TeleHealth Services and Sentara Healthcare Partner to Reduce Readmissions Through Interactive Patient Care

NORFOLK, Va. and RALEIGH, N.C., June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleHealth Services, the nation's leading provider of healthcare-grade televisions and interactive patient education solutions, today announced a master agreement with Sentara Healthcare as part of the health system's strategy to advance the patient experience and quality of healthcare in its facilities. Striving to enhance its patient-centered model, the Virginia-based not-for-profit health system determined the need for securing a partner who could provide improve patient comfort and care while adding efficiency to clinical workflows.

Sentara, one of the nation's leading healthcare organizations, creates innovative systems of care that help people achieve and maintain their best possible state of health. As a part of this mission and enhancing its overall patient experience, Sentara embarked on a detailed search process for a new patient education and entertainment system provider. After comparing providers, Sentara chose TeleHealth Services because they offered the only platform that had a three-tiered integrated solution for future scalability, system-wide enterprise architecture and a robust entertainment offering. TeleHealth Services' reputation of providing leading support and flexible financing options also played a big role in the decision.

"In healthcare's pay-for-performance model, TIGR® is a tool that can reduce hospital readmissions and associated costs by providing an education care plan and ensuring patients have individualized and appropriate discharge information for transition back into their daily lives," said Audrey Douglas-Cooke, Director of Patient Care Services for Sentara Health. "TIGR allows for an immense impact on the recovery process by combining care coordination with the use of an affordable, easy to use technology that fits the recovery of patients and the workflow of their care team. We also see TeleHealth as the industry leader when it comes to customer services and support, making them a true partner in our vision."

TeleHealth will be providing Sentara with a robust service package that will include an enterprise TIGR deployment across its whole health system. TeleHealth's offering will also provide Sentara with access to a rich television experience through new Samsung healthcare televisions. The new line of healthcare televisions, the Samsung LCD 458 Series, integrates hospital-specific features to provide education and entertainment solutions that optimize operational efficiency, promote patient satisfaction and improve sustainability. TeleHealth will also be providing design and maintenance services to some of the Sentara facilities' television distribution system.  "This turn-key solution is going to provide our patients with the best education and entertainment experience available," added Douglas-Cooke.

"TIGR's core value proposition has always been that the patient television is the best medium to improve hospital service levels by providing patients and visitors with instant information," said Richard Bootes, VP of Development for TeleHealth. "It is well established that effective care and recovery programs have beneficial effects not only on patient satisfaction but also on adherence to medical advice and readmissions, but often times the actual hospital communications plans go unnoticed. Additional resources for patients and caregivers about post-discharge care, care options and their ability to take an active role in their recovery is vital to effective patient education and adherence. By reaching the patients with strategic hospital messaging, the TIGR system is able to provide a broader approach to increasing the efficiency and quality of hospital care. In turn, TIGR helps hospitals reduce remittance rates, exceed accreditation standards and maximize reimbursements."

"The ultimate objective of the TIGR system is to create the optimal patient experience and empower the patient in their recovery process and create lifestyle changes to help them live healthier lives in the future," said Dan Nathan, general manager of TeleHealth. "TeleHealth's cutting-edge technology will support Sentara's efforts to reduce unplanned re-hospitalizations by streamlining the transition from hospital to home and providing quality information to change lifestyle behaviors moving forward."

About TeleHealth Services:

With more than 2,500 healthcare clients across the country, TeleHealth Services is the nation's leading provider of integrated technology and communications solutions for the healthcare market. Combining 50+ years of healthcare expertise and partnerships with industry leading manufacturers, TeleHealth Services is uniquely positioned to offer a full suite of hospital technology solutions that includes:

• Interactive patient and staff education platforms
• Healthcare-grade televisions and accessories
• Patient protection and security systems
• Bedside patient entertainment solutions
• The latest educational and entertainment content
• Custom designed communication systems
• Comprehensive design, implementation, and service packages
• Flexible financing solutions

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., TeleHealth Services is a division of Telerent Leasing Corporation. Telerent, founded in 1957, operates as a subsidiary of ITOCHU International, Inc.  For more information on TeleHealth, call 877-432-9076, or visit at http://www.telehealth.com/.

SOURCE TeleHealth Services