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CVS Health laid out a roadmap for healthy aging that drives more care into the home. The Health Trends Report the company released last week includes a plan by the Rhode Island-based holistic health company to launch a post-acute care transition program this spring. As part of the program, nurse caregivers will be assigned to patients returning home from acute care settings to ensure they have necessary resources.

“That might mean aiding patients by reconciling medications with their primary care provider, ensuring that the home is age-friendly, offering home visits or even helping arrange food and transportation services,” Jamie Sharp, MD, vice president and Medicare chief medical officer for CVS Health’s Aetna division, said in the report. 

The report emphasizes that the nation’s 72 million aging baby boomers are requiring the U.S. healthcare system to rethink the way it treats patients. It cites a National Health Project poll which found 4 out of 5 people over the age of 65 prefer to receive care in their home, rather than a medical facility. It also estimates that demand for home health will grow 25% between 2021 and 2031.

One way to move more care to the home is through increased access to virtual care or in-home care visits, according to Sharp. CVS Health is currently providing both through its Minute Clinics. Sharp said the company and other providers could take virtual care a step further through remote patient monitoring.

“These devices can alert a provider about potential issues and document a patient’s health between visits — information that also can be sent to designated family caregivers,” Sharp stated in the report. 

The report also advised the healthcare industry to ensure older adults are screened for mental health issues and receive appropriate care. It singled out social isolation and loneliness, which afflicts up to 25% and 40% of seniors respectively, often resulting in depression, anxiety and dementia. The report noted that Medicare Advantage plans, including those offered by Aetna, should increase the use of supplemental benefits that help seniors make connections with others. 

CVS Health — along with Walgreens, Best Buy and Amazon — have been pushing further into the home, offering everything from in-home primary care visits to medical equipment. Earlier this year, CVS Health closed on tech-enabled home care platform Signify Health for $8 billion. The company also announced the acquisition of Oak Street Health for $10.6 billion, which provides primary care to seniors.

Walgreens has acquired home care platform CareCentrix and owns a majority stake in in-home primary care platform VillageMD. Best Buy and Atrium Health recently announced a partnership to develop a new hospital-at-home offering, while Amazon purchased technology-powered primary care provider One Medical for $3.9 billion.