Bringing care home: Confluence connects patients, providers with new system

WENATCHEE — For many patients across North Central Washington, care doesn’t happen in a hospital room. It happens at home, surrounded by family, routine and familiarity.

Confluence Health is aiming to strengthen that experience with the launch of a new technology platform designed to better connect care teams working in home health and hospice.

The system, known as Dorothy Home Care and Comfort Hospice, brings those services onto Epic, the same electronic health record used across the broader Confluence Health system, including its MyChart patient portal.

By aligning home-based care with the rest of a patient’s medical record, providers say the change allows for a more complete, real-time view of patient needs. The goal is to help nurses, physicians and care teams coordinate more seamlessly during some of the most critical moments of care.

“Home health and hospice care play a vital role in supporting patients and families, particularly in rural communities,” said Robert Pageler, Confluence Health’s chief information officer. “With Dorothy and Comfort, we are strengthening how our teams connect, communicate, and coordinate care. This ensures our patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the place they call home.”

Previously, home health and hospice services operated on a separate system. Bringing those services into Epic is expected to reduce administrative hurdles for clinicians and improve continuity between inpatient, outpatient and home-based care.

For patients and families, the shift is intended to be largely invisible but meaningful. Care teams can more easily share information, collaborate across disciplines and focus more fully on direct care.

The project was supported in part by the Confluence Health Foundation and community donors, whose contributions help expand access to coordinated care across the region.

“The funding made possible by our donors then is able to work to strengthen programs and services, such as Dorothy and Comfort, that directly support patients, families, and caregivers, particularly in areas where access to coordinated healthcare can be challenging,” said Suzanne Carté-Cocroft, chief philanthropy officer for Confluence Health.

Confluence Health leaders said the rollout follows more than a year of preparation across clinical, operational and technical teams, with the goal of ensuring a smooth transition for both providers and patients.

“This is more than a technology upgrade,” said Kelly Allen, Confluence Health’s chief nursing officer. “It reflects our community’s shared commitment to caring for patients and families with dignity, compassion and connection, especially when care is delivered in the home.”

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media