provide at-home blood pressure monitors to participating patients.

“Simply offering access to telehealth is not enough. Medical Home Network’s approach to COVID-19 response includes proactive outreach to our patients for education, screening and offering services for chronic conditions, like hypertension,” said Cheryl Lulias, CEO of Medical Home Network. “The financial support from The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute allows for the purchase of additional technology that will enable patients with hypertension to manage their blood pressure remotely during this unprecedented crisis and thereafter.”

Care teams across 12 practices in the MHN ACO are conducting outreach to patients who have been diagnosed with hypertension or pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and enrolling them in the Blood Pressure Management program. MHN providers have enrolled more than 450 patients and expect that number to grow to more than 1,000 by the end of 2020.

“The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute is proud to be supporting Medical Home Network on this community-based initiative. Patient care and empowerment have never been more critical. MHN is an innovator. This grant advances our shared commitment to finding new ways to promote patient wellness, while advancing provider systems.” said James N. Alexander, Executive Director of The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute.

Following outreach to patients, a blood pressure monitor is delivered to the patient’s home and the patient receives a call from a member of the care team. Team members ensure patients understand how to properly use the monitor, review when to contact the primary care physician, and verify patients have an adequate supply of their medications and are adhering to their medication schedule. A check-in schedule is established between the care team and patients with communication taking place by phone or virtually through MHN’s technology platform.

“Medical Home Network recognizes how important it is to manage chronic conditions to support patients’ overall health and yet we have to find new ways to support patients during COVID-19,” said Art Jones, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Medical Home Network. “The generous grant from The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute allows us to reach more patients with hypertension that may not be able to visit their medical home.”

The Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute was founded in 1911 as a non-profit foundation focused on the investigation of the causes of disease and the prevention and relief of human suffering in Chicago IL.  www.spragueinstitute.org

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About Medical Home Network 

Medical Home Network is transforming health care delivery for Medicaid patients by fostering collaboration and innovation. Our proven model of care unites communities of providers and patients around a common goal: To redesign health care delivery and transform the way care is delivered and managed, resulting in improved patient care, lower costs and better health in the communities we serve. MHN can be found online at www.MedicalHomeNetwork.org and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/medical-home-network.