Digital health innovator also partnered with Maine health community at onset of pandemic
Maine, which has maintained one of the lowest COVID-19 case counts in the U.S. during the pandemic, today announced a partnership with global digital health technology company GetWellNetwork to use its GetWell Loop tool to keep residents and visitors safe during the height of tourism season.
Governor Janet Mills and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development laid out a set of requirements for visitors to the Pine Tree State, including either a negative COVID-19 test or a 14-day quarantine prior to visiting. Visitors must certify compliance through Portland-based PledgePort. Those unable to certify will be directed to enroll in GetWellNetwork’s COVID-19 Self-Monitoring Loop via GetWell Loop.
“The world knows the devastating effects of this virus and Maine is no exception. While Mainers must follow safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 cases in our state, we need guests of the Pine Tree State to do their part, too. GetWellNetwork and the Pledge to Protect ME provide convenient, user-friendly digital tools to help visitors do that.” said Steve Lyons, Director of the Maine Office of Tourism.
Visitors should go to PledgeToProtectMe.org to access PledgePort’s digital certification process and enroll in GetWellNetwork’s COVID-19 Self-Monitoring Loop. The COVID-19 Self-Monitoring Loop provides users with the ability to self-monitor and easily record their health symptoms on their smartphone. Daily prompts also provide reminders to users to quickly update their health status, along with suggestions on self-monitoring for symptoms and action steps if infected.
GetWellNetwork’s COVID-19 Digital Care Plans have been used by more than 275,000 individuals at healthcare organizations across the country, including Bon Secours Mercy Health, Atrium Health, LifeBridge Health, St. Lawrence Health System, and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. Of those using the care plans, 89% report satisfaction with the tools and 76% said that GetWellNetwork helped them avoid an unnecessary phone call or hospital visit.
“Tourism brings millions of visitors to Maine each year, supporting more than 116,000 jobs in 2019. Our partnership with GetWellNetwork and PledgePort provides visitors to Maine with a simple way to comply with Maine’s COVID-19 travel requirements and to engage with monitoring tools that help them to maintain their own health and the health of Maine communities,” said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
GetWellNetwork’s Founder and CEO, Michael O’Neil, stated, “We have reached a point in the pandemic where we need to diligently secure public health while in parallel enabling society and business to operate safely and effectively. The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development’s plan is a forward-thinking approach to safely welcome visitors while leveraging digital health technology to enable safe return to appropriate activities. At GetWellNetwork, we are prepared and excited to play a role in welcoming visitors back to Maine.”
This is the second time during the COVID-19 pandemic that GetWellNetwork has helped Mainers. In early May, Pledge to Protect ME partnered with the digital health technology company to provide residents with access to the COVID-19 Self-Monitoring Loop.
ABOUT PLEDGEPORT
PledgePort harnesses the power of people’s best intentions to create social contracts that support community health and well-being. By inviting individuals to develop and pledge to self-determined goals, we create virtual communities ready to affect positive and measurable change. At its heart, PledgePort helps ordinary citizens build the communities that they want to live in.
ABOUT GETWELLNETWORK
GetWellNetwork’s interactive solutions engage patients and families, empower clinicians and deliver outcomes that matter. The global digital health company has been helping to unite providers and patients as partners in the healthcare journey for 20 years. From inpatient to outpatient, our comprehensive cross-continuum platform bridges care settings to create a seamless experience for patients and their families. Learn more at getwellnetwork.com or follow @GetWellNetwork on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.