Partners Connected Health To Collaborate With Mass Medical International To Expand Access

To Partners Healthcare-Affiliated Specialists, Providing Online Second Opinions For Patients In China

Partners Connected Health recently announced a new partnership with Massachusetts Medical International, to provide remote diagnosis and expert second opinions via the Partners Online Second Opinion service (POSO), for physicians and patients in China. POSO is managed by Partners Connected Health, and provides access to world-class hospitals affiliated with Partners HealthCare, offering patients and their physicians, all over the world, easier access to expert medical specialists. Massachusetts Medical International is an international medical service institution providing remote diagnosis, medical treatment and professional training for hospital management and physicians from China.

"There is increasing demand for our remote consultation and second opinion services from around the world. We are pleased to add Massachusetts Medical International as a partner, offering healthcare providers and patients in China virtual access to specialty care at Partners-affiliated hospitals," said Joseph C. Kvedar, MD, Vice President, Connected Health, Partners HealthCare. "Our goal is always to ensure the best possible care and clinical outcomes for all patients."

The Partners Online Second Opinion service has provided thousands of patients and physicians remote access to the many specialists in the Partners HealthCare network, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated healthcare delivery system, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

POSO was established 20 years ago and has been used by over 13,000 patients globally. The specialists who provide consultations for POSO are often world-renowned experts in their field, with experience overseeing very complex and rare cases. A recent review of POSO consultations found that in 90% of the medical cases reviewed, Partners HealthCare specialists recommended a complete change in the treatment plan, suggesting profound implications for clinical care. In addition, in 5% of cases, the consulting specialist recommended a new diagnosis.

“Collaborating with Partners Connected Health will help strengthen the bridge Mass Medical International is building between the U.S. and China. This partnership will provide patients from China the satisfaction and confidence they desire from healthcare,” said George Wu, MD, CEO, Mass Medical International. “Our mission is to improve global access to healthcare excellence."

“Working with POSO has been nothing short of an amazing experience. The staff were open and receptive to our feedback on the presentation of the diagnoses, working with us to tailor the information delivery experience to meet patients' cultural expectations,” added Sam Mosca, Director of Strategic Partnerships for MMI. “We raised awareness to potential vulnerabilities of the global patient population, and collaborated to optimize the quality and efficiency of international telehealth delivery.”

About Mass Medical International
Massachusetts Medical International, headquartered in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, is an international medical service institution with established partnerships between world-renowned U.S. hospitals and Chinese medical facilities. Services include: remote diagnosis, medical treatment, and professional training for hospital management and physicians from China. Partnerships with U.S. and Harvard Medical School affiliated hospitals provide access to some of the best health care practitioners and facilities in the world. Mass Medical International's platform enables the organization to act as the go between for Chinese patients and their U.S. health care, either providing overseas treatment concierge patient services, or connecting patients with partnered physicians for a remote consultation. With a long term, patient-centered goal of improving access to quality healthcare, Mass Medical International aims to provide top tier customer service and patient relations. For more information, visit www.massmedgroup.com.

About Partners Connected Health
Partners Connected Health is leveraging information technology – mobile phones, tablets, wearables, sensors and remote health monitoring tools – to deliver quality patient care outside of traditional medical settings. Partners Connected Health programs are also helping providers and patients better manage chronic conditions, maintain health and wellness and improve adherence, engagement and clinical outcomes. The Connected Health team creates and deploys mobile technologies in a number of patient populations and care settings, and is conducting innovative clinical studies to test the effectiveness of mobile health technologies in various clinical applications, including medication adherence, care coordination, chronic disease management, prevention and wellness. For more information, visit www.partners.org/connectedhealth.

About Partners HealthCare
Partners HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to its two academic medical centers, the Partners system includes community and specialty hospitals, a managed care organization, community health centers, a physician network, home health and long-term care services, and other health care entities. Partners HealthCare is committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. Partners is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Partners HealthCare is a non-profit organization. For more information, visit [../Documents/Documents/Partners%20Telemedicine/www.partners.org]www.partners.org.