Best Buy Health and Geisinger expand work to improve chronic disease management at home

Initial program with Best Buy’s Geek Squad resulted in quicker access to care, better adherence and more positive outcomes for chronic care patients

Building on the success of delivering in-home care for patients with chronic conditions through Geek Squad, Best Buy Health and Geisinger announced today that they will expand their work together to bring a better level of care to more patients within the Geisinger network.

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Geek Squad agent Michael Duvall educates Margaret, 89, of Moosic, PA, about a wearable device that monitors her vital signs. (Photo: Business Wire)

Geisinger launched its ConnectedCare365 chronic care management platform in 2021 and has since enrolled more than 1,100 patients in remote patient monitoring programs for chronic conditions like congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, and diabetes. Patients enrolled in these programs receive devices—including blood pressure cuffs, body weight scales, thermometers and glucose meters—to monitor their health at home and transmit data back to their Geisinger care team through Best Buy Health’s care at home platform, Current Health.

Beginning in July 2022, Best Buy Health and Geisinger began deploying specially trained Geek Squad Agents to deliver, install and activate these remote care management devices in a program that now involves 300 Geisinger patients. While in the home, Agents educate patients on the technology in their care plan, answer questions about the devices, explain how to use them properly and ensure they are transmitting data back to the patient’s care team. Agents also remain on standby to help with troubleshooting as needed and to collect and process all devices once the patient is discharged from the program by their care team.

The results of the program so far have shown:

• 50% reduction in the time from admission into the chronic care at home program to when device set up is completed and the Geisinger care team can begin monitoring the patient remotely. This is a reduction from an average of 96 hours to 48 hours.
• 19% improvement in how well patients follow their care plans by wearing and using their remote technology equipment more consistently.
• 18% reduction in technical issues reported.

When needed, Geek Squad Agents were also able to replace devices in the home within 24 hours of being reported. Patients had overwhelmingly positive feedback, driving a world-class NPS score of 89 when asked about their experience with Geek Squad visiting the home to get them set up on their chronic care at home program.

Developing innovative care models by leveraging advanced technology and logistics services, Best Buy Health and Geisinger are looking to scale the way chronic disease can be managed at home. Together, they will design a comprehensive package of technology and services to empower patients and support healthcare organizations as they operate their own chronic condition management programs.

“The results of our program show that when we combine what Best Buy is known for—technology support and expertise—with Geisinger’s best-in-class care teams and network of clinics and hospitals, we can make a meaningful difference in the patient and caregiver experience,” said Deborah Di Sanzo, president of Best Buy Health. “Geisinger has been incredible in this work and we’re very excited about our ability to scale these capabilities across the country to further Best Buy Health’s goal to enable care at home for everyone.”

"Health care is changing rapidly, and with those changes we are more focused than ever on moving care closer to our patients and members while simultaneously setting new standards for the quality of care they deserve,” said Karen Murphy, executive vice president, chief innovation officer and founding director of the Steele Institute for Health Innovation at Geisinger. “Working with Best Buy Health has allowed us to redefine the care experience and drive positive change in how care is provided and received.”

About Geisinger

Geisinger is committed to making better health easier for the more than 1 million people it serves. Founded more than 100 years ago by Abigail Geisinger, the system now includes 10 hospital campuses, a health plan with more than half a million members, a research institute and the Geisinger College of Health Sciences, which includes schools of medicine, nursing and graduate education. With more than 25,000 employees and 1,700+ employed physicians, Geisinger boosts its hometown economies in Pennsylvania by billions of dollars annually. Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with Geisinger on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) is the world’s largest specialty consumer electronics retailer. Our purpose is to enrich lives through technology, which we do by providing our customers a unique mix of advice, products and services in our stores, online, and in homes. Our expert associates advise customers on our curated assortment of the latest, name-brand technology, while our highly trained services teams help with designs, consultations, delivery, installation, tech support and repair. Best Buy operates nearly 1,000 retail stores in North America and has more than 90,000 employees. We are a leader in environmental, social and governance issues, including through the Best Buy Foundation’s nationwide Best Buy Teen Tech Center® network and the significant role we play in the circular economy through repair, trade-in and recycling programs. Our Best Buy Health business enables care at home for everyone by focusing on three key areas: wellness at home, aging at home and care at home. Building its strategy on the strengths of Best Buy, Best Buy Health utilizes its Lively® brand to offer a suite of devices, health and safety services and Caring Centers to help adults age independently. Best Buy Health also connects patients and providers through its Current Health platform to improve the care at home experience and ensure better outcomes. For more information on Best Buy Health, visit BestBuy.com.

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