Our work in physical health has included Care Unit Analyses for specific health conditions and demographic scenarios as well as models focused on health behaviors more broadly. Examples of specific Care Unit Analyses include Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and pre-diabetes among youth in underserved communities, breast cancer and traumatic brain injury. At the higher level, our work includes Care Unit Analyses for palliative health and for an “eHealth Coach” focusing on the workflow of behavioral health clinics as they guide their clients to better manage chronic health conditions generally.
The purpose of this Traumatic Brain Injury Care Unit Analysis (TBI-CUA) is to understand and express the requirements for management of TBI , particularly with respect to emerging therapies based on neuroplasticity, and consider whether and how technology-enabled patient activation solutions may play a role to improve health related quality of life and lower cost for people with TBI.
Palliative care refers to specialized medical services to provide relief from the symptoms, pain, side effects and stress associated with serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Demand for palliative health services has grown dramatically in recent years and exceeds the available supply, particularly in rural markets. According to a 2010 report published by the Institute of Medicine, if palliative care teams were fully integrated into the healthcare system, total savings could exceed $6 billion per year. Using the palliative care program at a regional VA hospital as a use case, this analysis considers the role that technology can play to increase access, improve outcomes and lower cost for patients receiving palliative care services.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, marked by increasing movement-related disability, including tremor and bradykinesia, impaired balance and coordination, and cognitive changes. Clinically, functional disability arises from both motor and non-motor symptoms. It affects up to 1 million people in the United States and up to 5 million worldwide. The prevalence of PD increases with age. Using the Parkinson’s care team in the neurology department at a major university hospital as a use case, this analysis considers the role that technology can play to increase access, improve outcomes and lower cost for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
