Hoag Unveils Innovation Center, and Telehealth App
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has launched a new health center and mobile app that will allow patients to receive the same care, whether they’re at home, in the doctor’s office or on the go.
The On Demand Care and Innovation Center, which opened in late March, totals 12,200 square feet at 4699 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach, just shy of 9 miles from Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
Located on the corner of Jamboree and Campus Drive, the new center is also across the street from a $1.3 billion hospital complex being built at the University of California, Irvine. UCI’s children’s outpatient center is scheduled to open in early 2023 while its 144-bed hospital and cancer center are scheduled for 2025.
Hoag’s Demand Care facility, which currently employs 33 people, offers same-day and walk-in appointments, paperless check-ins, in-clinic labs and pharmacy delivery.
In tandem with the new center, Hoag also released Hoag Compass, a free digital health app designed to enable patients to book in-person visits at the new center, or attend telehealth appointments with their specialists, according to Hoag’s Chief Digital Officer Kathy Azeez Narain.
The app features live chat and SMS messaging tools, as well as ongoing check-ins.
“Many health apps [on] the market today are tech-first,” Narain told the Business Journal. “We needed a solution that was patient-first, from a function and experience standpoint.”
While the budget for the project was undisclosed, Narain said the nonprofit health network “spent what was necessary to bring an exceptional, future-based care model to the community.”
Narain’s team also anticipates the initiative will yield a “healthy revenue opportunity,” she added.
“More importantly, we anticipate a push for market share with existing and new demographics in the Orange County region. For us, this is only the beginning.”
Digital Health Future
The news comes as the healthcare industry undergoes a broad transformation from facility to home-based care.
During the pandemic, telehealth usage surged as patients and providers sought ways to safely access and deliver healthcare.
According to digital health venture fund Rock Health, venture funding for digital health companies surpassed $29 billion last year.
“Consumers are very interested in preventative care that keeps them from needing to see the doctor,” Narain said, noting their desire for convenience.
“They are no longer willing to … base their entire opinion on what the doctor says. They are actively on ‘Dr. Google’ and other blogs … Digital Health for them is convenient, accessible and frictionless and in our opinion will continue to grow and is here to stay.”
Hoag Compass Plus
According to Narain, Hoag Compass extends its services via Hoag Compass Plus at $50 per month.
The premium membership offers patients personalized care plans, workshops and classes, and a personal care coordinator, and other resources.
A patient’s entire care team—including their primary care physician, a registered dietitian and mindfulness coach—will develop personalized plans that aren’t “just the traditional ‘after visit summary’ that [patients] get post-physician visit,” she said.
“The care plan is a customized, tailored plan to help [them] meet their health outcomes.”
Meanwhile, a personal care coordinator helps patients navigate all healthcare logistics, including referrals and questions for physicians, every day, including weekends.
The membership does not cover the cost of medical appointments.
By: Orange County Business Journal
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