Plans are in the works at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville to be able to substantially reduce the time patients spend in the hospital.
Mayo doctors will oversee virtual and in-person care so that patients can receive a variety of treatments in their own homes.
Doctor Michael Maniaci is in charge of Mayo’s new Advanced Care at Home initiative.
He said the idea is to move the hospital room into a patient’s home. All of the necessary technology, he says, will be supplied by Mayo.
“A Wi Fi router that's routed directly to us. So it's secure and encrypted. It is dedicated with its own 36-hour power supply. So if their power goes out, they will not lose connection. They have a tablet that has a video connection directly to us. They have a Wi-Fi phone that they can call us. We're connected to their cell phone, they also have a life call for any types of emergencies.”
Maniaci said the at-home care should save patients and the hospital money. Plus, it will free up beds for those who need to be hospitalized.
The program starts next month in Jacksonville. It will become available to patients at the Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in August.
Contact reporter Cyd Hoskinson at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 and on Twitter at @cydwjctnews.
