CVS Health recently introduced the Symphony medical alert system to help caregivers monitor the safety and well-being of loved ones, even from afar.

This collection of in-home and wearable devices offers a new at-home experience by connecting a suite of sensors that can monitor for falls, motion, and room temperature while also providing a 24/7 personal emergency response platform for use when needed. Symphony is designed to support the growing number of seniors choosing to maintain an independent lifestyle at home, as well as those involved in their care.

“We’re committed to helping consumers on their path to better health and new consumer health innovations like Symphony can help give caregivers peace of mind as they monitor a loved one’s safety and well-being through a truly differentiated connected health approach,” said Adam Pellegrini, SVP of Enterprise Virtual Care & Consumer Health at CVS Health.

The center of the Symphony ecosystem is the voice-activated Smart Hub which enables hands-free calls with caregivers or emergency responders, while also monitoring motion, temperature, and air quality within the home.

Symphony features a free app for caregivers that provides alerts for falls or other emergencies and assists with facilitating care coordination. Additionally, smart algorithms within the app track and alert caregivers when normal conditions, such as average room temperature or air quality, are disrupted, suggesting when the caregiver may want to check in with their loved one.

Designed to fit a family’s specific needs and adapt to a variety of homes, two easy-to-use Symphony device options are available: the Basic Bundle and Essential Bundle. While both systems come equipped with the Smart Hub and a wearable care button, the Essential Bundle also includes motion sensors and a voice-activated Fall Sensor to automatically detect falls in the bathroom, where the majority of accidents occur. Complementary devices are available for both bundles if desired, including additional motion sensors to extend the range of coverage in larger homes, and entry sensors for use on doors, cabinets or windows.

Pricing starts at $149.99 for the Symphony Basic Bundle and $249.99 for the Essential Bundle. A monthly service fee is required, although no long-term contract is needed to activate. Once activated, each Symphony bundle can help support safety at home as well as in the event of an emergency. Customers can find Symphony available now at CVS HealthHUB® locations or online at cvs.com/symphony.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a different kind of health care company. We are a diversified health services company with nearly 300,000 employees united around a common purpose of helping people on their path to better health. In an increasingly connected and digital world, we are meeting people wherever they are and changing health care to meet their needs. Built on a foundation of unmatched community presence, our diversified model engages one in three Americans each year. From our innovative new services at HealthHUB® locations, to transformative programs that help manage chronic conditions, we are making health care more accessible, more affordable and simply better.

CVS Health announced it is working with Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) to increase access to chemotherapy at home for eligible, fully insured patients. Together, the companies are focused on minimizing patient exposure to COVID-19 from inpatient or hospital outpatient settings during the ongoing pandemic while ensuring continuity of critical cancer care. The program leverages Coram’s home infusion capabilities, coupled with training in chemotherapy administration based on Oncology Nursing Society guidelines, harnessing CTCA’s expertise as a top oncology care provider to give patients who may have delayed their care due to COVID-19 the flexibility to receive treatment from the safety and comfort of home.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for immunocompromised patients with cancer looking for ways to safely continue their care, while minimizing their exposure to the virus,” said Sree Chaguturu, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of CVS Caremark and CVS Specialty. “This collaborative arrangement with Cancer Treatment Centers of America allows us to combine our unique expertise in home infusion and clinical oncology to help more patients access treatment from the safety of their home.”

Clinically eligible and fully insured CTCA patients with a range of cancers, including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancers, and some genitourinary cancers on particular chemotherapy/immunotherapy medications, will begin their first cycles of infused chemotherapy in the hospital or outpatient care center, and, if tolerated over a number of months, can be transitioned home for continued infusions. Once home, patients will receive in-home Coram nurse visits to administer the therapy, paired with regular telehealth visits and digital therapeutic check-ins with their CTCA clinician, care team, pharmacists and other clinical staff as needed. More information is available at www.cancercenter.com/oncology-clinic-at-home.

“Putting patients first has been our philosophy for over 30 years, and working together with CVS is an extension upon in which we can better meet their needs, especially in light of a pandemic. For a variety of reasons, COVID-19 has caused far too many people to skip or delay treatments. We’re seeing a 50% reduction in infusions, and, while a slight delay in treatments may have been appropriate at the pandemic’s onset, data is now pointing to increased mortality risk with every month of delayed care,” said Dr. Chevon M. Rariy, M.D., CTCA telehealth program director. “We’re proud to be working with Coram to provide home infusion of cancer treatment that prioritizes the safety of patients, their families and health care workers.”

In collaboration with CTCA and their approach to quality, safe care, coupled with more than 35 years of infusion expertise, Coram has the ability to reach 97 percent of the U.S. population. The program is being piloted in the Atlanta market and will expand to other geographies over the next few months to help increase access to important home-based cancer care during and beyond the pandemic. More information on the steps that CVS Health is taking to address the COVID-19 pandemic is available at the company’s frequently updated COVID-19 resource center.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a different kind of health care company. We are a diversified health services company with nearly 300,000 employees united around a common purpose of helping people on their path to better health. In an increasingly connected and digital world, we are meeting people wherever they are and changing health care to meet their needs. Built on a foundation of unmatched community presence, our diversified model engages one in three Americans each year. From our innovative new services at HealthHUB locations, to transformative programs that help manage chronic conditions, we are making health care more accessible, more affordable and simply better. Learn more about how we’re transforming health at www.cvshealth.com.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) is a national oncology network of hospitals and outpatient care centers offering an integrated approach that combines surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and advancements in precision medicine with supportive therapies to manage side effects and enhance quality of life during treatment and into survivorship. CTCA® publishes treatment results bi-annually including patient experience, length of life, quality of life, patient safety and quality of care. CTCA also offers qualified patients a range of clinical trials that may reveal new treatment options supported by scientific and investigational research. CTCA patient satisfaction scores consistently rank among the highest for all cancer care providers in the country.

Cerner Corporation announced it will provide its electronic health record (EHR) to 12 behavioral health facilities across the Commonwealth of Virginia. This approach eases sharing of patient health records across all facilities within the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), which provides behavioral health and developmental disability resources to the state’s residents.

“As a trusted industry leader in technology, data exchange and interoperability, Cerner can deliver the efficiency, reliability and security our clients, including DBHDS, need to improve health outcomes,” said John Dreager, PhD, vice president of client relationships, Cerner. “Cerner’s technology is designed to help improve continuity of patient care and a seamless exchange of health data between doctors and patients. We are proud to help Virginia address the mental and behavioral health needs of their residents.”

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds a nearly 25% increase in depression symptoms in U.S. adults in 2020. This increased prevalence in depression symptoms could lead to a greater demand on behavioral health support organizations like DBHDS. With Cerner technology, 12 Virginia facilities will now be better equipped to provide more efficient and coordinated medical care for their communities. Access to data across facilities also helps health systems better understand opportunities for efficiencies and improvement in their organizations.

“A single EHR across all locations is a key step towards standardizing care delivery” said Alison Land, DBHDS Commissioner. “As the demand for community mental health and substance abuse resources continues to rise in the wake of the pandemic, there’s no better time to upgrade technology systemwide. For us this marks a new era of automation, bringing increased care coordination across our network and using technology to help improve care, treatment and communication with our clients.”

Cerner technology is currently in use at eight DBHDS facilities: Western State Hospital (Staunton), Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute (Marion), Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute (Danville), Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents (Staunton), Southeastern Virginia Training Center (Chesapeake), Eastern State Hospital (Williamsburg), Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute (Falls Church) and Catawba Hospital (Catawba). Four additional DBHDS facilities are on-track to deploy in Spring 2021.

Tampa General Hospital and Kindred Healthcare, LLC broke ground on a freestanding 59-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the medical district of downtown Tampa. Announced as a joint venture in May 2020, the new facility will help meet the growing needs of Tampa Bay, the region and the state for rehabilitation recovery and care.

“Rehabilitation care plays an important role in the recovery of patients who have experienced debilitating illnesses and injuries,” stated John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “As part of our vision to be the safest and most innovative academic health system in America, we’re proud to partner with Kindred to employ the latest innovation and technology to enhance access to these crucial services.”

The new rehabilitation hospital is located on Kennedy Boulevard between Oregon Avenue and Willow Avenue and brings downtown Tampa one step further in the development of a fully realized medical district that will attract the best scientists and physicians to the region and transform the area into a center for healthcare innovation. The rehabilitation hospital is projected to be approximately 80,000 square feet and cost $35 million. Kindred will manage the day-to-day operations of the new hospital, which is projected to employ more than 140 caregivers and staff. Tampa General Hospital will provide medical support services, such as imaging, lab and surgical procedures. It is expected to officially open in February 2022.

Tampa General Hospital currently operates an inpatient rehab facility that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Clinical teams will ultimately move to the new site, while Tampa General Hospital will continue to provide pediatric and outpatient rehabilitation at alternate sites.

A small, physically distant groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 18, 2021. In attendance were John Couris, president and CEO, Tampa General, Russ Bailey, president, Kindred Rehabilitation Services, and Cleve Haralson, vice president of capital development for Kindred Healthcare.

“Breaking ground on Kindred’s first freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Florida is a great way to start 2021,” said Russ Bailey, president, Kindred Rehabilitation Services. “Working together with Tampa General, we can bring a dedicated intensive rehabilitative facility to the Tampa Bay region that will help patients achieve their best possible recovery.”

The new inpatient rehabilitation hospital will care for adults recovering from conditions such as stroke, neurological disease, injury to the brain or spinal cord and other debilitating illnesses or injuries. The new facility will offer state-of-the-art technology and feature all private rooms. It will also have a secured brain injury unit with private dining and a therapy gym.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for inpatient rehabilitation services,” noted Couris. “Some patients need specialized help with ventilator recovery and rebuilding their strength and function. While we hope that the pandemic is not a major consideration at the time of opening the new rehabilitation hospital, it’s good for our region to know that we’re here to help when needed.”

Health Affairs Journal projects that 700,000 survivors of COVID-19-related hospitalization will require inpatient rehabilitative care. “We have the resources to help patients reduce disability and create the best opportunity for patients to achieve a full recovery,” said Bailey. “Tampa General’s long experience as a CARF-accredited rehabilitation hospital is an added benefit and will help establish our new facility as a strong resource for the community.”

Transitional living apartments designed to simulate a residential apartment will enable patients to heal in a personalized and private environment as they prepare to return to independent living. Patients will also experience specially planned rooms to treat dialysis patients and programs dedicated to neurological conditions, stroke, brain injury and amputation recovery.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 1006-bed non-profit academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020-21 Best Hospitals, and one of the top four hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. It is one of the nation’s busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital’s footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost.

ABOUT KINDRED HEALTHCARE
Kindred Healthcare, LLC is a healthcare services company based in Louisville, Kentucky with annual revenues of approximately $2.7 billion(1). At September 30, 2020, Kindred through its subsidiaries had approximately 23,900 employees providing healthcare services in 327 locations in 35 states, including 64 long-term acute care (“LTAC”) hospitals, 22 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, 10 sub-acute units, behavioral health services, and non-affiliated hospital-based rehabilitation services in 101 inpatient rehabilitation units and 130 LTAC hospitals, medical/surgical and outpatient therapy sites of service. Ranked as one of Fortune magazine’s Most Admired Healthcare Companies for nine years, Kindred’s mission is to help our patients reach their highest potential for health and healing with intensive medical and rehabilitative care through a compassionate patient experience.

Boston Children’s Hospital and Baystate Health have formed a collaboration that will improve patient access to highly specialized pediatric care and strengthen the coordination of care between the hospitals.

The collaboration will provide patients throughout western Massachusetts with improved access to pediatric specialty care at Baystate Children’s Hospital, and it will streamline care planning among providers at Boston Children’s and Baystate Children’s. The collaboration anticipates the two hospitals will jointly develop pathways to ensure children and adolescents get the right care in the right setting. In some instances, Boston Children’s clinicians will be available to provide care at Baystate Children’s.

“As the leading children’s hospital in western Massachusetts, Baystate Children’s has long partnered with the community to advance the health and well-being of all children from prevention to critical care. Today we are delighted to build upon our exceptional care for families through a collaboration with the much-respected Boston Children’s Hospital, which will provide additional clinical expertise when needed for our young patients,” says Dr. Mark A. Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health.

Dr. Charlotte Boney, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baystate Children’s Hospital adds: “This collaboration acknowledges and strengthens the close working relationship with Boston Children’s Hospital that we have enjoyed for many years. This collaboration will facilitate our continued ability to keep specialty care local so that children and families have access to a broad range of high-quality, affordable services right here in western Massachusetts. We look forward to exploring other opportunities that will strengthen our collaboration to serve our mutual missions of patient care, medical education and community service.”

The collaboration builds on the strong working relationship that currently exists between the hospitals. The two hospitals already work collaboratively in cardiology, neurology and dermatology, and by enhancing medical education, remote consults, information technology and other initiatives, will be better able to coordinate care for their patients.

Robocath, a company that designs, develops and commercializes cardiovascular robotic systems for the treatment of vascular diseases, today announces the successful completion of the first remote robotic-assisted coronary angioplasty in Europe. The procedure was carried out by Prof. Eric Durand and Prof. Rémi Sabatier at the Rouen Medical Training Center and Caen University Hospital in France – spanning 75 miles (120 km) between the two locations. The procedure is the first of its kind in Europe; it was completed with R-One™, Robocath’s first commercial robotic-assisted platform. This unprecedented achievement opens the door to new options for patients who live in remote areas and require swift treatment to successfully treat cardiovascular diseases.

The procedure was carried out on an animal model on December 8, 2020. Consistent communication between Prof. Sabatier – operating in the Caen University Hospital, and Prof. Durand – based at the Medical Training Center in Rouen, was secured using a variety of tools.

Prof. Rémi Sabatier, Interventional Cardiologist at Caen University Hospital and Associate Professor in Remote Medicine said: “There are still significant disparities in the level of care for cardiovascular diseases depending on where a patient lives. For example, in Europe, 40% of heart attacks are not treated with a coronary angioplasty, even when this is clearly a better option for the patient than fibrinolytic therapy. This is essentially because it takes too long to get to an interventional cardiology center (1). This pioneering robotic procedure, the first in Europe carried out at a distance of over 70 miles, could eventually improve patient care in case of serious cardiac events such as heart attacks and strokes, and save lives. Aside from the technical achievement, it’s been a privilege for me personally to be involved in this first intervention. The equipment provided by Robocath meant that I was perfectly able to communicate with my colleagues in Rouen without a hitch. Operating my tools remotely felt exactly the same as a standard robotic procedure.”

Prof. Eric Durand, Interventional Cardiologist at Rouen University Hospital said: “I’m delighted to have participated in this landmark operation, which has proven that long-distance robotic procedures can be completed safely and securely by qualified caregivers. There are a number of challenges that still need to be overcome before this can become commonplace within this sector, particularly in relation to the required personnel training and legal liability. Nonetheless, I’m convinced that the future of interventional cardiology is robotic and that this remote connection module will speed up growth in this area.”

Bruno Fournier, CTO at Robocath said: “This successful operation is a great proof-of-concept in a number of technical aspects; it demonstrates that a coronary angioplasty can be completed safely between two distant sites. In the long run, our goal is to provide the user with the same level of performance as with an in-person robotic procedure.”

Lucien Goffart, CEO of Robocath said: “Cardiovascular diseases are currently the number one cause of death worldwide. In part, this is due to a number of circumstances which make it hard to improve treatment, such as geographic, structural and economic factors. Ensuring equality of treatment and access to care – regardless of where one lives, is fundamental. Robotic interventional medicine unquestionably represents a reliable response to these major social challenges. Firstly, robotic procedures make vascular intervention safer for the physician, by providing complete protection from X-rays; over the last 15 years, X-ray exposure has had a significant effect on the number of qualified people entering this field. People are less available, less willing to train, because of the health conditions caused by wearing lead equipment. This has resulted in a growing shortage of qualified medical staff. Secondly, remote robotic interventions will provide patients with rapid access to the best treatment by experts, who can operate from a specialist center on a patient located at a smaller ER.”

Philippe Bencteux, President and Founder of Robocath said: “When I founded this company, almost ten years ago, my ambition was to develop robotic solutions for remote treatment in order to improve care for patients suffering from serious heart conditions such as strokes, heart attacks and hemorrhagic shocks. This telerobotic intervention represents a major triumph for public health. It will clear the way for better treatment for a significant majority of the population – who have not had access to it before. Almost twenty years after the first surgery was carried out between two different locations: New York and Strasbourg, I am particularly proud that Robocath has achieved this ‘first’ in remote vascular intervention. It is a key step in developing the field and will soon lead to a new global era in interventional treatment.”