Can You Guess the Technology that an Exciting Minnesota Telehealth Startup Hardly Ever Mentions?

AI? Blockchain? Believe it not, the unmentioned technology is broadband! Even though Clinic@Home from HealtheMed, a public benefit corporation delivering a new approach to healthcare/homecare for disabled Minnesotans, runs over-the-top of broadband networks, the Telehealth start-up barely mentions broadband at all. Isn’t that surprising?

In this post, we examine the viability and value of HealtheMed’s offering and — drawing upon HealtheMed as an example of what is to come — we issue a call to expand the conversation around broadband.

The viability of delivering government services over broadband networks

Even though Internet connectivity is mission critical to the successful deployment of HealtheMed’s Clinic@Home offering, HealtheMed’s website includes scant references to broadband or even home Wi-Fi. Instead, there is an implicit suggestion that — in the Minnesota counties where HealtheMed is available— the availability, robustness and reliability of Internet connectivity is not a meaningful barrier to the successful deployment and adoption of the offering.

Data from the FCC and Ookla support this conclusion. According to the FCC’s Broadband Map, more than 93% of Minnesotans have access to terrestrial fixed broadband speeds of 100Mbps (download) and 20Mbps (upload). And 88% have a high-speed wired connection. Data from Ookla, a public source of broadband speed data, establishes that the average broadband subscriber in Minnesota enjoys broadband speeds of 183Mbps (download).

Not that long ago, the relatively limited availability and adoption of broadband service offering 100+mbps download speed would have been a barrier to launching an offering such as HealtheMed. That HealtheMed can build a compelling business model, raise money from investors and create/deliver an effective healthcare service specifically designed to support disabled Medicaid recipients, provides a very exciting example of what is possible using the powerful networks available to more than 92% of homes in the United States.

HealtheMed — better access to essential health and wellness services for underserved Minnesotans.

HealtheMed describes itself as “a public health utility startup and disruptor” with a mission to support underserved Medicaid waivered clients in Minnesota. In the homes of more than 300 clients residing in 27 counties across Minnesota, HealtheMed has deployed Clinic@Home, a hybrid digital telehealth platform. The goal is to offer healthcare and homecare on a Medicaid client’s terms.

According to HealtheMed, current deployments are yielding encouraging results. Key performance indicators for the Clinic@Home offering include:

· 61% increase in medication adherence;

· 20% reduction in missed provider appointments; and

· 96% annual Case Manager renewal rate.

When individuals are empowered to monitor their health, it can reduce the need for costly ambulance rides, ER visits, and unnecessary hospital stays. As is the case in many states, Minnesota’s Medicaid budget is overextended. Thankfully, there are state and local government officials in Minnesota who support updating rules and regulations related to telehealth and homecare offerings so that technologu-enabled care options can be made available to Medicaid recipients who qualify for a CADI waiver.

Community impact powered by technology

Using advanced technologies, Clinic@Home creates a system of care through which clients can manage medications, appointments, care services, and more all from the comfort of their home over their broadband connection. New technologies augmented by user-friendly technical support resources help Medicaid clients stay in their communities by enabling access to essential services they need in the comfort of their home.

To be sure, making the HealtheMed offering available to Medicaid participants in Minnesota has been no mean feat. Launching HealtheMed has required raising money from investors and building a business model that adequately responds to an array of technical and non-technical challenges. Challenges including:

· Working with policymakers on regulatory restrictions and program rules

· Developing partnerships with devices-makers

· Developing and testing software that works well for Medicaid recipients, Medicaid program administrators and healthcare providers

· A business model that enables adequate technical support for everyone using the HealtheMed offering.

And it will be no mean feat to replicate in communities across the country HealtheMed and other social service applications (including some that do not exist yet!) designed to run over-the-top of broadband networks.

A Call for More Resources for Local Government Leaders Working to Enable, Support and Deploy Advanced Applications, like HealtheMed

Modern broadband networks are in-place in most communities and are tools for local governments to implement and enable new approaches to tackling stubborn problems. Additionally, the networks provide platforms for conducting stakeholder engagement and fostering collaboration. With the State of Broadband 2024 project, we are trying to expand conversations focused on broadband availability to include consideration of the resources that local government leaders and communities need in order to enable and support new technologies like HealtheMed.

Both conversations are important. At Connected Communities LLC our goal is to identify examples of communities deploying applications akin to HealtheMed. We intend to make available to local government leaders best practices and examples from communities across the country where social services are being augmented or enhanced using advanced technologies and new applications.

We need your help. Is your city, town or community using broadband networks to enable/support a smart community goal in a meaningful or innovative way? We would love to learn more. Please connect with us on LinkedIn or via email bill@connected-communities.consulting. Thanks in advance for your interest and for any information you can share with us!

About this Medium Site

On this Medium site, I explore an array of topics related to the transformative power of smart and connected communities. A central question for this observer of the so-called smart community movement: how will municipalities, real estate developers, universities and other leading organizations develop, deploy and support smart and connected community projects at scale?

I welcome feedback and comments from readers.