Keenan PR, Inc. for CHSHeathere Evans-Keenan, APR, 703-728-1467orfor Center for Connected HealthGina Cella, 781-334-4692
(CHS), a national workforce health management company specializing in onsite health care solutions, has created a strategic partnership with Boston-based Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare and an innovator in moving care from the hospital and doctor’s office to the day-to-day lives of patients. The two will jointly market their services nationally to deliver specialty care from Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston using information technology to help patients access expert specialty healthcare providers in the Partners HealthCare network, to improve care, resulting in reduced overall employer healthcare costs.
The agreement adds a robust Tele-Specialty component to CHS’ portfolio of employee health services, giving its Fortune 1,000 clients and their workforces broader access to health care, beyond services provided in their actual Onsite Health Centers. For example, with the Center for Connected Health’s telemedicine capabilities CHS will be able to provide its patients with quick and convenient specialist consultations through the Partners Online Specialty Consultations (POSC) system. POSC is a web-based application that enables consumers and their physicians to have “anytime, anywhere” access to the knowledge base of the 4,000+ specialists located at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals.
“Our partnership with the Center for Connected Health will provide our patients with greater access to medical specialty resources,” said Stuart Clark, president of CHS. “We are pleased to collaborate with the prestigious Center for Connected Health and anticipate the benefits to include improved patient behavior, improved patient compliance, earlier diagnosis and intervention, all from one of the most reputable organizations in healthcare - Partners.”
CHS anticipates the partnership to begin with some of its Fortune 500 clients, particularly those with employees in remote office locations who don’t have in-person access to the onsite health center.
The Center for Connected Health is an innovator in many areas including remote home monitoring and between-visit care with programs in heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, other chronic conditions, and technology-enabled access to specialist care.
“We are committed to improving the quality and accessibility of specialized health care and expert second opinions via our Partners Online Specialty Consultation services, and support the strides made by CHS in setting the standard for onsite care,” said Joseph C. Kvedar, MD, founder and director at the Center for Connected Health. “Our partnership will give more patients access to leading medical specialists in the Partners network, to address a range of health conditions, provide expert second opinions and ultimately, improve clinical outcomes."
Today’s announcement illustrates CHS’ commitment to provide more meaningful, effective and higher quality health care to patients, as well as to reducing costs for corporations and providing a significant employment benefit. According to the American Telemedicine Association, the rapidly growing fundamental benefits of telemedicine include: improved access, cost efficiencies, and patient demand. CHS is active in industry groups dedicated to setting quality standards in onsite care.
Founded in 1975, CHS is the industry's largest independent provider of onsite health solutions. Major corporations look to CHS for workforce health and productivity management services including onsite primary care, health coaching, pharmacy services, and telemedicine for dispersed workforces nationwide. As an independent provider of workforce health care, CHS offers an objective viewpoint that, combined with its deep analytical approach to employee health, helps maximize the effectiveness of every health care dollar spent, while ensuring employees have the best treatment options. CHS tailors healthcare delivery to employers' overarching benefits strategies and supports each organization with integrated health information systems. For more information, visit or call 800-638-8083.
The Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare, is creating effective, new solutions and innovative interventions to deliver quality patient care outside of the traditional medical setting. Our programs use a combination of remote-monitoring technology, sensors, and online communications and intelligence to improve patient adherence, engagement and clinical outcomes. The Center also offers expert online second opinions, virtual visits, and engages in innovative research to uncover new models for better care. The Center’s Consulting Services assist companies, providers and other organizations to learn more about entering the connected health space and to prepare products and services for integration into the healthcare delivery system. Visit
Boston-based Partners HealthCare is an integrated health system founded in 1994 by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to its two academic medical centers, the Partners system also includes community and specialty hospitals, community health centers, a physician network, home health and long-term care services, and other health-related entities. Partners is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Partners is a nonprofit organization. Visit .