Yale New Haven Health System is preparing to roll out Emmi Engage, the next phase of the Emmi Solutions patient engagement tool.

Emmi Engage consists of interactive, multimedia programs and articles that walk patients through important information about a health topic, condition or procedure. Using a conversational voice with pictures and text, the programs supplement and reinforce key messages and information patients receive during their office visits or hospital stays.

"Emmi Engage programs support clinical conversations and increase quality of care," said Amanda Skinner, executive director, Clinical Integration and Population Health, YNHHS. "They help patients retain key information and enable better understanding, while engaging patients to become active partners and participate in their own health." Healthcare providers will be able to assign Emmi programs  directly through Epic. Patients will receive an email and a note in their MyChart account with instructions and an 11-digit access code for the specific program assigned. Access will also be available through portals on the YNHH and Bridgeport and Greenwich hospitals' websites.

The Emmi programs can be viewed on any device with Internet access, including computers, smartphones and tablets. People can watch the programs as often as they like and share them with family and friends.

"Assignments of Emmi programs will include a seamless integration into My Chart," said Lisa Stump, interim chief information officer, YNHHS. "In addition, the programs can be tracked, so providers will know their patients have completed particular assignments."

The Emmi Engage rollout is scheduled to begin this spring in Surgical Services, Maternity Services, Gastroenterology and the Sleep Center across all delivery networks. The final phase of the Emmi Solutions rollout will focus  on Emmi Transition, designed to help guide patients through care transitions. It is expected to be implemented shortly after the rollout of Emmi Engage.

Emmi Prevent, the first phase, included several pilot outreach campaigns to targeted patient groups using interactive voice response calls. Since Emmi's introduction at YNHHS in May 2015, more than 42,000 patients from across the health system have been engaged by the calls, and more than 5,000 new appointments have been generated.

For information about Emmi, contact Jeanne Radawich, 203-680-1910 or [email protected].