CEP America Partners with Fresno’s Sierra Vista Healthcare Center in One of First Telemedicine Programs for a Skilled Nursing Facility

EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CEP America, a leading multi-specialty solutions provider for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, has partnered with Fresno-based Sierra Vista Healthcare Center to offer one of the nation’s first programs offering physician night and weekend coverage via a telemedicine platform developed for a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).

Slated to launch November 1, the program represents the first joint venture for CEP America and Aspen Skilled Healthcare, Inc., which owns and manages Sierra Vista. In addition to the night coverage, CEP America physicians will provide medical oversight for all patients.

Under the program, if a patient experiences a change in his or her condition during covered times, nurses can help connect the patient with their SNF physician via a secure high-definition video platform in the patient’s room. The patient and the physician will be able to see and communicate directly with one another over video, giving the physician the clinical insights – including a visual exam, needed to guide the nurses about changes in medication, care or address other needs. With written HIPAA permissions, patients’ families can also be patched in on the physician visit, helping to further engage and connect loved ones and caregivers.

“Post-acute care settings today must provide much more quality and value than ever before,” said DeAnn Walters, Administrator for Sierra Vista. “Not only is the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) looking more closely to ensure the provision of great care for complex patients, but patients and their families want and need the highest levels of care as well.”

The commitment to quality is important to the clinical staff of Sierra Vista. The facility is known as one of the top SNFs in the country, earning multiple five-star ratings from CMS, which measures nursing home quality, and reports zero deficiency surveys in state reviews of the facility over the past three years. It was also ranked as one of the top nursing homes by U.S. News and World Report.

“Providing the best care possible in post-acute settings requires 24/7 access to experienced and committed physicians,” said Mehdi Hakimipour, MD, the Medical Director for Sierra Vista. “In today’s healthcare environment, where there is a shortage of physicians, that is becoming harder to do, especially overnight and on weekends. This new telemedicine service will enhance the existing tool kit for medical directors and more importantly, ensure our patients get timely, quality care.”

Serving more than 250 hospital and other facilities nationwide, CEP America was first known for its emergency and hospital medicine programs. The company launched its first telemedicine program in 2015, and followed that up with one of the nation’s first telepsychiatry programs for Emergency Departments. The latest program with the Sierra Vista SNF, highlights the company’s ongoing expansion into multi-specialty acute care, which now includes anesthesiology, emergency psychiatry, and critical care medicine.

About CEP America

CEP America is an independent physician‐owned partnership, focused on delivering exceptional care for patients across the acute care continuum. Since its founding in 1975, CEP America has expanded nationally, delivering integrated services that span urgent, emergent, inpatient, post-acute, and peri-operative settings. Today, CEP America includes over 3,150 providers treating 6.3 million patients a year at over 250 practices. Visit www.cepamerica.com. Follow CEP America on Twitter at twitter.com/CEP_America.

About Sierra Vista Healthcare Center

Located in Fresno, Sierra Vista Healthcare Center is the premier skilled nursing facility in Fresno, Calif. Sierra Vista is owned and operated by Aspen Skilled Healthcare, Inc. of Laguna Niguel, Calif. All beds are Medicaid and Medicare certified. Sierra Vista provides compassionate and personal skilled care 24 hours a day. Recognized as one of the top facilities in the state, Sierra Vista has a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The facility specializes in providing rehabilitation services onsite to help residents regain independence and return to their homes. For more information, visit http://sierravistahealth.com/about-us/ir or visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sierra-Vista-Healthcare-248836531826282/.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161026005488/en/

Scott Public Relations
Brenna Harrington, 770-338-0357
[email protected]

Source: CEP America

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