Marci Schneider Batsakis of Orland Park, Illinois never imagined when she enrolled in a new type of primary care that offers 24/7 digital access that she would be using it the first weekend.

Schneider Batsakis was the first patient to enroll in mid-June in OSF CompleteCare 55+. The service offers around-the-clock digital support, plus virtual and in-person care at its new clinic at 99^th and Western in south suburban Evergreen Park. She liked the idea of coordinated care that was connected to a hospital system.

“I wanted my care to be coordinated in a more organic way. I wanted my doctors to have privileges at the same hospital, have a passing recognition of each other, so that I knew I truly had a team working with me.”

OSF Complete Care 55+ is operated by OSF HealthCare, a 17-hospital system that includes OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park. OSF CompleteCare 55+, focuses on patients who are 55 or older and experiencing two or more ongoing health conditions. For Schneider Batsakis, that’s high blood pressure and arthritis.

High blood pressure was the issue six days after first enrolling. The retired nurse knew something was wrong and sure enough, her blood pressure was extremely and dangerously high. Schneider Batsakis used the OSF CompleteCare 55+ 24/7 care team phone number, and an advanced practice registered nurse listened to her symptoms and immediately told her, “Either you call an ambulance, or I will.”

Schneider Batsakis said she needed that clear advice and was glad she could get it at 11:30 on a Saturday morning. She spent that night in the hospital where she received tests and was monitored.

“I'm fine now, but had he not told me what to do, I might have spent the next hour trying to figure out if I really wanted to do it. Should I be calling someone to drive me to the hospital? So, it really was exactly what I needed.”

Schneider Batsakis jokes that her daughters have degrees from Google university and in this case, they were glad their mom had someone to call and get great, reliable advice. She has also given them, as medical power of attorneys, the 24/7 care team phone number.

Schneider Batsakis’ follow-up at OSF CompleteCare 55+ was the Monday morning following the weekend health emergency.

Schneider Batsakis shares. "What CompleteCare offered me was a place to come in on that Monday, admit that I was scared, talk about my concerns, and I felt like they [her concerns] were listened to. I felt like I was validated, and we sat and came up with a plan of care that's right for me.”

Part of her care plan will include a referral to a registered dietitian because while in the hospital, she was tested for diabetes, and her A1C, a measurement average blood sugar levels over time, was a bit high.

Schneider Batsakis welcomes the referral and says she's pleased to get expert advice on how to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

The newly built OSF CompleteCare 55+ clinic features 12 exam rooms, on-site labs, and extended hours. Features were developed through listening sessions with the older adult community on Chicago’s south side and southwest suburbs to hear what care the community wanted.

Managing medical director Sandy Valino Stock, DO, says future plans include group visits for education. OSF CompleteCare 55+ offers at-home digital monitoring tools and devices that allow 24/7 support. The clinic also features a Connect Bar, an area of the lobby where care navigators help patients get connected to OSF MyChart, messaging options and to make appointments with specialists.

Schneider Batsakis looks forward to feeling a part of a community and to getting the care where and when she needs it. The active suburban resident also encourages those 55 years and beyond to consider enrolling so they can experience a new level of access and a more personalized approach to care.

“Especially if you’re a woman who no longer needs your OB/GYN and you’ve been using urgent care as your primary care; this is where you need to be. The community of people understand that we are not youngsters. They understand what’s going on with us. They’re looking at our age and our concerns and helping us be the best that we can be as we move forward.”

Here's the website for more information, including frequently asked questions or to get started with OSF CompleteCare 55+.  

Marci Schneider Batsakis

B-roll-OSF CompleteCare 55+ patient story

Samantha, a 25-year-old woman who recently had her second baby, enrolled in a new program through OSF OnCall Connect that provides support to pregnant women with Medicaid insurance.

The program likely saved her life. Eight days after she delivered a healthy baby girl, Samantha messaged her care team through an application that can be accessed on a tablet or smartphone that serves as a key connection and education tool.

It’s available through the OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy-postpartum program and connects patients instantly to a nurse. Samantha explained she was suffering from a terrible migraine headache and chest pains. The OSF OnCall nurse immediately recognized the significance of her symptoms and notified the advance practice provider who recommended Samantha go directly to the Emergency Department. She had a serious condition called postpartum pre-eclampsia, which can lead to brain damage, stroke and death if left untreated. Samantha was to make a full recovery. She’s also is a Black woman, and in the United States, pregnant Black women are three times more likely than white women to die as a result of pregnancy.

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found 80% of maternal deaths between 2017 and 2019 were due to preventable causes, and many of the deaths occurred within the first year after giving birth. The statistics are behind the new OSF program that was launched under the umbrella of a state-funded program called the Medicaid Innovation Collaborative.

Kate Johnson, clinical supervisor for Digital Care at OSF, says 970 women with Medicaid insurance have signed up for the pregnancy and postpartum program since it was launched in August. Currently, nearly 500 women are actively enrolled. Johnson says pregnant women, especially those who have a lack of resources, are eager to have the 24/7 connection offered through an app they can download on their smart phone or tablet

“It provides check-in questions, routine questions, like ‘Are they having any signs of infection, UTI symptoms? Are they struggling with breastfeeding; having any depression symptoms?’ And if they answer in any kind of an alarming way, that lets our nurses know right away … sends them an alert, and we're able to contact those patients via telephone and triage if we need to.”

Women on Medicaid can self-enroll in the free program starting eight weeks into their pregnancy by going online to register. After they enroll, women will be sent a blood pressure cuff to take regular readings and the program can connect them to other equipment they might need such as a breast pump.

Women can also enroll in the postpartum program without having participated in the pregnancy support. Johnson says women will receive new education messages each week throughout their pregnancy and postpartum.

“I think the education that we provide those moms during their pregnancy is awesome because it's getting them ready to deliver their baby. So, helping them think about things like how they want to feed their baby, birth plan, pain management for their delivery, things of that nature.”

Connecting women to mental health support

The CDC study found mental health issues were among the preventable, pregnancy-related conditions that lead to higher mortality rates. Johnson says that’s why the program offers depression screening upon enrollment in the pregnancy program, and when they deliver, they have the option to enroll in the postpartum portion. For postpartum support, they can indicate the type of support they need, such as selecting whether they delivered vaginally or via C-section or if they require information on infant care.

Even though women are screened for depression in the hospital after they give birth, it’s often six weeks before they have a follow-up appointment. Johnson says that’s sometimes too late, and women too often suffer in silence.

“So, we will be screening her right upon enrollment into the postpartum loop. And then we'll do a two-or three-week check-in to make sure emotions are doing okay. There is such a huge change in emotions postpartum with the changes in your hormones and bringing a baby home plus the sleep deprivation. So, we want to be there to support them in that initial six weeks before they see their provider.”

A patient named Jane enrolled and indicated she suffered from untreated postpartum depression after her first child, which is a risk factor she could experience that with another pregnancy. Jane had messaged regularly after delivering her second child, and by her third week, made contact and told the OSF OnCall nurse she had worsening depression to the point she had suicidal and homicidal thoughts. The woman was taken to a local hospital to get help, and remained calm while waiting for the ambulance because of the connection and trust she felt with a nurse she had had regular contact with through the program.

The OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy and postpartum initiative also screens for social determinants of health – all those factors outside of a medical office, such as food insecurity, financial struggles, housing and transportation challenges, to fill the gaps that could contribute to the woman’s health and the health of their baby. Johnson shares there are common struggles.

“I think what we're seeing mostly is patients who are struggling with transportation to get to their actual OB provider appointments, so we are able to align transportation for them in most cases. Just this past weekend, we had a patient that had no car but needed a prescription. So, we aligned her with a pharmacy that delivered those medications directly to her door.”

Women with Medicaid insurance enrolled in the program have the option of being connected with a digitally-enabled community health worker who can help them navigate ongoing support from community-based organizations. Translation services are part of the support provided to make sure women get the medical care and outside resources that can help meet their social service needs met.

Video clips with Kate Johnson, clinical supervisor of Digital Care, OSF OnCall Connect