How a Rural Health System Is Looking at Virtual Care and Remote Patient Monitoring

Sanford Health, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is working on a merger with Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services, after previous unsuccessful attempts with Fairview, UnityPoint Health, and Intermountain Health. At the Reuters Digital Health conference in San Diego, Brad Schipper, president of virtual care at Sanford, highlighted the potential for complementary skillsets from the merger. Schipper explained that TytoCare is one of their most heavily used devices, allowing specialists to remotely check patients' ears, mouth, and respirations. Another frequently used tool is CareSignal, which texts patients and is now part of Lightbeam. Schipper noted the challenge of finding suitable products from the many available, as many are not specifically developed for their needs.