Lean6Health, a healthcare technology startup headquartered in Oneida, has collaborated with Big South Fork Medical Center to introduce its groundbreaking application named “Nanci.”
Nanci represents a novel approach to assist patients following their hospital discharge. Depending on the nature of the patient’s procedure, they will receive scheduled check-ins through their mobile phones. Based on their responses, Nanci will offer guidance and interactive support to aid in their recovery.
Scott McNamara, Co-founder, and CEO of Lean6Health, remarked, ““Today, we rely on a stack of discharge paperwork to help patients. That’s 1970s technology. Nanci modernizes this process.”
Rural hospitals confront distinct challenges, including a significant number of readmissions and the associated high costs. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 65% of readmissions in the United States have the potential to be avoided. These avoidable readmissions place a nearly $40 billion burden on the US healthcare system each year. By offering real-time support via mobile devices, Lean6Health aims to save hospitals valuable time and resources.
However, the primary focus is on saving lives. McNamara elaborated, “As an example, for every hour that sepsis goes undiagnosed, mortality increases by 7%. If Nanci can help find post-operative sepsis and the patient is instructed to call their care team right away, we can get ahead of a possibly deadly infection.”
Nanci’s scope encompasses various aspects of healthcare, including but not limited to emergency room care, surgery, behavioural health, dental care, oncology, and more.
Several prominent hospital systems across the United States are closely monitoring the progress of the pilot program at Big South Fork. Institutions such as Covenant Health, Tennova, UMass Memorial, Trinity Health, and Adventist Healthcare are among them. Once the pilot phase is successfully completed, Lean6Health aspires to introduce Nanci nationwide.
In 2024, Lean6Health plans to incorporate an optional Artificial Intelligence feature into Nanci. This feature will provide patients with recovery-related information without the need to contact their doctor.
Nanci is fully compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is accessible through both the Apple and Google Play app stores. Patients gain access to Nanci once their healthcare provider has enrolled them.
