Hospice Receives Grant to Implement Telehealth Program

Hospice of Santa Cruz County is the recipient of $166,895 in grant funding from the Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance) to support the implementation of an innovative new telehealth system for palliative care services. This new technology will enhance patient access and experience and compliment the exceptional care and support provided by Hospice of Santa Cruz County.

As a valued community partner, Hospice of Santa Cruz County cares for patients and families with serious illness, and those needing end-of-life-care and support, in the comfort of their home, or the location they call home. Using a team approach, members of the care team visit and communicate with the patient and family to address physical symptoms, provide emotional and psychosocial support, and spiritual care.

“As an organization, we are committed to innovation, education, and excellence in everything we do. We’re honored to receive this important grant from the Alliance and are actively working to integrate Telehealth technology to better serve our community,” said Michael Milward, Hospice of Santa Cruz County CEO. “We believe adopting Telehealth technology will allow for enhanced communication and symptom management for patients being supported on our Palliative Care program.”

“The Alliance is focused on developing new ways to leverage technology to expand access to care for our members, and our telehealth partnership with Hospice of Santa Cruz County will do just that by improving access to hospice and palliative care,” said Stephanie Sonennshine, CEO at Central California Alliance for Health. “Through our Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program, the Alliance is proud to invest in Hospice of Santa Cruz County’s telehealth project, which supports our dedication to ensuring our members receive the right care at the right place at the right time and, in this case, in the patient’s own home.”

Patients will be able to opt into the telehealth application, TapCloud, which is a dynamic, patient-centric app that will help patients and their families with symptom management, medications, and virtual doctor visits. “Telehealth brings a palliative care physician into the homes of medically complex patients, allowing better symptom management and enhanced discussion around goals of care,” said Dr. Charlea Massion, Hospice of Santa Cruz County’s Palliative Care Medical Director.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County plans to integrate the new Telehealth application as an option for Palliative Care patients and families over the next few months with full implementation completed early this fall.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County envisions a community where all people live and die with dignity. Since 1978, the organization has honored the choices of individuals and families by providing exemplary end-of-life care and grief support. As the county’s leading nonprofit provider of hospice care, the hospice program is enriched by community grief support, a children’s bereavement camp, transitional care and palliative care services, pet companion and music therapy programs, hospice care for veterans, and end-of-life education and outreach. Approximately 3,500 Santa Cruz County residents are served annually.

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For more information, visit www.hospicesantacruz.org.