OATS worked closely with the Department of Geriatrics at Maimonides to develop a three-month program to install laptops in the homes of 24 frail older adults and train them to use the hospital’s health IT assets. OATS purchased and installed laptops for all participants, and secured connectivity through a partnership with Verizon.
OATS developed and delivered a 245-page curriculum, Patients Accessing Technology at Home, to teach the seniors how to use the computers and to manage health information and processes. OATS staff conducted ten home visits and ten remote training sessions for all participants, covering computer basics as well as health-specific topics: managing health information, building a care team, taking charge of health processes, and enhancing quality of life at home. The program received positive feedback from both providers and patients, who found the technology facilitated communication and improved the quality of life of participants.