Aramark introduced a new program initiative aimed at utilizing cloud-based technologies to remotely link their highly skilled clinical dietitians with hospital patients.
The program includes a first-of-its-kind technology service agreement with Teladoc Health, where Aramark can offer communication technologies to hospitals leveraging Teladoc Health’s Solo platform integrated with Microsoft Teams. Aramark is also able to facilitate the program through a hospital’s existing telehealth platform. Participating hospitals must have a clinical nutrition service agreement with Aramark.
“We are pleased to offer hospitals this innovative and customizable new program to connect our clinical dietitians with their patients,” said Bart Kaericher, President, and CEO of Aramark Healthcare+. “Utilizing Teladoc Health’s technology will help us enable vulnerable patients in underserved areas to better receive care as lack of technology or physical location will no longer be barriers.”
Aramark’s program is thoroughly vetted with each state’s regulations to ensure patient privacy and to comply with individual payer requirements. Hospitals choosing Aramark’s telehealth program will have access to a regulatory compliant medical nutrition therapy program, trained clinical dietitians, Teladoc equipment hardware, services, technical support, and remote device monitoring.
Like nurses, clinical dietitians are in high demand and many hospitals, particularly in rural locations, face hiring shortages. Through this service, Aramark can link its state licensed clinical dietitians with inpatients at hospitals hundreds of miles away.
“In addition to providing patients with greater access, this technology also helps us to recruit more clinical dietitians,” Kaericher added. “Now they can perform their jobs across a wide range of clients in the states where they are licensed.”
An example of the flexibility was captured at Aramark’s pilot site at the University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. The time to fill a vacant clinical dietitian position at UMC Lubbock is 6 months, and when one of the clinicians needed to temporarily relocate to another part of Texas, UMC Lubbock became the first pilot site. Using the hospital’s technical platform, the leadership team and clinician completed all Aramark program requirements within two months, and she was able to continue to work full time as a pediatric dietitian. She is currently attending rounds, assessing, and educating patients, and continues to be a vital part of the medical team.
“Medical nutrition therapy is an important aspect of our care team and the innovation offered with the Aramark program has enabled us to leverage technology to retain difficult to recruit dietitians and continue to provide, safe, high-quality care to our patients,” said Jeff Hill, Senior Vice President of Support Services and Government Relations at the University Medical Center in Lubbock.
Learn more about Aramark and the clinical nutrition services available.
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