LEWISTON — Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice has received a $254,000 grant from USDA Rural Development to further integrate telehealth services in Maine’s health care delivery system.

As a result, it will purchase and deploy 250 additional telehealth units for patients in central and western Maine with chronic and serious illnesses. The new units are anticipated to increase engagement of the patient, their support system and their care team by using video conferencing that links the patient, family and medical staff together for education, plans of care and continued home support for patients and their caregivers.

President and CEO Ken Albert said, “The grant will allow us to increase collaboration with referring providers to enhance care and decrease hospital readmissions for patients with chronic and serious illnesses. Telehealth monitoring will also allow us to be innovative in other types of care delivery like preeclampsia in pregnancy.”

In 2018, 1,759 patients received telemonitoring services from Androscoggin in collaboration with health care delivery partners, including St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Central Maine Healthcare, Stephens Memorial Hospital and Franklin Community Health Network. Seventy-five percent received services post-hospitalization, while 25% received services to support self-management of chronic illnesses.

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