Butler Health System Launches New Patient Experience for Total Joint Replacement

Online, March 22, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Butler Health System announced today the launch of a new patient experience for total joint replacement surgery patients, becoming the first hospital in the Pittsburgh area to use a new approach that blends online technology with in-clinic support.

Butler implemented the TotalCare program designed by Madison-based Wellbe.me to provide patients with multiple benefits including the convenience of online education, family involvement, checklists and reminders. The program is fully integrated with other points of care -- Pre-admissions testing, Joint Camps, and Physical Therapy -- to create a single, streamlined experience. TotalCare is offered to all of Butler's hip and knee replacement patients at no extra charge.

"Butler is proud to offer forward-thinking online technology to help our patients and families through their procedures" said Karen Allen, Vice President of Patient Services for BHS. "With TotalCare, we can assure that each of our patients is given the optimal pre-op preparation before surgery and recovery support after discharge."

The Wellbe.me TotalCare program is accessed via the web on PCs or iPads. BHS enrolls patients when they are scheduled for surgery, and the four-month program covers the entire cycle of care, providing timely instructions, education (including videos), preparation checklists, decision-support tools for discharge planning, and feedback surveys.

Enrolled patients have reported better satisfaction with the experience with convenient online access to all the information they need on-demand in a timely, easy-to-digest format to educate themselves and take care of other formalities when and where they want to.

"Guided patient engagement throughout the care cycle improves clinical outcomes, reduces risks of setbacks, and speeds up recovery," said James Dias, CEO of Wellbe.me. "We are sure Butler Health System will see investment returns in higher patient satisfaction scores, better care economics, and other competitive advantages."

About Butler Health System (http://www.butlerhealthsystem.org)
Butler Health System (BHS) is an independent community health system that provides health care services in nearly 30 locations throughout Western Pennsylvania. Consistently recognized for its quality of care, BHS is a network of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, personally invested in the community, focused on providing individualized care for every patient treated.