Columbine Health Systems Improvements

Columbine Health Systems, a local senior care resource and ASI client for almost six years, has recently developed new programs to enhance the comfort of their clients and build community in Fort Collins. The first new program is a Telehealth kiosk designed to monitor patient health indicators from offsite. The resident can simply enter in a variety of health indicators including blood sugar, weight, pulse, and blood pressure. These vitals are then monitored by analysts at an offsite location who are given certain parameters for each patient. If a patient’s blood pressure is too high, for example, the analyst can call the patient who can in turn contact their doctor for preventative care.

“The goal is to help our clients manage their own health. Our goals are to decrease ER visits and/or hospitalizations while providing educational information to help them learn about managing their health,” says Yvonne Myers, Health Systems Director. “It’s been proven across the country that the system is able to save healthcare costs. Plus, people get to stay home longer, which is what they want to do anyway.”

The second new program is launching the Project Search school-to-work program in April. The program facilitates employment opportunities for local developmentally disabled 18 to 21-year-olds. The young adults are each assigned a high-level repetitive task that keeps the company moving smoothly. Columbine Health Systems has currently hired five employees through the program who work in mail delivery, recycling, the dietary departments and as personal care providers.

“They’re always so happy every day; it’s just a great spark in this continuous fiber throughout the company. Plus our residents truly appreciate helping folks gain employment, because 80 percent of the developmentally disabled are unemployed,” Myers said.
Columbine Health is the first company in the state to launch the Project Search program; Children’s Hospital followed suit a few months later.

In January, Columbine Health Systems will implement another improvement, the Health Buddy device. The device is a small computer that asks patients who have returned home from rehabilitation a series of questions to monitor their health. The responses are then sent to a secure data center where they are reviewed by care managers.

“Our whole philosophy is to keep you at the most independent level you can be at, whether you are at a home or independent living,” Myers said. “This offers 24-hour nursing monitoring to keep you as independent as possible in your aging.”

ASI would like to congratulate Columbine Health Systems on its recent new programs, which not only improve the quality of life of their clients, but also work to build community in Fort Collins.

At ASI, there’s nothing we love more than seeing our clients succeed. If you are an ASI client who has recently won an award, made a business improvement or held a charity event, visit our website at http://www.asisucceed.com/resources/client-news to tell us about it!