Eastern Maine HomeCare is pleased to have received a $50,000 grant to extend state-of-the-art telemedicine services to people in Hancock County communities and off-shore islands.
The award was made by the USDA under its Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. This system will provide patients with 24/7 vital sign telemonitoring and targeted education about their particular chronic illnesses. Health information will be sent to the home care agency via the internet and monitored daily by the EMHC Telemedicine Coordinator. Telemedicine systems like this help people to continue living independently at home.
Eastern Maine HomeCare (EMHC) provides home care and hospice services to people living throughout the 9,000 square mile region encompassing northern, eastern and central Maine. Hancock County HomeCare & Hospice, a part of EMHC, provides these services to residents of Hancock County.
Lisa Harvey-McPherson, CEO of EMHC, announced, “We are so pleased to have the support of Senator Collins, Senator Snowe, and Representative Michaud in obtaining this grant that will help us expand the delivery of our care to residents in our rural Hancock County communities and off-shore communities.”
The goals of the project are to improve the quality of care patients receive when they are home, to provide information to patients and their doctors, to coordinate care, to reduce costs, and to improve access and minimize geographic barriers to care. People with complex medical conditions can develop problems that escalate before they are seen by a care provider. Telemedicine monitoring can alert caregivers of a problem sooner and more precisely. Actions can then be taken to address those conditions, before they become more serious.
Hancock County HomeCare & Hospice is celebrating 80 years of service. Last year their staff provided 14,689 visits to care for 779 patients and their families. Home care services are paid for by public and private sources, directly by patients and their families, and through donations. For more information about Eastern Maine HomeCare’s home care and hospice services, please visit www.easternmainehomecare.org or call toll-free 1-866-591-8843.
A part of the Eastern Maine HomeCare Family and a member of EMHS, Hancock County HomeCare & Hospice works to ensure the highest quality home care is available to those who need it.