Vree Health Announces Partnership with WCA Hospital

ANNANDALE, N.J., Jan. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Vree Health, a company that combines technology with direct personal patient interaction to influence positive behavioral change and enhance patient experience, is announcing a new collaboration to provide Vree Health's post-acute follow-up and care coordination solution to WCA Hospital of Jamestown, N.Y.

The collaborative program at WCA Hospital called, Helping You Home, focuses on patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction or diabetes, and uses a process to evaluate and coordinate post-hospitalization care for patients discharged from the hospital who are identified as being at risk for re-hospitalization. The one-year pilot program is designed to reduce readmissions and increase the level of care coordination between patients, primary care providers and community resources.

"As we move toward a patient-centered, value-based healthcare system, Vree Health and WCA share the common goals of helping to improve the health of the community and reducing healthcare costs," said John Zicker, chief operating officer Vree Health. 

Vree Health's solution is a scalable, post-discharge care coordination service that integrates technology and personal interaction to increase performance and quality scores related to
30-day readmission rates, enhance the patient experience after discharge from the hospital and potentially reduce Medicare reimbursement penalties. As a result, it is designed to address four primary causes of preventable hospital readmissions – incomplete handoff and visibility, lack of follow-up, medication management, and lack of care coordination.

"Our goal is to keep patients healthy after they return home," said Mary F. Bosek, LCSW-R, WCA Hospital Director of Case Management. "Our program with Vree Health provides a higher level of quality care for patients discharged from our hospital who are identified as being at risk for re-hospitalization. By helping patients make a smooth transition from our hospital to their home, we help ensure that they receive the personal attention they need without being readmitted to the hospital."

About WCA Hospital

The mission of WCA Hospital is to improve the health and well-being of the people of Chautauqua County and the surrounding area. WCA Hospital, a 317-licensed bed hospital located in Jamestown, New York, was chartered in 1885 and is southwestern New York's largest not-for-profit healthcare provider. WCA Hospital offers an extensive range of inpatient and outpatient acute and rehabilitation services. WCA Hospital has been recognized at the state and national levels for high-quality care outcomes. The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, The American Association of Blood Banks, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and American College of Radiology, and is approved by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.

About Vree Health

Vree Health™ LLC, a subsidiary of Merck, is dedicated to helping healthcare organizations influence positive behavioral change and improve patient outcomes with technology-enabled services designed to improve the reach, cost-efficiency and efficacy of healthcare. Our innovative EngageAdvantage™ technology platform and high-touch services are designed to help coordinate care across providers; aggregate, analyze, and effectively utilize disparate data sources; and engage patients and their families in actively managing patient care. To learn more, visit www.vreehealth.com.

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Merck's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).

SOURCE Vree Health

Related Links

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