Provider Benfits-Improving outcomes with our home telemonitoring program

Telemonitoring systems allow home care nurses to check a patient’s vital signs on a daily basis, and visit just once a week. Even though the nurse may make fewer visits, he or she is better able to monitor a patient’s health status. And, if a potential problem is identified via in-home monitoring, then the nurse can visit the patient in a timely fashion, often preventing emergent care.

To date, just 10% of monitored patients with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) have been hospitalized, versus 38% of non-monitored CHF patients cared for by the Natick VNA. Our results top the national average: the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research reports that 25% of CHF patients are hospitalized within 30 days of treatment and 45% of CHF patients are hospitalized within 45 days of treatment.

Natick VNA patients with a diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who receive monitoring also have lower hospitalization rates. Since beginning our telemonitoring program, only 25% of monitored COPD patients were hospitalized, versus 75% of non-monitored COPD patients.

MetroWest Meds - Discount Drug Card

Natick VNA, through a generous grant from the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, was able to institute a new discount drug card program in the summer of 2006.

For those under 65 who are uninsured and meet income requirements, the Natick VNA offers a pharmacy card program. While this is not an insurance program, it may help cut patients' prescription medication costs at the pharmacy.

This program enables patients who are accepted to purchase a 30-day supply of medication for a co-pay of $5 for generic drugs and $10 for brand name drugs at local pharmacies. There is a limited formulary of medications available through this program.

MetroWest Meds eligibilty

In order to participate, a patient must:

• Lack prescription drug coverage through any state, military, or public/ private medication program -including Medicare D;
• Be under age 65;
• Have a prescription for long-term medication(s);
• Have an income at or below $24,500 for an individual or $33,000 for a couple; and
• Reside in Ashland, Dover, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley, or Westborough.

Program contact information

Program Director: 

Susan Moriarty, Program Director

Natick Visiting Nurse Association, Inc.

209 W. Central St, Suite 313

Natick, MA 01760

(508) 653-3081 x. 1115

smoriarty@natickvna.org

To schedule an appointment:

Patients can schedule an appointment by contacting Edi Hyotte, Program Asistant at (508) 653-3081 x 1113 or by emailing her at ehyotte@natickvna.org

Interpretation for patients who speak Spanish or Portuguese is also available.

Staff are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Patients will be asked to provide a list of their current medications (including their dosages) as well as proof of income when an appointment is made.