Panasonic and Jewish Home Lifecare Launch Telemedicine Pilot Program that Turns Televisions into Healthcare Monitors

NEWARK, N.J., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Corporation of North America and Jewish Home Lifecare, one of the nation's largest and most diversified not-for-profit geriatric health and rehabilitation institutions, have launched a pilot program designed to improve the quality of care for the growing number of older Americans with chronic diseases, while also reducing associated costs.

"Pathways to Health" uses Panasonic's home gateway solution to transform ordinary televisions into interactive remote healthcare management portals to monitor, query and communicate with patients.  The solution also provides an ongoing stream of patient information to off-site health care providers.

Once Panasonic's home gateway is connected to a television in the home, the Pathways to Health program enables healthcare providers within hospitals, long term care facilities, and other HIPPA-compliant (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) care locations to remotely monitor vital signs, conduct interactive clinical dialogues and provide patient education.  Jewish Home Lifecare nurses are able to modify individual care programs and initiate clinical interventions as indicated, such as sending a home health aide or alerting a doctor.

Preliminary results of the Pathways to Health program, which was launched in January, have demonstrated reductions in hospitalizations and emergency room visits, while achieving high degrees of patient satisfaction.

"The Pathways to Health telemedicine pilot demonstrates how healthcare providers can increase their ability to resolve issues at the contact point closest to the patient," said Bob Dobbins, Vice President, New Business Development at Panasonic Corporation of North America. 

"We are particularly pleased with the patient satisfaction outcomes in the months since the Pathways to Health program was launched," said Regina Melly, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Jewish Home Lifecare.  "Over 97% of program participants have had a positive experience using the Pathways Home Gateway, and 100% felt the system helped them better manage their health and feel safer at home."

About Panasonic Corporation of North America

Panasonic Corporation of North America provides a broad line of digital and other electronic products and solutions for consumer, business and industrial use.  The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations.  In Interbrand's 2013 Annual "Best Global Green Brands" report, the Panasonic brand rose to number four, the highest ranked electronics brand in the report (http://bit.ly/19WFSpu).  As part of continuing sustainability efforts, Panasonic Corporation of North America relocated its headquarters to a new facility, built to meet LEED certification standards, adjacent to Newark Penn Station in Newark, NJ.  Learn more about Panasonic at www.panasonic.com.

About Jewish Home Lifecare

Serving New Yorkers of all faiths and ethnicities for 166 years, Jewish Home Lifecare is transforming eldercare as we know it.  As one of the nation's largest and most diversified not-for-profit geriatric health and rehabilitation institutions, it serves 12,000 older adults each year in their own homes, and in post-acute and long-term residences on three campuses in the Bronx, Manhattan and Westchester. We believe that high-quality care and personal dignity are the right of everyone, regardless of background or economic circumstances.  Technology, innovation, applied research and new models of care put Jewish Home Lifecare at the vanguard of eldercare providers across the country.  For more information, visit www.jewishhome.org.

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SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America