Coming off a major expansion that took place last year, Zing Health has now set its sights on reducing social isolation. The Medicare Advantage (MA) provider looks to accomplish this through its partnership with Papa – and maybe other home-based care providers in the not-too-distant future.
“COVID, if nothing else, demonstrated that social isolation is a real concern when you ask seniors not to go outside, or be in contact with others, lest they contract a disease that may be fatal,” Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, CEO and founder of Zing Health, told Home Health Care News.
Launched in 2019, Chicago-based Zing Health is a tech-enabled, physician-led MA provider. The organization aims to address the social determinants of health with a community-based approach.
Broadly, social isolation is a significant detriment to health – one that has recently become a key area of focus for a number of MA plans.
“Data suggests that social isolation can be just as deadly as a heart attack,” Whitaker said. “If you think about the fact that heart disease and heart attacks are the No. 1 killer across age categories, that’s a pretty profound statement about what social isolation could be.”
Through the partnership, MA HMO plan members will have access to Papa’s in-home support services, either in-person or virtually.
Founded in 2017, Miami-based Papa is a membership-based platform that mostly connects Papa Pals and older adults. Aside from companionship, Papa Pals provide seniors general assistance, including transportation services and similar task-based help.
Papa has been ahead of the curve in terms of prioritizing social isolation among seniors, but it was the company’s ability to collect, analyze and act on data that made for an appealing partner, according to Zing’s CEO.
“For us, it solves what we think is a very important social issue, but it also gives us insight into the context of health for an individual,” Whitaker said. “We’re continuing to work with Papa on what sort of data to gather, and what sort of data exchange would be most impactful to serve our members better and get the health outcomes we strive to achieve.”
Papa’s footprint also made the company an attractive partner, according to Whitaker.
“When you have a national footprint, like Papa, you can craft solutions and work together and solve problems across a larger geography,” he said.
On top of its partnership with Papa, Zing Health is in its early stages of interacting with home-based care providers.
“Over time, as we mature, we will want to have closer relationships with home health agencies in the same way we do with Papa,” Whitaker said.
Ultimately, home-based care companies looking to form partnerships with Zing Health will need to serve as an extension of the organization’s care team.
“They would basically be our representative for that last mile into the home,” Whitaker said. “It’s important to have a partner that can act in the home on behalf of Zing Health. For example, if we want to make sure that our members have the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, or get tested, we need a partner who’s really working to get that service or benefit in the home.”
Looking ahead, Whitaker believes that home-based care will take on a bigger role at Zing Health in the future.
“Having someone who can look in a bathroom and assess for fall risks so our seniors don’t have hip fractures is critically important,” he said. “Being able to see if an individual has their medications and is taking them appropriately is an important thing. I see the role of home health only growing as the future proceeds.”
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