Sterling, Va.-based company Advanced Patient Care Corp has identified a need for patients making the transition from hospital to home: managing prescriptions to prevent rehospitalizations, and thus, improve quality of life and patient outcomes. With 64 million people eligible for Medicare by 2020, this need has become increasingly apparent.
WashingtonExec spoke with Advanced Patient Care Corp’s Sapna Patel, Director of Clinical Services and Operations, on how including a pharmacist as a part of post-hospital care can help patients better manage their own health.
WashingtonExec: What is APC Corp?
Sapna Patel: Advanced Patient Care Corp provides a critical missing piece of patient care for seniors in the community. Our innovative services close the loop for patients transitioning from hospital to home and keeps them there.
WashingtonExec: How is it different from other patient care programs?
Sapna Patel: Many patient care companies are available to take care of patients at home. Many pharmacy companies are available to provide medications to patients at home. APC combines the two and extends the benefit of having a pharmacist involved in care planning and designing multi-dose packaging systems to meet individual needs. This includes keeping the number and cost of medications in check. Our pharmacy programs are designed with seniors in mind. With APC you can be sure you’re getting the right medication at the right time, every time.
The No. 1 reason a patient ends up back in the hospital within 30 days of discharge is due to medication. APC will work with the patient to help ensure this does not happen.
WashingtonExec: What was lacking from current patient care services that APC fulfills?
Sapna Patel: Other patient care services offer nursing and care giving on an in-home basis. Some pharmacies provide delivery services for in-home patients. APC customizes pharmacy services for patients transitioning from hospital to home. We will custom package all medications in compliance packaging, including over the counter medications. We do a full medication reconciliation to look for drug interactions, duplicate therapy and adverse drug reaction to help keep you home. We help deal with insurance billing/claims. We also offer personal concierge services. All this and much more delivered to your front door.
APC has a 98 percent medication adherence rate. The No. 1 reason a patient ends up back in the hospital within 30 days of discharge is due to medication. APC will work with the patient to help ensure this does not happen.
WashingtonExec: What is your role in APC?
Sapna Patel: My role in APC is Director of Clinical Services and Operations. I will be working closely with nurses, case managers and other healthcare professionals to ensure the best plan of care and ongoing monitoring for every patient.
WashingtonExec: What led you to pursue a career in healthcare?
Sapna Patel: My father is a physician. I admired what he did and how he helped others. He encouraged me to go into the healthcare field. It’s a great feeling knowing I was able to help someone stay healthy and out of the hospital.
WashingtonExec: How has healthcare industry changed since you started?
Sapna Patel: The healthcare industry has evolved and continues to evolve since I started. The price of care and technological advances over the past century is a big part of this. The creation of Medicare D in January 2006 has provided some coverage for drug costs, and it provides relief for those with no drug coverage at all.
With technological advances in healthcare, patients will have many more options to take control of their own health. Advances in healthcare innovations include a device which attaches to your iPhone that turns your phone into an EKG monitor which automatically transmits data to your cardiologist.
WashingtonExec: How do you see the industry evolving during the next five years?
Sapna Patel: Healthcare in the United States is evolving. One way it’s being done is by health IT. Electronic health records (EHR) is a digital version of a patients chart. EHR will follow patients – to the specialists, the hospital, the nursing home or even across the country.
Secondly, I see patients taking more responsibility of their own care. With so many advances in technology it makes it easier for patients to do that.
WashingtonExec: What challenges lie ahead?
Sapna Patel: I believe the biggest challenge that lies ahead is baby boomers. By 2020, 64 million people will be eligible for Medicare, one-third more then today. Chronic disease will be single biggest driver of healthcare costs. More then 60 percent of people over the age of 65 live with one or more chronic disease and 70 percent at age 80. Insurers will need to work better coordinate care so that seniors stay healthy longer. Health IT will be a driving force to help keep seniors healthier and at home for a longer period of time.
