Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health Partners with Respiratory- Focused Medical Clinic and Digital Management Platform
January 23, 2020Patients have same-day access to treatment of their respiratory illness through Tulsa’s RespirCare and HGE
Health’s digital symptom platform
Okmulgee, Okla. January 23, 2020 – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health (“MCNDOH”)
has partnered with RespirCare, LLC, a first-of-its-kind, full-service pulmonology clinic based in Tulsa, to provide
patients with unprecedented access to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) treatment. Under the
agreement, MCNDOH patients will also have access to HGE Health’s digital symptom management platform, which
allows RespirCare to proactively reach out to patients who may be experiencing worsening systems in an effort to
provide relief, often on the same day the symptoms are being experienced.
MCNDOH eligible beneficiaries will have access to innovative services that address chronic health
conditions such as COPD, ultimately reducing health disparities and improving the health of tribal populations.
“The combination of remote patient monitoring using the HGE Health solution and same-day care
afforded by the RespirCare clinic reduces significant delays in treatment,” said Dr. Billy Beets, Chief Medical Officer
of Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health. “Our challenge has been how best to scale a small number of
pulmonary specialists to address the needs of thousands of patients. This program will greatly increase the
scalability of these resources and enable more of our patients to access the best available care, same-day.”
Once enrolled in HGE Health’s digital platform, MCNDOH patients will log their respiratory symptoms
daily using a smartphone, tablet, computer, or during a live telephone call. Clinically-validated algorithms will
identify worsening symptom trends and allow clinical personnel affiliated with RespirCare to reach out to those
patients in need of attention, often before the patients themselves would seek treatment. Interventions by
RespirCare can involve remote adjustments to treatment or rescue medications, and patients in need of face-to-
face medical attention may be offered a same-day appointment. Patients with respiratory issues typically must
wait days to see a pulmonologist, however, MCNDOH patients who take advantage of this new program will now
have access to same-day treatment. The entire program is run in coordination with MCNDOH primary care to
ensure coordination of care.
“Our patients have widely praised the benefits of logging their symptoms daily in exchange for the
immediate relief they receive from same-day treatment” explained Dr. Mark Boomer, M.D., the founder, CEO and
staff pulmonologist of RespirCare. “The daily digital submission of symptoms has engaged patients in their own
symptom management, causing most to log their symptoms daily over 80% – 90% of the time. Patients appreciate
the peace of mind they receive knowing that they have access to a pulmonologist when they experience changes
from their typical COPD symptoms, which helps those patients breathe easier, avoid ER and hospital admissions,
and enjoy an improved quality of life.”
“Access to the HGE digital platform will also afford many of the MCN citizens residing in rural locations,
where healthcare is not immediately available, timely access to leading specialists in the field of pulmonology such
as Dr. Boomer,” added Michael J. Markus, PhD, the CEO of HGE Health. “Patients managing their symptoms remotely with our digital platform are able to access the best care 365 days a year, even between regularly-
scheduled office visits, when COPD symptoms can fluctuate quickly.”
Based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, HGE Health has built an international reputation in the field of
COPD and pulmonary medicine, helping COPD, lung transplant and other respiratory patients and physicians
control pulmonary issues. Founded in 2019, RespirCare has already dramatically improved the quality and timing
of health care for respiratory conditions in ways that will make RespirCare the standard of care.
For more information from MCNDOH, please contact Cheena Pazzo, cheena@kanatistrategies.com or 918-625-
1937.
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