Tag Archive for: Charlie Hillman

LB Homes Achieves Four Star Medicare Rating, Attributes Success to Technology

 

Minnesota-Based Home Care Agency Uses grandCARE Technology to Improve Patient Care and Outcomes

 

Over100YearslogoFergus Falls, MN – Lakeland Home Care, an LB Homes agency, announced today that they have received a four star quality of patient care rating by Medicare. The average quality rating is 3 stars. LB Homes attributes their high rating to a number of factors including GrandCare’s remote monitoring, telehealth and socialization platform. LB Homes uses this technology in a service called “LB Homes Connect” to provide top-notch care to remote clients.

Medicare ratings, which are determined through an analysis of nine separate quality measures, include flu vaccination rates, drug education, increases in mobility, and fewer hospitalizations. Telehealth, telemedicine, and medication adherence technology from the GrandCare platform can assist in mitigating readmissions and proactively alerting LB Homes nurses should something go wrong.

LB Homes monitors patient vitals using GrandCare telehealth devices like blood pressure cuffs, weight scales and glucometers. The LB Connect system reminds LB clients when and how to take their readings, instructions for medications and can alert trained caregivers of potential problematic situations.

“We have seen healthier and happier clients and we know that [LB Homes Connect] has prevented emergency room visits.” said Carrie Miller, Telehealth Program Coordinator at LB Homes. “Our nurses are more efficient and effective knowing that…we can intervene long before things get critical.”

GrandCare CEO Charlie Hillman understands the importance of in-home technology for the health and well-being of our aging population:

We’ve built a robust and comprehensive caregiving platform, but we have learned that better outcomes are delivered through the people using these tools. LB Homes is proving that remote technologies can empower the best caregivers to provide even better care. That’s how it’s supposed to work. Congratulations to LB Homes on this prestigious recognition.

About LB Homes: LB Homes began helping seniors find quality housing and healthcare services nearly a century ago. Founded in 1915 in the town of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, Lutheran Brethren Homes began its ministry in senior services and eventually expanded to Arizona and Texas. In 1959 they opened the Broen (Memorial) Home in Fergus Falls, MN.

Over the years LB Homes expanded to now include long term care, home care services, end of life care, short stay care, assisted living, and enhanced assisted living.

For more information, please visit www.LBHomes.org
805 E. Channing Ave, Fergus Falls, MN 56537

About GrandCare: GrandCare Systems, founded in 2005, combines digital health assessment, biometric readings, activity of daily living sensing, medication management, smart home automation, video chat and virtual touch-based communications into the most comprehensive and fully-featured technology in the private home market. GrandCare is designed for individuals seeking a caregiving solution for an aging loved one or for professional in-home, long term care or clinical caregiving providers.

For more information, visit: www.grandcare.com or call 262-338-6147

PR Contact:
Laura Mitchell Consulting
Digital Health Marketing
media@lmcllc.us
262-707-6726
@laurahmitchell

GrandCare Chief Medical Officer wins Los Angeles County Award

GrandCare’s Dr. Erick Eiting wins Bronze Eagle award for reducing ER visits for incarcerated patients

Erick Eiting Bronze EagleGrandCare Systems announced today that Chief Medical Officer Dr. Erick Allen Eiting has been awarded the County of Los Angeles Productivity and Quality Award Program Bronze Eagle Award for his role as project manager of the Inmate Care Services Project.  During Dr. Eiting’s tenure, the project reduced emergency room visits by 17% and patient wait times by 75%.

This innovative endeavor is a collaborative effort between the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS), the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Medical Services Bureau (MSB) and the University of Southern California (USC).  The overarching themes of this partnership have been to improve access to specialty care, quality of care, coordination and communication; to provide care coordination resources to aid in case management for patients with complex medical needs; to increase the quality of services provided to jail patients; to increase onsite medical services within the Los Angeles County Jail (LACJ) system; to reduce the number of unnecessary transfers out of the jail setting; to reduce unnecessary outpatient specialty care visits at LAC+USC Medical Center (LAC+USC); to reduce emergency department visits by enhancing existing resources; and, to direct as much inpatient care as possible to the Jail Ward at LAC+USC.  The program started in July 2013 with an on-site urgent care unit at Twin Towers Correctional Facility.  Additional services continue to be phased in.

“Dr. Eiting was selected for his proven results” said GrandCare CEO and Founder, Charlie Hillman.  “He’s perfectly suited to run GrandCare’s clinical advisory board, focusing on mitigating hospital readmissions, ensuring better outcomes and saving money.”

About GrandCare Systems:
GrandCare Systems, founded in 2005, combines digital health assessment, biometric readings, activity of daily living sensing, medication management, smart home automation, video chat and virtual touch-based communications into the most comprehensive and fully-featured technology in the private home market. GrandCare is designed for individuals seeking a caregiving solution for an aging loved one or for professional in-home, long term care or clinical caregiving providers. For more information, visit: www.grandcare.com or call 262-338-6147

LMC: PR & Marketing for all things Digital Health, Technology & Aging
@laurahmitchell

Sunrise Senior Living Highlights grandCARE technology for Independent Living

Sunrise Senior Living, a leader in long term care communities in the United States, has featured grandCARE as a technology solution for independent living, whether it be in the private home or community-based. Sunrise Senior Living operates 302 communities worldwide with 245 locations in the US, 15 in Canada and 42 in the UK. They offer a range of personalized senior services, including independent living, care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss, as well as skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitative services.

The Best Gadgets For Independent Living by Tim Watt | AUG 31, 2015

“If you constantly worry about your mom or dad who lives alone, it’s normal. Many senior caregivers and adult children have concerns about their parents living on their own after a certain age. Whether your live locally or far away, these thoughts can be stressful. Luckily, there are a lot of high-tech gadgets that can do the job for you. Think about trying out one – or all – of these gadgets in your parent’s home…”

…

“If you can’t be there all the time… When parents live alone, you may want to be by their side always. While you may see them as often as you can, you can’t always be there every day. Not to worry – there’s a device that can alleviate your worries. Try out grandCARE, a tool that lets parents video chat and message family on a big touch screen. They can also find out the weekly weather and news, play games with friends and check their calendar to see what independent living activities they have going on this week. It also investigates their health using telehealth technologies. Want to know if they’re taking medication? Check in to the caregiver portal.”

For more information, visit: http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com.

Read the entire article The Best Gadgets For Independent Living

GrandCare Systems forms new medical advisory board

Better Care Logo - Square - Standard - TM

 

For immediate release March 17, 2015

GrandCare Systems, a pioneer in digital health and remote monitoring technology, is excited to announce the formation of a medical advisory board chaired by Dr. Erick Eiting, MD, MPH, MMM, Chief Medical Officer. The purpose of the group is to become better aligned with key members of the healthcare industry in an effort to become more proactive with gathering trending medical information. Dr. Eiting said, “I am excited to be selected as chair of the grandCARE advisory board. GrandCare Systems continues to grow and evolve in so many ways, and I feel that our discussions will continue to make grandCARE an innovator when it comes to development of new medical technologies and align with the needs of the professional health care industry.”

The company is focused on leading the way by partnering with several medical professionals who together along with the grandCARE leadership team, will form this medical advisory board. The group will meet quarterly to discuss new opportunities and trends in the health care industry. “Healthcare and digital health technologies are a constantly fluid, and ever-changing entity. In order stay one step ahead of the curve, we felt it was important to get our information directly from leading medical professionals. We believe that this advisory board will give grandCARE a competitive advantage in the telehealth marketplace by keeping abreast of the latest medical trends and allow us to better serve our customer needs” said Charlie Hillman, Chief Technology Officer and Founder.

 

 

About grandCARE:

GrandCare Systems LLC, founded in 2005, offers the most comprehensive and holistic professional care giving and health coordination tool on the market.  grandCARE is a large touch platform which provides health instructions, secure video chat, wireless vital recordings and analytics, medication compliance, activity sensing, and family communications into one intuitive and expandable platform.  grandCARE focuses on true individual centered care, enabling better experience, better engagement, and better outcomes. For more information, visit: www.grandcare.com or call 262-338-6147.

 Media Contact:

Amy Schwengels       262.338.6147   media@grandCARE.com

Moraine Park Nursing Students Learn Cutting-edge Tech with grandCARE

by dritger5. December 2014 15:50

Students in Moraine Park Technical College’s Nursing programs are among the first in the state to incorporate telehealth technology into their curriculum. The new technology, which lets providers and patients connect virtually, is a growing component of health care that allows patients to be comfortable at home while still receiving the level of monitoring and care needed. The school’s telehealth equipment, which was purchased in part with funding by a General Purpose CoreHealth Industry Grant, provides pre-licensure students with unique and new learning opportunities.

“Our students learning the telehealth system gain many new experiences and are able to recognize the value of using advanced technology to effectively care for patients,” said Marylou Mercado, associate dean of nursing. “They are using telehealth technology to conduct health assessments, determine physical care needs, assess changes in overall health and monitor prescription medication effectiveness.”

As telehealth technology continues to gain recognition in the health care industry, grandCARE Systems of West Bend and Moraine Park are working together to provide students with the equipment and training that will open doors for graduating nursing students. grandCARE Systems is a pioneer in the industry, providing the most comprehensive and fully featured caregiving technology on the market, and Moraine Park is excited to offer opportunities for students to learn using the newest technology.

“Advancements in digital health and patient engagement technologies will enable individuals to benefit from many of the experiences, previously only offered in a hospital setting,” said Charlie Hillman, founder and CTO grandCARE Systems. “Moraine Park is proactively arming students with grandCARE’s digital health, patient engagement and socialization features to allow a better, faster and more cost-effective delivery of care.”

The College’s telehealth equipment has been integrated into its existing Simulation Center on the West Bend campus, which teaches students how to pin-point problems remotely using a variety of non-invasive sensors that monitor patients without impeding their lifestyle. Using the Internet, remote caregivers are able to track vitals, ensure medication compliance, view graphs, set alerts and communicate virtually with patients. When used in someone’s home, telehealth technology supports aging and healing in place rather than a hospital, nursing home or other health care facility. The technology also brings service to rural areas in a cost effective and efficient manner. As health care evolves, Moraine Park’s partnership with grandCARE will continue to provide cutting- edge educational opportunities for students and instructors.

For more information on Moraine Park’s Nursing program or any of its health care programs, visit morainepark.edu/programs.

For more information on the grandCARE, visit grandCARE.com.

Featured Image: Moraine Park Associate Dean of Nursing Marylou Mercado, right, listens as Robin Konstanz, sales coordinator at grandCARE Systems, West Bend, explains the features of grandCARE’s telehealth monitoring system being used by Moraine Park’s Nursing program.

GrandCare Systems is featured in the New York Times and Yahoo News!

NY TIMES: Smartphones, Smartwatches and, Now, Smart Toothbrushes

By Eric A. Taub | May 7, 2014 | New York Times

IN the last few years, sensors have become small and inexpensive enough to make the monitoring of practically everything possible.

“Sensors also are helping caregivers see and respond to what is happening while patients are on their own. GrandCare Systems and other companies make devices to monitor a person’s home. If the patient, say, walks out the front door at 2 a.m. or opens the refrigerator 15 times an hour, the caregiver will get a phone call or a text message.”

Read the full Article

System Comp 2

Yahoo! We have the technology to reinvent aging, so why aren’t we using it?  

By Jeneen Interlandi | May 7, 2014 | Yahoo News

[..] The key to that, he [Charlie Hilman, Founder and CTO, GrandCare Systems] says, is to keep the interfaces simple and to integrate health and safety features with ones that facilitate connectivity. “We put a lot of stuff into Facebook feeds and Skype,” he says. “And the tablet era has really helped a lot because seniors love tablets: big, bright, backlit screen; no keyboard; no buttons.” In fact, tablets have become so popular among seniors that Hillman credits the devices with transforming the way they view sensor technology. “It took a while for them to get over the Big Brother aspect,” he says. “But now it’s, ‘Well, I don’t want to move to assisted living, and I don’t want somebody I don’t know coming into my home every day to deliver care.’ So this becomes a best option.”

Read the full article

Telecare Aware: A change of guard at GrandCare Systems

November 14, 2013 | By: Donna Cusano

This Editor has often referred to her former competitor GrandCare Systems as one of the ‘grizzled pioneers’ on the Conestoga Wagons of Telecare–even more grizzled than QuietCare (circa 2003-4) since their ur-system dates back to 1995-6, when it kept track of founder and CEO Charlie Hillman’s mother Clara. In the years since, the closely-held company has broadened its original telecare and activity monitoring tech into telehealth, socialization and home automation/monitoring into the most fully featured system in telecare/telehealth for older adults. Without making huge splashes, being beholden to VCs or moving from bucolic West Bend, Wisconsin, the company has grown through multiple alliances, the most unusual being home automation association CEDIA. GrandCare has a residential base of customers but has also developed a solid footing in senior communities both in assisted and independent living. Earlier this year, they reached into UK to partner with Saga and received the CE Mark for approval of its telehealth features for EU distribution.

The news is that they have a new CEO–Daniel Maynard, who is joining from the same position at Connecture, a software provider for health insurance comparison/enrollment (and exchange subcontractor in Minnesota, Maryland and Washington, DC.) Mr. Hillman will be moving to Chief Technical Officer, which may leave him more time for his work as a LeadingAge/CAST commissioner. Mr. Maynard understands early stage company growth, technology and healthcare well, since he has founded and developed several companies, including a predecessor to Connecture. 2014 may be an interesting year for news out of West Bend!

– See more at: http://telecareaware.com/a-change-of-guard-at-grandcare-systems/#sthash.JOO60inL.dpuf

West Bend Daily News Reports: GrandCare taps software exec as new CEO

GrandCare taps software exec as CEO

By DAN MUCKELBAUER

Daily News Staff

Dan MaynardThe appointment of veteran software executive Daniel Maynard as CEO of health monitoring pioneer GrandCare is seen as enabling the West Bend company to continue to grow, said its founder, former CEO Charlie Hillman, who will become its chief technology officer and “vision leader.”

Maynard will be able to focus on sales distribution channels and pricing, critical to market growth, Hillman said Wednesday after the official announcement. Maynard was president of Brookfield-based Connecture Inc., which guides consumers in insurance options, and made the transition to GrandCare the past few months, Hillman said.

“I had been searching for a proven, innovative technology solution with a large growth potential in the healthcare IT industry,” Maynard said in a statement. “GrandCare is already a well-respected and credible industry leader. I look forward to joining this great team and taking GrandCare to the next level.”

“He saw such potential in GrandCare. We’re happy,” said Hillman, who will focus more on product development. “I’m a pretty good startup guy and we needed someone to take this to a new level.”

The 8-year-old downtown West Bend company with 20 employees markets Internet-based systems that monitor elderly in their homes and connects with relatives or other caregivers. It began after Hillman’s experiences with his great-aunt in her late 80s who lived next door to him.

GrandCare Founder, Charlie Hillman

GrandCare Founder, Charlie Hillman

“We’ve grown a lot the past couple of years and I think we can grow much faster, and there’s no indication that GrandCare will move outside of West Bend,” said Hillman, noting expansion locations near the company’s 327 N. Main St. site, including the former Ziegler Co.

“Why would we move to a more expensive place?” Hillman said. “We like it here. We like the work ethic of the place.”

Economic Development Washington County announced a $200,000 loan to GrandCare in July, enabling it to execute foreign and domestic contracts, EDWC Executive Director Christian Tschescholk said.

The West Bend-grown company is expected to be a major player globally, notably in the United Kingdom, Tschescholk said. Having top talent like Maynard helps move the company forward and bring high-tech jobs to West Bend, he said.

Senior Cyborgs: The Rise of the Machine

Today’s featured video is from CES Silvers Summit in 2010. Listen to GrandCare founder, Charlie Hillman, discuss his notion of “Senior Cyborgs: The Rise of the Machines”… Utilizing home monitoring technology enable and enhance the lives of our senior population!

ENJOY

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT6s7GHOGfA]

GrandCare Systems to Offer GreatCall’s 5Star Urgent Response to its Clients

WEST BEND, WIS. AND SAN DIEGO (July 16, 2013) Care in WI

GrandCare Systems LLC and GreatCall, Inc., announced today that GrandCare will be adding 5Star Urgent Response®, the leading mobile personal emergency response solution (mPERS), to its comprehensive caregiving technology platform.

GrandCare’s simple, touch platform enables an at-home senior to view pictures, receive incoming messages, watch videos, video chat with family, listen to music and play fun games. Using a series of wireless activity and telehealth devices, GrandCare can alert designated caregivers by phone, email or text if anything unusual occurs. GrandCare’s technology is used today domestically and internationally by residents of senior living communities and assisted living facilities, seniors living independently, and by recipients of in-home senior care.

5Star extends the GrandCare platform by enabling seniors with immediate access to help in an urgent situation, while they are in their home or away.  Seniors carry or wear the compact 5Star device and press the button to connect to a 24/7 professional emergency response agent when they feel vulnerable or uncertain, or are experiencing a health or safety issue. The highly trained, NAED-certified 5Star agents have immediate access to the senior’s personal profile and location, evaluate the situation, determine the right course of action and coordinate the help needed, remaining on the line until the situation is resolved.  5Star also includes access to a URAC Accredited Health Call Center, registered nurses, and physicians when appropriate.

Designated caregivers can log into the GrandCare website to send communications to the loved one, view activity & digital health sensor information, and customize the automatic caregiver alerts. A caregiver may choose to receive a call, email or text message if specified conditions occur. With the addition of 5Star, caregivers can use an on-line locator service to find a loved one who is missing or hasn’t responded to a call, and can be designated as a contact in the case of an urgent incident.

“We have always known GreatCall as a capable and visionary leader in the mPERS industry,” said GrandCare Systems founder and CEO Charlie Hillman. “Adding their mPERS solution to our existing caregiving technology platform is a natural fit”.

“5Star Urgent Response offers a crucial safety net for senior care recipients and peace of mind for their caregivers.  GrandCare serves a market segment that is important to us, and we are pleased to add them as a distribution partner.”  said GreatCall CEO David Inns.

About GrandCare Systems LLC

GrandCare Systems, on the market since 2006, uses a series of wireless activity & telehealth sensors in a loved one’s home to alert family members if anything seems amiss. Family members can Skype and send pictures, messages, videos, etc., to their loved one using a simple touchscreen interface. GrandCare combines a digital health assessment, biometric readings, activity of daily living sensing, medication management, smart home automation, video chat, and virtual touch-based communications into the most comprehensive and fully-featured caregiving technology in the private home market.  GrandCare has received  world-wide attention from the BBC World News, Italian and French news networks, and U.S. media platforms such as:  The Today Show, the Discovery Channel, CNN, CBS News, etc. To learn more about GrandCare Systems, please visit:  www.grandcare.com.

About GreatCall, Inc.

GreatCall provides easy-to-use wireless health and safety products for aging consumers and their families, allowing them to enjoy a worry-free independent lifestyle. The company stands apart from other wireless services providers through its simplified, personalized and humanized approach, as well as its commitment to providing a high quality customer service experience. The company has been widely praised for its ability to deliver the benefits of innovation and technology in a meaningful and easy-to-use format. GreatCall has received prominent national media accolades from the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, The New York Times, Washington Post and major TV broadcast networks.

GreatCall’s products and services, including The 5Star™ and the Jitterbug® are sold nationwide at leading retailers such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Sears, Radio Shack Dealer Franchise, Fry’s Electronics and ShopKo, as well as direct to consumers at 1-800-918-8543 and online at GreatCall.com. Service coverage includes the U.S. and Canada. GreatCall is located in San Diego, CA.

To learn more about all available GreatCall products and services, please visit: http://www.greatcall.com. This GreatCall news release and other announcements are available at http://www.greatcall.com/buzz. Or follow our news on Twitter @GreatCallInc and on Facebook facebook.com/greatcall. For access to company logos and high-resolution images and screen shots, please visit: www.greatcall.com/assets