Innovation Work
All Atrius Health innovation projects stem from real pain points that plague our patients and our system.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, doctors and other healers routinely made house calls to deliver medical care. But as technology and medicine evolved, care moved out of the home and into the office and hospital. We reflected on this evolution and asked ourselves: how can we get back to a care model that’s convenient, accessible, and valuable for patients? At Atrius Health, new systems are taking shape that ask patients to sacrifice less – less time and effort traveling to their doctors, less waiting to get sick, less money – and give them more – more opportunities to stay well, prevent issues from escalating, and heal with comfort and dignity.
ED care at home
When an acute medical issue crops up for someone who is already very sick or homebound, getting to an emergency department or urgent care center may be necessary but also scary, confusing, and difficult. The ED at Home program, provided by the Medically Home Group, eliminates the toughest parts of an ED visit and brings the ED’s value – rapid diagnostic and therapeutic services – into the home. A community paramedic arrives at the patient’s home within two hours of a referral and, working closely with a remote MD, provides safe, quality care and determines what the patient needs next.