Digital medicine

New at-home monitoring program for hypertension

UC Davis Health has launched a new program that monitors patients with high blood pressure at home. To support this initiative, the health system is working with Best Buy Health’s care-at-home platform, Current Health. Patients will use connected devices including blood pressure cuffs and scales. Readings from the devices will be sent to the Current Health platform and transferred to the patient’s UC Davis Health electronic medical chart, where they can be accessed by the UC Davis Health Connected Care Center in real time.

The care center team includes a physician, pharmacist, registered nurse and medical assistant who work with patients to keep their blood pressure within a healthy range. The care center team will also be able to remotely monitor patient vital signs, symptoms, and other health indicators.

In coming months, UC Davis Health and Best Buy Health plan to expand the collaboration to support patients with additional chronic diseases. In the past year, the medical center has also created remote patient monitoring programs for patients suffering from heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and post-angioplasty care.

Digital program to support people after incarceration

People reentering communities after incarceration face multiple challenges, including homelessness, substance use disorders and mental health problems. These risk factors increase the likelihood of poor outcomes such as overdose, premature mortality and a high rate of emergency department visits. The UC Davis Health Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and UC Davis Health’s Digital CoLab have partnered to create Digital SAFE-T, a digital support program for patients with mental health and substance use disorders after their release from jail.

The new program is an extension of the SAFE-T (Sub-Acute Facilitated Engagement and Transitions) Program, which connects participants with eligible benefits and services. Digital SAFE-T provides technological tools to individuals enrolled in SAFE-T such as a digitally accessible “street sheet” of resources and automated texts from WellSpace Health and Sacramento County with important reminders and check-ins. It also allows for easy communication with case workers from WellSpace Health, who coordinate the individuals’ care.

Enrolled participants access the Digital SAFE-T Program on free smartphones provided by UC Davis Health through a collaboration with Verizon Business to address digital health equity and inclusion. In addition to smartphones, the program also provides tablets and hot spots to help patients access telehealth and social services.

Funding for the new program was made possible through the efforts of Congresswoman Doris Matsui, who helped include Digital SAFE-T in the fiscal year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which provided a $1.5 million congressional grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).