A new partnership with Amazon One Medical, which offers hybrid virtual and in-person primary care, aims to expand access to high-quality coordinated care in Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Clinic said in an announcement Monday.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Patient access to essential health care services is at the heart of the partnership, said Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, CEO and president of Cleveland Clinic, with the new practices offering same- and next-day appointments, an on-site laboratory and virtual healthcare support for members.
But it’s also about the patient experience, says Cleveland Clinic, describing thoughtfully designed offices, ample time between patients and 24/7/365 virtual care services via a mobile app. That app also provides patients with digital assessments for common health conditions, access to vaccines and medical records, prescription renewals and more.
For Amazon One, the partnership provides a seamless continuation of care that can deliver “the highest level of health, care and value,” Trent Green, the company’s CEO, said in a statement.
The first is expected to open next year, but Cleveland Clinic and Amazon One said they will determine additional locations in the coming years.
“Partnering with Cleveland Clinic furthers our mission to improve the healthcare experience by bringing our people-centered and technology-driven model to individuals and employers in the Cleveland region,” said Green.
THE BIG TREND
While Amazon One Medical works with more than 10,000 U.S. employers who sponsor membership fees as a benefit to their employees and their dependents, the Amazon parent company has experience working with healthcare systems to transform and accelerate the speed of care delivery.
Last year, David Higginson, executive vice president and chief innovation officer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, said Healthcare IT news how the provider needed a hands-free telehealth device in 750 exam rooms and worked with the Alexa Smart Properties program to develop it.
One feature allows physicians to record an electronic behavioral health screening for immediate evaluation via a Zoom integration.
“After the patient’s original visit takes place, the clinician provides a warm handoff to the therapist via the Alexa Show in the clinic room, and the therapist conducts an assessment and education session with the patient before they leave,” Higginson explains.
“This just-in-time, virtual care has given countless children access to a therapist when they would normally have to wait weeks and be at risk,” he said.
Cleveland Clinic – no stranger to innovation – also announced in July that it was working with Masimo, an automation developer, to make patient care more seamless with hospital-based remote patient monitoring and virtual critical care. Through the initiative, the healthcare system will jointly develop artificial intelligence-based decision support tools for earlier detection of adverse events in patients with different acuities.
ON THE RECORD
“This collaboration demonstrates a shared commitment by both organizations to meet the needs of our patients and to improve the care we provide to our communities,” Mihaljevic said in a statement.
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.