Virtua Health and Medtronic Share Plans to Reimagine Traditional Health Care Models

MARLTON, N.J., Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtua Health and Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) announce a five-year partnership focused on improving delivery of quality care for residents of South Jersey, particularly those who reside in underserved communities or face systemic barriers to care. Medtronic LABS, an independent impact-focused organization funded by Medtronic plc, will simultaneously launch a separate pilot collaboration with the Cherry Hill Free Clinic and Virtua to address care and food access for people with chronic conditions – the first U.S.-based initiative for Medtronic LABS. 

"I truly believe technology is the path forward to improving human welfare," said Geoff Martha, Chairman and CEO of Medtronic. "This new partnership and collaboration demonstrate the opportunity to use technology to tackle health challenges in a localized, grassroots way. By taking a data-informed approach, we can help improve access and outcomes for patients with chronic conditions in southern New Jersey."

"This partnership presents a significant opportunity to accelerate health equity and better outcomes for individuals and families in our community," said Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE, president and CEO of Virtua Health. "Together, we will apply the latest research and innovation to the fundamentals of community-based care, allowing us to identify and empower those who need support to achieve the best-possible quality of life."

The scope of the partnership includes the following projects and will expand over time.

Heart Health: Medtronic plc and Virtua Health will develop a program to optimize care for hospital patients diagnosed with heart failure, with a focus on slowing the progression of the disease and enhancing the experience of both patient and provider. By employing Medtronic's data-driven, decision-support tools, Virtua clinicians will provide ongoing resources post-hospitalization, minimizing the likelihood of readmission and creating sustainable, enriching solutions for the individual.

Outpatient Care Continuity: The partnership will also optimize patient care in high-value outpatient settings, including ambulatory surgery centers. Additionally, Medtronic plc and Virtua will expand Virtua's hospital at home program, which is due to launch officially in early 2022 and aims to reduce the resource-strain on the health system while allowing eligible patients to heal from the comfort of home.

Medtronic LABS' collaboration intends to address population health in the following ways:

Community Health and the Cherry Hill Free Clinic: Community health workers and clinicians at the Cherry Hill Free Clinic will utilize Medtronic LABS' digital health platform, extending their reach through mobile tools and point-of-care diagnostics. Those identified as having (or being at risk for) chronic illnesses, such as Type 2 diabetes or hypertension, will then connect to the Cherry Hill Free Clinic for follow-up care. Over time, the platform will become more sophisticated and specific as the data accumulates and reveals localized trends and challenges.

Food Access: Medtronic LABS will also support Virtua's Eat Well food access programs, specifically the Food Farmacies located inside Virtua Mount Holly Hospital and the Virtua Health & Wellness Center – Camden. Medtronic LABS and Virtua will identify those at risk for food insecurity – due to financial circumstances or limited health literacy – and connect them to free food, nutrition education, and social-work services.

"I am honored that Medtronic LABS and Virtua recognize the essential services we provide at the Cherry Hill Free Clinic, and that they are combining their resources and expertise toward enhancing continuity of care for existing and prospective patients," said Jubril Oyeyemi, MD, founder and chief medical officer of the Cherry Hill Free Clinic. "The CDC estimates that 20 percent of Camden County residents do not have health insurance. By creating pathways to care, we build healthier communities."

"Medtronic LABS has trained more than 2,000 health workers and provided screenings to more than a million people worldwide. To date, we have focused our efforts on communities in Kenya, Ghana, India, and the Philippines, which is why we are thrilled to partner with Virtua Health on our first U.S.-based endeavor," said Ruchika Singhal, vice president of Medtronic LABS. "In time, this collaboration will create scalable, replicable improvements to the care-delivery model while advancing health and wellness on an individual level."

About the Partners

Medtronic: Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Medtronic LABS is an independent, non-profit structure with multiple entities including an operating foundation, a social business, an in-country non-profit, and for-profit subsidiaries.  Medtronic LABS is setting out to design the health system of the future: one that is equitable, tech-enabled, and patient-centered. To date, Medtronic LABS has screened more than 1M patients and improved clinical outcomes for over 35K patients in Kenya, Ghana, India, and the Philippines. For more information, visit mdtlabs.org.

Virtua Health is an integrated health care system and the trusted partner for personalized health care and wellness for communities in southern New Jersey. With more than 280 locations and 14,000 colleagues, Virtua provides high-quality care with more than two million annual encounters across the full range of community and tertiary health services – from preventive care to urgent care through specialty services in cancer, women's health, neuroscience, and orthopedics to complex minimally invasive cardiac surgery and organ transplantation. Performing more than 175,000 surgeries at its hospitals and network of ambulatory centers, Virtua is one of the largest providers of surgery in the state. As a not-for-profit leader, Virtua continues to improve social determinants in health and has distributed more than 160,000 pounds of fresh produce in underserved areas to address food insecurity. Virtua is advancing important partnerships into the future to help you be well, get well, and stay well. For more information, visit virtua.org.

Cherry Hill Free Clinic (CHFC) is an independent 501(c)(3) with the mission of providing free primary care to the uninsured and under-insured. CHFC is supported by Virtua Health, which provides lab, radiology and, in some cases, specialty care to CHFC patients. For more information, visit cherryhillfreeclinic.org.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

SOURCE Virtua Health