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00:02 Jayme Monacelli: This is Med Talk presented by HCA Midwest Health. I'm Jayme Monacelli with Tamra Fisher, Division Director of Care Assure. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. About 630,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, that is, one in every four deaths. And as women, we also know it is the number one killer of women in this country. The area's leading health care system has developed a new patented program called Care Assure. It's designed to prevent the next emergency, and it's led by some of the country's most experienced cardiology physician specialists, and cardiology nurse navigator. So, first Tamra, can you share with us exactly what Care Assure is and how this new advancement in healthcare helps patients? 

00:45 Tamra Fisher: You're absolutely right, Jayme. Care Assure is an advancement, and ultimately, the patients at HCA Midwest Health certainly benefit from it. In its basic form, Care Assure is the only area's patented healthcare program, and it is designed to detect potential future emergencies, prevent these emergencies by connecting a patient to the care the patient needs. So, Jayme, let's take, for example, an extreme situation such as detecting potential cardiac emergencies. If a patient was to say, for instance, get admitted to the hospital for a kidney stone, what can we, as a system of care, do to prevent that this patient will come back to the ER for another emergency? 

01:26 TF: Well, until now, we could not. However, using HCA Healthcare's patented information technology system, in Care Assure, we're able to automatically screen the results of tests, tests that are already being performed during an emergency, inpatient or an outpatient visit, to identify warning signs and prevent emergencies, like a heart attack or a stroke. Additionally, by analyzing data from across HCA, we can determine other potential health issues that may decrease the chance of a future ER visit.

01:58 JM: So, when detecting future emergencies, what is your team actually screening patients for? 

02:04 TF: So that's a great question and it's been something we're often asked, actually. Currently, we use a patient's tests, again, those tests that are already being performed, not duplicating or over-testing. We screen those patients who may have moderate to severe heart valve conditions, low heart function, moderate to severe heart arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, patients that have an established primary care physician. We know that results in a patient having a gap in access to preventative healthcare is something we want to work through. With Care Assure, we utilize the information from these tests to diagnose your current health issue plus medical information the patient has provided, to screen for other conditions that may put the patient at an increased risk for a future health concern or emergency. And as a reminder, only the conditions and factors we discussed are currently included in the program.

03:00 JM: Alright, so now we know what Care Assure is, and we know the types of medical information that it screens for. Then what happens? Take me on the patient journey.

03:07 TF: Sure. So in many ways, our clinical team serves as the patient's personal healthcare assistant. If we learn that the patient is indeed at risk for a potential emergency, a specialized trained nurse navigator follows up with patients. The nurse navigator will then contact the patient to the crucial follow-up care needed to help prevent that future emergency.

03:27 JM: Tell me more about that process. It sounds like it's just like having a healthcare advocate in your corner.

03:32 TF: You're right. That's a great way to put it, Jayme. Our highly trained nurse navigators, they advocate for you, and navigate sometimes a complicated healthcare system, but each situation is certainly unique. And depending on the patient's risk factors, diagnosis, situation, our team will most likely, and importantly, ensure that the patient understands the instructions from their discharge, discuss the ideal treatment plan, educate them, and review all the necessary medications. Additionally, they will provide resources to help get access to prescriptions that may be available at a lower price, connect them to patients, to doctors, assist in scheduling follow-up appointments, discuss test results, in layman's terms, and overall, be there for that patient throughout their health care journey.

04:21 JM: It's really interesting to learn about. And I, essentially, grew up in an emergency room. My mom ran an emergency room when I was a kid and I saw a lot of that and I can just imagine that when a patient's discharged, it's really confusing, they're tired, maybe they're in pain and they are just overwhelmed with the information.

04:38 TF: Exactly right, Jayme. And in fact, recent data shows that only about 21% of people remember what they were told while they were in the hospital. So now, with this state-of-the-art program, our Care Assure nurse navigators help patients understand their hospital discharge, instructions, and are with you every step of that way to ensure you get the right care at the right time. In essence, preventing the next emergency. All designed to help patients, who already suffered a lot, prolong their life, improve the quality of the years that they have ahead of them, ultimately, extending their life, but importantly, enhancing their life as well.

05:15 JM: This has been Med Talk presented by HCA Midwest Health. I'm Jayme Monacelli.