Geisinger and Merck unveil new applications developed to help improve patient communication and care delivery
Geisinger and Merck announced the launch of two web-based workflow solutions to help improve health outcomes.
The Family Caregiver Application helps two-way communications and coordination of care for patients and their caregivers. The other workflow solution, the MedTrue application, integrates different medication data sources to assist with medication reconciliation and adherence, resulting in a patient- and healthcare team-verified medication list.
The applications—which were developed through an ongoing collaboration between Geisinger and Merck—are embedded directly within the electronic medical record (EMR) and in the healthcare provider’s workflow for optimal use of clinical and patient-reported data during patient appointments. The applications are also accessible to patients and the Family Caregiver Application is accessible to family caregivers. Both workflow solutions can be used from the convenience of the home.
The applications will use SMART on FHIR (Substitutable Medical Applications, Reusable Technologies / Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) technology, an open, standards-based platform for utilizing data from disparate EMRs, so both products can be used in healthcare systems anywhere.
In addition to being tested within Geisinger’s system prior to launch, real-world experience studies are being conducted to gather additional evidence on each solution’s effectiveness.
The Family Caregiver Application features include:
- Calendar that integrates medical and personal appointments and helps coordinate medical care (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc.).
- Patient-managed medication scheduler based on daily activities.
- Allows patients to express preferences, values, and items/activities that are important to patients beyond the treatment of their disease.
- Provides information on healthcare team members, including roles and contact numbers.
- Journal-like feature to write notes and enable a narrative driven dialogue during the healthcare encounter.
The MedTrue application features include:
- Medication fill data from a national, leading prescription data aggregator agnostic of setting (e.g. Geisinger, non-Geisinger, inpatient, outpatient, specialty, etc.).
- Patient web interface for patient-reported medication verification, changes, and adherence, accessible in the home or upon arrival at a healthcare facility.
- Healthcare team web interface through the patient’s EMR for point-of-care access to the patient’s validated medication list and adherence report.
