An imminent emergency calls for urgent measures.

It’s when actionable information needs to be real-time, continuous, and relevant. This means relentless communication anytime, anywhere, on any device, to engage patients wherever and however they want to be reached.

In this COVID-19 pandemic, where health care systems are overwhelmed, health care workers are included among the vulnerable population and are at risk. Many individuals who are severely affected by the virus are unable to access care, while those who are not infected — but who have acute or chronic health conditions — may be denied care.

COVID-19 poses unique operational challenges for population management, particularly by limiting in-person interactions with health/clinical staff to help prevent the spread of the virus. When providers need to keep more people out of the clinics to manage more COVID-19 patients, this calls for an innovative solution, the kind that can be both implemented rapidly and scalable.

At the same time, the solution must ensure data privacy and secure communications. One such deployable solution for rapid and scalable population outreach is LifeWIRE, a communications platform that enables patient education, self‐assessment, and care coordination, all while helping to protect the vulnerable population.

LifeWIRE is a patented patient engagement platform that empowers healthcare providers and payors with the ability to engage patients through scripted, automated dialogue on any device/media. The communications are based on rules driven by each client's needs, using their workflows, and tying in clinicians if/when required. The LifeWIRE technology allows government entities, health systems, and others connecting with a COVID-19 at-risk population to perform:

• Self-assessment: LifeWIRE can use CDC or client assessments to ensure instant, real-time connectivity on a daily basis with the sub-population who have been tested but either have not yet received test results, or who have received results and remain in self-isolation until resolution.

• Contact tracing support: After contacts have been traced/identified, LifeWIRE can be used to reach out and, with permission, use CDC or client assessments on a daily basis to ensure instant, real-time connectivity with the sub-population.

Data from these populations can be instantly analyzed and used to connect with infected or suspect individuals for outreach, to slow further expansions, and to recommend those individuals to be screened for treatment or continue home confinement. 

Based on a use case for outreach, LifeWIRE can be accessed in three ways:

1. As identified by lab results, contact information is pushed to LifeWIRE.
2. As identified by the state/governing agency, contact information is pushed to LifeWIRE.
3. Patients can access LifeWIRE directly by texting a keyword such as covid to 72982. 

LifeWIRE can be used for data collection (whose parameters can be changed, based on client need), and data can include:

• Date first contacted/resolved. 
• # of days since symptoms started. 
• Respiratory issues.
• Presence of fever.
• Medications.
• Immunity status.

The results are generated from the responses collected from patients and the algorithms provided by the client. Each patient can be provided with a recommended action or status such as remain in quarantine, self-isolate, resolved, and/or direct outreach to clinicians. The data itself can be pushed to the client’s CRM through secure APIs.

According to an April 8 mHealth Intelligence article, "...independent medical practices are turning to telehealth in record numbers to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic, and many may need connected health to stay afloat once the emergency passes."

LifeWIRE has been deployed for a state-level response as a pandemic-tested solution for population outreach. The value lies in the immediacy of validated data collection and analysis so that containment is improved. 

In a public health crisis like this pandemic, health technology’s capacity to be rapidly deployed as a solution is put to the test. Some fall flat, while others rise to the challenge and prove their value. Communicating care is a lifeline with or without a pandemic. #BeLifeWIREd