oct-2017

14 15 OPENING LINES M eals onWheels America announced recently a new national programwith Aetna to collaborate on groundbreaking research and innovative models for patient care coordination.The nonprofit and Fortune 50 health company will work together to facilitate access to critical health and social services for America’s seniors at all stages of medical need, from preventive to post-hospital discharge. The objective of the collaboration is to create a best in class model for care coordination, in- tegrating Meals onWheels’ daily nutritious meals, social support, and critical safety checks into a continuum of care required as people age.Meals onWheels andAetnawill pilot thismodel in several markets,and identifybest practices intended to improve vulnerable seniors’health out- comes.Results from these pilots will help build a scalable operational model that will address the challenges seniors face in daily living. “More than three-quarters of older adults have at least two chronic conditions.Having a re- liable support system in place to observe their health on a regular basis can be just as import- ant as the care they receive at the doctor’s office,” said MarkT. Bertolini,Aetna Chairman and CEO.“Our work with Meals onWheels America will help us make better connections with seniors in their homes and communities, and enable us to establish truly meaningful relationships that can improve the lives of this vulnerable population.” With the senior population projected to double by the year 2050, this joint program is intended to create a replicable model that will encourage health care entities across the country to utilize home- and community-based service providers to address the significant challenges present in the nation’s health care system. “This collaboration is an important step to fully integrate Meals onWheels into the health care system,” said Ellie Hollander, Pres- ident and CEO of Meals onWheels America.“We are thankful to Aetna for its generous support and leadership in working with health- and community-based service providers, and together, I am confident that we can support seniors in receiving the holistic care they need and deserve.” MEALS ONWHEELSAMERICAANDAETNA FORM INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIONTO IMPROVE SENIOR CARE