Clinic pioneer taps ‘vHealth’ for CareCam launch

CareCam Health Systems is looking to revolutionize chronic care management and improve health outcomes with its patient-driven software solution that goes above and beyond teleheath to leverage the power of behavioral science, mobile technology and video. Enter vHealth.



“It is a self-management tool for a patient to manage their care between visits with their primary care provider,” said CareCam Health’s CEO Hal Rosenbluth, who cofounded Take Care Health Systems, which was sold to Walgreens in 2007 and rebranded as Walgreens Healthcare Clinics in 2013.



Rosenbluth took the helm at CareCam in January 2013 and assembled a powerhouse executive team that includes several former Walgreens executives, according to former chief nurse practitioner Sandy Ryan, who serves as chief clinical officer for CareCam, overseeing all clinical aspects of the company.



With his executive team and technology in place, the company is looking to launch its platform on April 1 via a strategic collaboration with Independent Blue Cross Center for Health Care Innovation, which invested $2.4 million in the Conshohocken, Pa.-based start-up.



Developed with the help of a behavioral scientist, the platform offers patients a 24/7 mobile “partner in health” for those battling chronic illness. Key features include pre-populated and customizable care management plans with configurable alerts that trigger when important activities are missed, or when their health is trending in the wrong direction. The alerts also can be directed to caregivers and physicians. The platform also contains condition-specific educational content and integrates video in unique ways to improve member engagement and adherence. For example, patients can video record their self-care activities (e.g., diabetic foot exam, use of glucometers, etc.) to demonstrate compliance — almost like recording a “video selfie.”



Additional areas of opportunity include clinical trials with pharmaceutical companies, and hospital discharges and readmissions, Rosenbluth told DSN.



Furthermore, CareCam Health can facilitate a more effective transition of care from the hospital to a patient’s home. CareCam also gives case managers real-time visibility into discharged patients’ current health status and alerts them as to which patients need immediate intervention.