Device manufacturers have an unexpected ally for at-home health care

Device manufacturers have an unexpected ally for at-home health care Jim Hammerand

Best Buy’s Geek Squad increased set-up speed in a program for remote management of chronic conditions and improved patient adherence. [Photo courtesy of Best Buy]

Who would have thought that  Best Buy could help medical device developers improve patient adherence?

But that’s what the big box retailer said this week after sending specially trained Geek Squad employees to set up remote monitoring devices for patients in their homes for more than a year.

Richfield, Minnesota-based Best Buy and Danville, Pennsyvlvania-based health system Geisinger partnered on remote patient monitoring through Geisinger’s ConnectedCare365 chronic care management platform. They used Geek Squad employees to deliver the devices, activate them, and educate patients on how to use them — including troubleshooting if needed later. The Geek Squad employees were able to replace devices within 24 hours if there were problems.

Best Buy and Geisinger said the collaboration resulted in more consistent use of the technology, measured as a 19% improvement in how well patients follow their care plans. They also reported an 18% reduction in technical issues, and a 50% reduction in the average time between when a patient is admitted into the at-home chronic care program and when device set-up is completed. That time dropped from 96 hours to 48 hours.

Best Buy said customer satisfaction surveys found patients on average rated their experience an 89 on a scale from -100 to 100.

“The results of our program show that when we combine what Best Buy is known for — technology support and expertise — with Geisinger’s best-in-class care teams and network of clinics and hospitals, we can make a meaningful difference in the patient and caregiver experience,” Best Buy Health President Deborah Di Sanzo said in a news release. “Geisinger has been incredible in this work and we’re very excited about our ability to scale these capabilities across the country to further Best Buy Health’s goal to enable care at home for everyone.”

The partnership seizes on the trend of moving healthcare away from dedicated facilities and toward homes and other places where patients spend their lives.

“Health care is changing rapidly, and with those changes we are more focused than ever on moving care closer to our patients and members while simultaneously setting new standards for the quality of care they deserve,” said Karen Murphy, EVP, chief innovation officer and founding director of the Steele Institute for Health Innovation at Geisinger. “Working with Best Buy Health has allowed us to redefine the care experience and drive positive change in how care is provided and received.”

The two companies plan to scale the project to manage chronic disease at home, with plans to “design a comprehensive package of technology and services to empower patients and support healthcare organizations as they operate their own chronic condition management programs.”