SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KCI, an Acelity Company, a global leader in advanced wound management, and Highmark Inc., a national diversified health care insurance provider, today announced they have entered into a performance-based agreement for the KCI iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring Program which aims to improve overall patient experience, while lowering costs through increased engagement and adherence. Used in conjunction with the ACTIV.A.C.™ Therapy System, iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring Program consists of 3 key components:
- Monitoring: A proprietary remote monitoring module attached to the ACTIV.A.C.™ Therapy device enables secure transmission of therapy data to KCI.
- Engagement: A highly trained team of KCI Virtual Therapy Specialists (VTS) analyze the data and interact directly with patients and healthcare professionals to support adherence.
- Adherence: 73% of patients demonstrated an increase in hours of NPWT use per day following an adherence call from a Virtual Therapy Specialist. A lower average 90-day wound-related cost was associated with those receiving remote therapy monitoring.1
The agreement is the first-of-its-kind for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and creates a performance-based payment structure for reducing total wound care costs. The partnership is a result of a diligent evaluation process by Highmark to understand how the iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring Program impacts its members in alignment with their commitment to improve quality while lowering total cost of care.
“The collaboration and agreement with KCI is just the latest example of Highmark’s commitment to working with providers in the health care industry to make sure our members receive high-quality care at an affordable price,” said Robert Wanovich, VP of Ancillary Provider Strategy & Management, Highmark Inc.
“Since introducing the iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring System two years ago, we have learned a great deal about our NPWT patients through their engagements with our Virtual Therapy Specialist team – all of which have helped us develop and improve an impactful solution,” said R. Andrew Eckert, President and CEO, KCI. “Our aim is to create value across the continuum of wound care and iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring allows us to pursue that by better understanding each patient’s wound care journey. This unique insight allows us to engage patients and their caregivers like no other and better assist them through the healing process, which leads to better therapy adherence and ultimately, better outcomes and reduced costs.”
In October, KCI reached a milestone of 10,000 patients monitored using iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring and in November, showcased the program at SAWC Fall, providing clinicians an inside look at the patients’ experience using NPWT through a poster presentation and interactive booth experience.
About iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring
The ACTIV.A.C.™ Therapy System with iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring is the first system to remotely monitor therapy usage for patients prescribed NPWT in the home. It monitors therapy adherence and securely transmits data to the KCI iOn PROGRESS™ Care Network, a group of highly-trained individuals who interact with patients to drive adherence. Recent studies show 79% of NPWT patients require an adherence call from a KCI VTS during their NPWT episode and the average increase in NPWT the day following an adherence call is 104%.2 To learn more, please visit here.
About KCI, an Acelity Company
KCI, an Acelity Company, a global leader in advanced wound care, is committed to developing innovative healing solutions for customers and patients across the care continuum. Our unsurpassed product portfolio is available in more than 90 countries and delivers value through solutions that speed healing and lead the industry in quality, safety and customer experience. Committed to advancing the science of healing, KCI sets the standard for leading advanced wound therapy innovation. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, KCI employs nearly 5,000 people around the world.
1 Griffin L. Evaluation of Cost of Care Between Patients With and Without Remote Therapy Monitoring. HEOR-2018-002-DAR. 09Aug2018.
2 Griffin L. Leyva-Casillas L. A Patient-centered Remote Therapy Monitoring Program Focusing on Increased Adherence to Wound Therapy: A Large Cohort Study. Wounds. 2018;30(8):E81-E83.
