As a way to improve the quality of infection testing and to achieve better patient outcomes, Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) is now offering advanced molecular testing across its care centers nationwide.
To do this, the company has partnered with Patient Choice Laboratories to better identify respiratory issues, wound infections and other ailments for its at-home patients.
“This new partnership really allows our clinicians to have more ownership of the outcomes of our patients,” Barbara Andazola, VP of clinical practice, strategy and programs at Amedisys, told Home Health Care News. “For good reason, so much of our focus is on lowering hospitalization rates for our patients. By empowering our care teams to provide timely and more accurate treatment plans, we’re optimistic that implementing these new practices will ultimately reduce the impact of infections and drive better outcomes.”
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Amedisys is home-based care company that operates in 37 states and the District of Columbia. The company offers home health and hospice, as well as high-acuity services in the home through its subsidiary, Contessa Health.
Andazola said that she and her team had been in talks with Patient Choice Laboratories for a while, particularly because patients have become more complex.
“It’s also something that feels relatively new to our referral partners,” Andazola said. “Having the ability to get real-time results and make informed decisions is really crucial because what used to take maybe four or five days can now happen in the same day. Showing that value-add to our provider and referral partners is beneficial not only to the patients but also aligns with our broader goals.”
Generally, advanced molecular testing refers to a sophisticated diagnostic technique that analyzes genetic material to detect pathogens or specific genetic markers associated with diseases.
The method, Andazola explained, aims to provide rapid and precise results that will allow Amedisys to identify infectious pathogens with greater accuracy, sensitivity and specificity compared to traditional testing methods.
It also helps with workflow, Andazola said. Amedisys, like all providers, is still dealing with staffing issues. However, any efficiency boost from an innovation and technology perspective can alleviate some of the staffing shortages.
By cutting the time it takes for a clinician to make an assessment based on infection and molecular testing, Amedisys team members will be able to spend more time caring for their patients.
“Our automated pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical processes in molecular technologies provide the necessary clinical decision support so that treatments are targeted and successful,” Brad Moss, president at Patients Choice Laboratories, said in a statement.
Companies featured in this article:
