The new service combines the convenience of a mobile clinic with the continuity of a traditional primary care practice by providing a dedicated advanced practice provider (APP) and support staff who deliver ongoing, relationship-based care. The first mobile clinic will strategically serve communities where access to primary care has been limited, including areas on the west side of Rockford.

Scheduled permanent stops in Rockford include:

· St. Bernadette Church, 2400 Bell Avenue

· Patriots Gateway Community Center, 615 S 5th Street

· St. Elizabeth Adult Center, 1505 S Main Street

"Access to primary care remains one of the biggest challenges facing many rural and underserved communities," says Kate Barth, MSN, vice president OnDemand Services, OSF OnCall. Primary Care On the Go allows us to meet patients where they are while providing the same trusted, consistent care they would receive in one of our primary care offices."

Unlike many mobile health services that focus on a single specialty or one-time event, OSF OnCall Primary Care On the Go is designed to function as a true primary care practice. People can establish an ongoing relationship with the same provider and receive preventive care, chronic disease management, wellness visits and treatment for common illnesses.

The mobile clinic also offers:

• Lab draws
• Point-of-care testing
• Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
• Treatment for common illnesses such as colds, flu, sore throats, rashes and pink eye
• Virtual care options when appropriate

Visitors to the clinic will experience the same scheduling process available at traditional OSF primary care clinics, including appointment booking through OSF MyChart once the service launches. Visits are billed the same as a traditional primary care appointment, with no difference in co-pays compared to office-based care.

As the program grows, OSF HealthCare also plans to partner with employers to bring primary care services closer to workplaces, making it easier for employees to receive routine health care without traveling long distances or taking significant time away from work.

OSF OnCall Primary Care On the Go reflects a continued commitment from OSF HealthCare to develop innovative solutions that improve access, strengthen community health and remove barriers to care.

Anyone interested in this option will be able to find clinic locations, schedules and appointment availability through OSF MyChart and the OSF OnCall website when the service launches in mid-August.

B-roll

OSF OnCall Connect and the I-80 region are partnering to offer a new obstetric care model. Pregnant or postpartum women in Ottawa, Peru, Mendota and surrounding communities will now have the opportunity to schedule more visits virtually during their pregnancy. In addition, all I-80 patients will be eligible to enroll in the Pregnancy and Postpartum Support program that offers 24/7/365 access to an OB care team. 

I-80 patients will now be offered virtual visits at eight, 12, 19, 24, 30 and 34 weeks. The two-week postpartum visit can also be scheduled virtually. 

Visits are available seven days a week from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., offering patients additional flexibility and opportunities. Nurses on the OSF OnCall Connect team will enroll all I-80 OB patients in the pregnancy and postpartum support program at no cost, providing continuous access for questions and concerns, conducting virtual discharges and scheduling follow-up appointments. Patients will also be screened for social drivers of health such as food, transportation, housing and other supports. OSF OnCall does have a mobile unit to support pregnant-postpartum women on Medicaid who might need care brought their doorstep.

”The one-year program combines virtual visits, 24/7 digital support and in-person care to ease travel burdens, strengthen follow-up and provide a healthier pregnancy and postpartum experience,” says Kate Johnson, manager of Digital Care-Women’s Services, OSF OnCall. “We are committed to innovative solutions that keep care personal while expanding access.” Johnson adds, “Women will benefit from coordinated prenatal and postpartum monitoring and stronger follow-up, while in-person care teams will maintain key milestones and bedside care.”

The OSF OnCall Connect care team will also support post-delivery education before a woman is discharged from the hospital, making sure she has follow-up appointments scheduled, understands the need for regular blood pressure checks and offering lactation services if needed.

The research collected during the year-long pilot will evaluate outcomes, patient experiences and staff insights to guide improvements and shape patient-centered care and communications. 

B-roll-OSF OnCall Pregnancy-Postpartum support for I-80 region

Additional content re: OSF OnCall Pregnancy and Postpartum support:
24-7 connection through OSF OnCall empowers patients and improves outcomes
OSF HealthCare receives $1.5 million for new mobile pregnancy and postpartum care unit

 In Illinois, 34.3% of counties are considered maternity healthcare deserts, according to the March of Dimes, with those living in some counties needing to travel between 47 and 59 miles to a birthing hospital. The program expansion connects patients to an in-person care team based on the patient’s location and ability to access in-person care. If in-person care remains a challenge, the mobile clinic will offer scheduled prenatal and postpartum care where and when it’s convenient for patients who are within the program’s geographic area. The mobile clinic will provide all recommended prenatal and postpartum services such as sonograms, lab work and vaccinations, along with blood pressure monitoring and reporting.

“These mobile units represent a meaningful step toward bringing pregnancy and postpartum care directly to communities that need it most.” said Cristal Gary, Meridian plan president and CEO. “By working with OSF HealthCare, we hope to help ensure that more mothers and babies have the opportunity to thrive.”

The OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy and postpartum program is available to women who have Medicaid and are pregnant or are in the first month of the postpartum period, with the mobile clinic serving identified counties in Central Illinois including Bureau, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Marshall, Stark, Tazewell, Livingston, Peoria, Putnam, Woodford and Warren counties. 

“Faced with numerous operational challenges, many rural hospitals in Illinois have shut down their labor and delivery units, leading to maternity care deserts,” says Jennifer Junis, President of OSF OnCall. “Pregnant women on Medicaid in rural areas are statistically more likely to die of a pregnancy-related complication than their suburban counterparts."

We focused on areas with the greatest need, and our goal is for the OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy and postpartum mobile clinic to extend care to women who need it most, supporting healthier pregnancies, full-term births and strong starts for both moms and babies.”

The mobile unit will begin offering first appointments the week of July 28.

Eligible patients can self-enroll in the OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy and post-partum program or be referred by their provider or health plan. From there, the OSF OnCall Connect team will assist with program enrollment, connection to an in-person care team and scheduling appointments for the mobile clinic as appropriate.

Services include:

•    Education and information for each week of pregnancy
•  Regular check-ins by chat
•  24/7 virtual access to a care team specially trained to support pregnant women and their babies
•  Blood pressure monitoring and reporting
•  Lab work
•  Screening for postpartum depression
•  Support to close drivers of health gaps
•  Breastfeeding support

 For more information, visit osfoncall.org/pregnancy for OSF OnCall pregnancy and postpartum services or ILmeridian.com to learn more about Meridian’s benefits and services.

Cristal Gary of Meridian, Brandi Clark and Kate Johnson of OSF OnCall

B-roll of Blessing and OSF OnCall pregnancy and postpartum care mobile unit

OSF On Call, the digital health arm of Peoria, Illinois-based OSF HealthCare has enrolled nearly 80 more babies and toddlers in a program to monitor at home, those with respiratory illness. The program provides support for patients with a pediatric respiratory virus. Enrollment offers a connection to OSF OnCall care teams 24/7 and monitoring tools that will aid in proactive response to worsening respiratory virus symptoms, keeping infants and toddlers out of the hospital.

September through January of this year, the program enrolled 966 children compared to 890 a year ago. This comes as the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that after a one-week dip, the state’s overall respiratory illness level has ticked up again from Moderate to High, driven by a notable increase in emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for flu.

The program requires a referral from a medical provider and is for babies and toddlers 5 and under with a confirmed diagnosis. Referrals can be made by providers in a hospital emergency department, OSF OnCall Urgent Care, OSF PromptCare, medical offices, or following hospital discharge.

Mary Stapel, MD, lead physician for Community Care for OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center says RSV and other respiratory infections can often be managed at home.

“For the more common cold type symptoms, we can recommend the conservative treatments at home nasal saline with some suctioning, a cool mist humidifier you know, just kind of frequent, small feedings to optimize keeping that child hydrated.”

Clinical Digital Care Supervisor Rose Smith, RN, says OSF OnCall was able to implement its 24/7 digitally enabled, at-home support program for RSV so quickly two years ago because of its experience with similar monitoring to help patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart failure. Smith says parents and caregivers have loved it.

“They love having support anytime in the day, however they want to do it – text message, phone call, anything. They can send us pictures. We've really kind of taken that to tailor what parents need to feel comfortable taking their children home, you know, from a clinic; from the hospital during the scary time.”

An OSF OnCall software application provides education and notifications to report relevant signs/symptoms over 10 days. Smith says upon enrollment, parents or guardians receive a care kit for at-home use from their provider following a visit or a digital community health worker can deliver one.

“So we have a pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels and their heart rate and then we have a thermometer, and we also provide saline spray, and then a bulb syringe. A lot of parents, when their babies are born, they use them in the hospital, but they might not know that they can use them to help relieve any secretions especially before feeding their children.”

Smith adds, it’s also important to clear the nose before a nap or bedtime. Parents also receive step-by-step written instructions as well as a video demonstration for how to use what’s provided in the kit.

Smith says parents who have a child in the program can request a video visit at any time. The OSF OnCall nurse will also recommend a video visit if needed.

“If they think their child looks off, we just have another set of eyes. The providers will look at it (to see if they need a higher level of care). Sometimes our nurses can tell the parents you know, ‘We think they need to be seen. Can we do a video visit just before you take your child out, especially now that it's colder out?’ You know, we don't want them if they're having trouble breathing to go outside, but we really just focus on what works best to still get them the care that they need.”

Dr. Stapel advises making sure you and everyone around you practices good hand hygiene, coughs into the inside of their elbow, and stays home from parties and other obligations if you are sick.

If you suspect your child has symptoms of RSV, the flu, or some other respiratory virus that don’t appear life-threatening, you can reach out to your pediatrician, primary care provider or OSF OnCall Urgent Care which also has a virtual visit option anytime.

Dr. Mary Stapel

Rose Smith

B-roll for OSF OnCall at-home pediatric respiratory monitoring

Flu remains the dominant virus

“We're seeing a lot of patients be positive with the flu. It makes you feel really bad with headache, body aches, chills, cough and fevers to name a few,” says Sarah Overton, chief nursing officer of OSF Medical Group, Home Care and Employee Health. “But we're also seeing some COVID-19 and RSV. RSV attacks very young children and older adults."

All the viruses spiking at the same time have been "somewhat crippling" for healthcare providers, Overton says OSF HealthCare hospitals are seeing high inpatients counts, with many people coming in sick with respiratory illnesses through the emergency department.

Across Illinois, nearly 20% of emergency department visits were for acute respiratory illness, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). 7.8% of those visits are attributed to patients with the flu.

"From Chicago and Rockford down to Alton, we're seeing a large number of respiratory illnesses. And I think the country is seeing it overall," Overton says. "The SIREN notifications from the IDPH show that other health systems in Illinois, not just OSF, are seeing this."

Illinois’ respiratory activity level, calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) moved up to High in late December, dipped to Moderate in January, and has now returned to High to start February.

“These viruses can kill”

The IDPH has reported five flu deaths this respiratory illness season. Along with three people dying from RSV, and one person dying from RSV and COVID-19.

"There's a little bit of complacency or feeling like the COVID-19 pandemic is done. But these viruses can kill, and they can lead to major medical complications and hospital admissions. I've talked to some of my colleagues who are the nursing leaders in the hospitals, and patients coming in are indeed sick. If you can manage at home, we recommend you do so," Overton says. 

For those who are immunocompromised or chronically ill, Overton says you should consult with a medical professional in person if you are sick, but if you’re a fairly healthy individual who is mildly ill, consider staying home and rest. OSF Medical Group and OSF OnCall offer Urgent Care services for many outpatient appointments, including visits with primary care providers and specialists.

For those caring for themselves at home, there are several over-the-counter medications to help alleviate symptoms. Additionally, a health care provider may prescribe antiviral medication.

“Antiviral medication is most effective is initiated less than 48 hours after your symptoms begin,” says IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra.

Flu vaccine rates down

"We've got ample flu vaccine. We are behind our influenza vaccine rates of where we've been in years past," Overton says. "It's not too late to get your flu shot, it's not too late to get your pneumonia shot. If you get it at a retail pharmacy, that's great. You can also get it at OSF or another healthcare provider. We just want you to get vaccinated.”

Flu vaccines are offered at OSF primary care and many medical specialty offices, along with commercial pharmacies. The CDC’s Flu Vaccine Finder allows you to type in your zip code and find options closest to you. Overton also recommends speaking with your healthcare provider about the recently-approved RSV vaccine available for some.

Respiratory illnesses impacting care teams

"Unfortunately, we have had some experiences with respiratory illnesses in our staff," Overton says. "We need to do everything we can to protect them. OSF Mission Partners (employees) have started masking in those areas we know exposure is likely." Respiratory cough stations with hand sanitizer, tissues and masks are available at all OSF facilities.

How health systems being overloaded impacts patients

"When we overwhelm the health system, it could lead to delays in other critical illnesses that need to come to the emergency room or urgent care to receive adequate management," Overton says.

To protect yourself and others, Overton recommends regularly washing and sanitizing your hands. Also make sure to cover your cough to decrease the spread of respiratory droplets, which is a major way the flu and other respiratory illnesses spread.

When to head to the emergency department

“Those hallmark signs of when to see care is when a fever isn't responding to medications after 24-48 hours. Or when you’re extremely uncomfortable and experiencing respiratory impacts like shortness of breath that you are struggling to breathe,” Overton says.

Warning signs look different for kids and adults. The CDC breaks down symptoms to keep a close eye on:

In children

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• Ribs pulling in with each breath
• Chest pain
• Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
• Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
• Not alert or interacting when awake
• Seizures
• Fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit that is not controlled by fever-reducing medicine
• In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

In adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
• Seizures
• Not urinating
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen

Video Interview Clips

Our OSF OnCall team will offer a variety of health resources for the community:

• Health screenings for blood pressure, pulse, blood glucose and total cholesterol
• Help with scheduling a primary care provider visit, a mammogram or finding an urgent care location
• Support for downloading and using health apps such as OSF MyChart; showing how to connect to OSF OnCall Urgent Care for a virtual visit available 24/7
•  Connection to social drivers of health resources for unmet needs such as food, housing or transportation in local communities

OSF OnCall Vice President Brandi Clark addressed those gathered at a blessing and dedication for the On the Go van at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois today.

Empower Boone and Rockford Rescue Mission are key partners and will regularly host the On the Go van to help individuals navigate care options and digital tools. Organizations interested in hosting the OSF OnCall On the Go van can make that request online at osfoncall.org/onthego.

Clark stressed, “Our team of digital health navigators understand that there are often social and non-clinical barriers to health care. And we’re proud to help with those too. From housing to transportation, our team can provide direct referrals to community-based organizations that can help.”

OSF OnCall Connect On the Go is provided through the Medicaid Innovation Collaborative (MIC), a state-funded, five-year initiative is designed to transform health care delivery to improve outcomes, decrease disparities and reduce costs using sustainable programs. MIC provides digital care services and personalized support for Illinois Medicaid patients through programs developed by OSF OnCall including chronic condition support with remote patient monitoring, digital health and wellness education and coaching plus 24/7 pregnancy and postpartum care and digital support.

Digital health navigators will help individuals who qualify enroll in those Medicaid-supported innovative programs during the van stops. Two additional On the Go vans will be deployed in other communities early next year. 

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