This article is sponsored by TapestryHealth. In this Voices interview, Skilled Nursing News sits down with Mordy Eisenberg, co-founder, and chief growth and product officer at TapestryHealth, to learn about the rapid advances in even their newest products, like Guardian by Tapestry. He explains what TapestryHealth thinks is a missing category in this whole arena — Proactive Care Technology — and he also explains how providers are approaching staff training with more sophisticated technologies.
Skilled Nursing News: How has the skilled nursing technology landscape evolved since we last spoke a few months back?
Mordy Eisenberg: Currently, we’re observing a surge in technology introductions and more players entering the field. However, it’s important to recognize that not all these technologies are suitable for skilled nursing due to the industry’s unique challenges and constraints. While they might find a place in assisted living or home care settings, their applicability in skilled nursing facilities is limited. With regards to AI like ChatGPT and other innovations, we’re essentially navigating the complexities of finding where they genuinely fit.
If you’ve seen the Technology Adoption Curve, there’s often a gap between the early innovators and the early majority. We seem to be at that pivotal stage now. Facilities are increasingly grasping this concept, and companies like ours are helping to simplify technology adoption, minimizing the need for extensive understanding or investment. As this gap narrows within the skilled nursing landscape, we’re witnessing a surge in widespread adoption.
You’ve created a whole new category that’s catching fire in the post-acute care industry. Why did the industry need a new category, and what can you tell me about it?
We’ve coined the term “proactive care technologies” for this category. Going back to your initial question, there’s a multitude of vendors and partners pitching various technologies to facilities. Typically, these are single-purpose solutions that address specific needs. However, we recognized the need for these technologies to function seamlessly within a clinical framework.
At TapestryHealth, our foundation is rooted in primary care, with clinicians at the helm. We still provide primary care services, and that’s a core aspect of our identity. Introducing technologies without integrating the primary care component would be ineffective. Hence, we’re creating the proactive care technology category, an amalgamation of top-tier technologies that can be intricately combined to establish a safety net for facility residents.
For instance, our AI technology relies heavily on EHR data, nurses’ notes, medical histories, and medications. This is paired with cutting-edge hardware technology for contactless vital sign remote monitoring — a truly innovative approach. The fundamental criterion is proactivity. We’re not interested in hindsight analysis of past issues. These technologies are designed to drive positive changes in the near future, whether it’s tomorrow or a few days ahead.
We’re continually scouting for new technologies, but only a fraction make it into our platform. Our goal is to unify all these diverse technologies into a single partner experience. This way, you’re dealing with one entity that brings them all together in a clinical context, maximizing their impact on residents’ well-being.
How is this new development different from the Guardian product?
The concept isn’t vastly different. It’s an extension of the Guardian product. However, we had to discontinue using the Guardian name due to trademark concerns, which led us to rebrand. Functionally, it closely resembles Guardian, as we’re still building this technological safety network around residents, facilities, or even corporate entities, leveraging our expertise.
Within our toolkit, there are several components we can bring to a facility. We offer flexibility, and we can bring them all of them, some of them, or even incorporate your existing tools into our comprehensive package. In essence, it remains very similar, almost identical to Guardian.
Can you give me an example of that?
The expansion is the main difference. When we initially introduced Guardian, it comprised machine learning AI to predict re-hospitalizations, paired with our telemedicine offerings. Since then, we’ve broadened our scope by incorporating passive vitals monitoring through radar technology. We’ve also added radar-based fall prevention and detection, along with camera-based tools. Our technology offering is multifaceted, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. You can select the components that align with your needs.
A significant advantage is that the majority of what we bring to these facilities doesn’t entail any cost to them. Our aim has always been to eliminate financial, operational and clinical burdens on the facility. We handle much of the monitoring and guidance, ensuring we have their backs while they focus on their core operations.
Doing more with less has become the mantra in the industry these days. How hard is it to train the local staff to operate these sophisticated technologies?
The KISS analogy applies here — Keep It Simple SNF. When evaluating technologies, we consider their compatibility with existing facility operations and workflows. Our goal is to introduce changes that seamlessly merge with their routines. The technologies we bring are user-friendly and mostly passive in nature. For instance, with our AI, nurses don’t need to alter their charting methods. Our passive radar devices for vital signs eliminate the need for direct patient interaction. These devices are easy to integrate and don’t demand extensive training or participation.
We then provide them with user-friendly feedback. We highlight, “Among your 100 residents, here are the 10 requiring attention today and the reasons why.” We’re streamlining their tasks. Regarding doing more with less, we address the staffing constraints and offer user-friendly tools that require minimal technology acumen. We collect sophisticated data, enabling facilities to concentrate on the vital few cases, as opposed to feeling overwhelmed by many.
We identify a handful of patients who need assistance, utilizing technologies that are straightforward and easy to use. This process doesn’t necessitate extensive end-user training. By focusing on these select individuals, facilities can effectively prevent hospitalizations and make a significant impact.
How is this training regimen useful in assigning resources to where they’re most needed?
It’s not so much about training as it is about the outcomes, but there’s some foundational training required for nurses. For instance, when it comes to our AI component, better documentation and notes directly impact the effectiveness of our tool. On the technology front, as long as the devices are operational, properly connected, and aligned correctly, we generally obtain usable data. This mostly involves training.
Where the significant training comes into play is in our communication with the facility. If a patient’s vital signs change or there’s a shift in their condition, we make calls to the facility. We want these calls from TapestryHealth to be seen as crucial. We’re not reaching out about trivial matters. Our calls center around things that genuinely matter.
With respect to the industry’s staffing and acuity challenges, there’s increased acuity with reduced staff in terms of both quality and quantity. We enable facilities to focus their attention on those select, critical patients instead of being consumed by numerous matters.
In a couple of words, finish this sentence: “In the skilled nursing industry, 2023 has been defined by…?”
…an increased willingness to adopt technologies.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
TapestryHealth’s nationwide primary care practice protects your residents through 24/7 on-site and remote telehealth healthcare using the world’s leading telemedicine technology, bringing the benefits of a complete medical center right to your residents’ bedsides. To learn more, visit www.tapestryhealth.com, or call (203) 721-6822.
The Voices Series is a sponsored content program featuring leading executives discussing trends, topics and more shaping their industry in a question-and-answer format. For more information on Voices, please contact [email protected].
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