Medtronic Foundation Awards $2.4 Million to Leading Integrated,...
Medtronic Foundation Awards $2.4 Million to Leading Integrated,...
New York (MedscapeWire) Jan 25 -- As part of its commitment to providing lifelong solutions to patients with chronic disease, the Medtronic Foundation has announced $2.4 million in grants to 3 of the nation's leading institutions to promote the advancement of integrated, patient-centered care.
Integrated, patient-centered care is a new healthcare delivery model for the chronically ill, aimed at bridging the gap in care currently experienced by physicians and patients alike. Chronically-ill patients typically enter the healthcare system through an acute event, such as a heart attack, and the current system is quite effective at managing these acute events through technology-based medicine.
Integrated, patient-centered care augments the current system by giving these patients the time, resources, and support services they need to achieve "total health" as they manage their disease throughout their lifetime. These resources can include patient support groups, courses on stress management, or nutritional counseling -- in some instances, these resources can identify risk factors and assist in the prevention of an acute event. In all instances, patient self-care and responsibility are key components of this approach. Scripps, Stanford University Medical Center, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) -- a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital -- will receive the first grants from the Medtronic Foundation Health Center Leadership Grant program. Established to support nationally recognized institutions as they advance efforts to improve the care of patients with chronic cardiac and neurological conditions, these 3-year grants will help fund these institutions' efforts to create, expand, and implement models of integrated, patient-centered care throughout their healthcare systems.
The increased focus on and adoption of integrated, patient-centered care models coincides with the growing costs of caring for patients living with chronic disease. More than 100 million Americans live with chronic conditions, and the treatment of these patients now accounts for more than 80% of the nation's medical care costs. Recognizing these trends, as well as increased patient interest in influencing the healthcare they receive, patient-centered care has emerged as an opportunity to improve patient outcomes while taking cost out of the system over the long-term. These integrated programs connect patients with the information, resources, and support they need to successfully prevent or manage chronic conditions throughout their lifetime.
"The Medtronic Foundation is excited to support such high caliber institutions as they work to transform the standard of care patients receive," added Penny Hunt, executive director of the Medtronic Foundation and Community Affairs. "Their work gives us a preview of what's to come in healthcare, and we are thrilled to be a part of it."
The first 3 grants from the Medtronic Health Center Leadership Grant program will support the following:
In addition to the grants, Medtronic will also partner with these institutions to identify benchmarks of success, disseminate information, and educate others about these effective healthcare models.
"Support from a leading medical technology company is of immense benefit to our efforts -- it recognizes the long-term value this approach will bring to patient care," said Mimi Guarneri, MD, medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. "We look forward to working with Medtronic as we continue to refine and expand this approach throughout the Scripps system."
The Medtronic Foundation focuses its health grants on patient-centered organizations, dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals with serious illnesses and conditions. In line with this focus, the Medtronic Foundation commits resources to programs and initiatives that provide support and information to patients living with chronic disease and their families.
New York (MedscapeWire) Jan 25 -- As part of its commitment to providing lifelong solutions to patients with chronic disease, the Medtronic Foundation has announced $2.4 million in grants to 3 of the nation's leading institutions to promote the advancement of integrated, patient-centered care.
Integrated, patient-centered care is a new healthcare delivery model for the chronically ill, aimed at bridging the gap in care currently experienced by physicians and patients alike. Chronically-ill patients typically enter the healthcare system through an acute event, such as a heart attack, and the current system is quite effective at managing these acute events through technology-based medicine.
Integrated, patient-centered care augments the current system by giving these patients the time, resources, and support services they need to achieve "total health" as they manage their disease throughout their lifetime. These resources can include patient support groups, courses on stress management, or nutritional counseling -- in some instances, these resources can identify risk factors and assist in the prevention of an acute event. In all instances, patient self-care and responsibility are key components of this approach. Scripps, Stanford University Medical Center, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) -- a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital -- will receive the first grants from the Medtronic Foundation Health Center Leadership Grant program. Established to support nationally recognized institutions as they advance efforts to improve the care of patients with chronic cardiac and neurological conditions, these 3-year grants will help fund these institutions' efforts to create, expand, and implement models of integrated, patient-centered care throughout their healthcare systems.
The increased focus on and adoption of integrated, patient-centered care models coincides with the growing costs of caring for patients living with chronic disease. More than 100 million Americans live with chronic conditions, and the treatment of these patients now accounts for more than 80% of the nation's medical care costs. Recognizing these trends, as well as increased patient interest in influencing the healthcare they receive, patient-centered care has emerged as an opportunity to improve patient outcomes while taking cost out of the system over the long-term. These integrated programs connect patients with the information, resources, and support they need to successfully prevent or manage chronic conditions throughout their lifetime.
"The Medtronic Foundation is excited to support such high caliber institutions as they work to transform the standard of care patients receive," added Penny Hunt, executive director of the Medtronic Foundation and Community Affairs. "Their work gives us a preview of what's to come in healthcare, and we are thrilled to be a part of it."
The first 3 grants from the Medtronic Health Center Leadership Grant program will support the following:
Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. Chartered with the goal of becoming the preeminent model of integrated, patient-centered care for individuals with cardiovascular disease, Scripps will use the grant to help its healthcare providers prepare for the roll-out of its successful integrated healthcare model to other Scripps locations. The center's cardiovascular program is a 3- to 6-month program for patients with documented cardiovascular disease or risk factors. The program includes a comprehensive life skills component, nutritional counseling and an emphasis on the mind/body connection in healing.
Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention/The Stanford Heart Network. Believing that a comprehensive prevention program is most effective when patients learn from their own caregivers, Stanford will use the grant to enhance and expand its innovative educational risk reduction program. This life skills and health improvement program offers support to patients through their own physicians' offices. The grant will help Stanford evaluate its current programs, develop training workshops, and establish an Internet site, complete with training resources and links with clinical sites internationally to facilitate the sharing of information on their respective risk reduction programs.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Beth Israel will use the grant to support the development of core infrastructure for a clinical facility that integrates conventional and complementary care services. As envisioned, the proposed Integrative Care Center will provide services that combine conventional therapies with complementary and alternative medical therapies; will be guided by the best existing scientific evidence regarding safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness; will require patients to assume an active role in their medical management; can be applied to a variety of specific medical conditions, and be replicable at other Harvard-affiliated institutions.
In addition to the grants, Medtronic will also partner with these institutions to identify benchmarks of success, disseminate information, and educate others about these effective healthcare models.
"Support from a leading medical technology company is of immense benefit to our efforts -- it recognizes the long-term value this approach will bring to patient care," said Mimi Guarneri, MD, medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. "We look forward to working with Medtronic as we continue to refine and expand this approach throughout the Scripps system."
The Medtronic Foundation focuses its health grants on patient-centered organizations, dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals with serious illnesses and conditions. In line with this focus, the Medtronic Foundation commits resources to programs and initiatives that provide support and information to patients living with chronic disease and their families.
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