Intermountain Healthcare recently announced a joint venture with home healthcare company Lifesprk to provide seniors with nonclinical support services.
Under the partnership, case managers will provide 24/7 assistance to seniors in their homes for an array of needs, including financial planning and helping patients find their purpose and passion. The case managers are registered nurses and can address clinical concerns.
The system hopes the partnership will reduce unnecessary emergency room and hospital visits by addressing the social aspects of daily life for elderly patients that impact their health and well-being. "It's designed to keep patients living a full, healthy life while reducing unnecessary costs," said Nikolas Mark, venture director at Intermountain.
Intermountain expects to see an influx of elderly patients in the next 25 years. The Lifesprk partnership offers a way for the system to meet the rising demand, according to the news release.
As part of the joint venture, Intermountain and Lifesprk formed a company called Homespire, which will oversee operations.
The services will be initially offered to seniors in Salt Lake City starting May 1, but the health system plans to expand the service across Utah over the next year, Mark said.
The partnership with Intermountain is the first venture for Lifesprk outside of Minnesota. The company has served more than 14,000 people in the state.
"This model is about rethinking the overall delivery of care for our aging population and surrounding them with a community of people who advocate and anticipate their needs so we can prevent or minimize health crisis," said Joel Theisen, founder and CEO of Lifesprk and CEO of Homespire.
