PITTSBURGH, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Highmark Health has been awarded a $1.75 million grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation to help older adults in western Pennsylvania confidently use technology to manage their health and improve their overall well-being. The two-year initiative, called "SUPPORT for Seniors", will address the unique challenges seniors face when using health-related technology.

While technology offers convenience and bridges gaps between doctor visits, ongoing personal interaction and support are vital to establish familiarity, confidence, and trust in the use of health technology.

"Health care is rapidly transforming, with technology playing a central role in enhancing patient care and outcomes," said Anil Singh, MD, MPH, MMM, senior vice president, executive medical director, population and curated health, Highmark Health. "With the investment from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, the SUPPORT for Seniors project will help us better understand and reconcile the digital gap and empower older adults to actively manage their health through accessible technology."

During the two-year program, Highmark Health plans to support 150-200 Highmark members aged 65 and older in western Pennsylvania. The program will focus on individuals receiving in-home health support while managing chronic conditions such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure (CHF), or a behavioral health condition.

"Identifying patients at the right time and enabling them to stay engaged in essential health programs is fundamental in shifting more care to the home and outside of institutional settings," said Mona Siddiqui, MD, senior vice president for home and community services at Highmark Health. "Through this funding, Highmark Health will study how to best design a support system to boost seniors' self-assurance, enabling them to manage their health while remaining in the home."

Highmark Health will use predictive analytics, through its post-acute network management company, Helion, to develop an algorithm that identifies older adults who would benefit most from using technology to manage their health and match them with tailored solutions.

To provide hands-on support, the organization will equip community health workers (CHWs) with specialized training to offer personalized technical assistance, enabling older adults to effectively leverage health technology. This dedicated support will complement the care provided by home health nurses, allowing them to focus on other aspects of care.

The program's success will be measured by tracking seniors' adoption and engagement with technology, the effectiveness of CHW support, and the impact on patient health, including reductions in hospitalizations and improvements in chronic condition management. A continuous feedback loop, informed by data-driven evaluation, will ensure the support system remains adaptable, relevant, and cost-effective in improving health engagement and outcomes while reducing health care utilization for participants.

Support for the initiative is part of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation's Aging Well strategic priority, which aims to help the region prepare for a smaller and older population and promote healthy aging among its residents. 

This initiative builds on Highmark Health's pilot program, also funded by a $250,000 grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, which explored technology barriers for Allegheny County seniors with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Highmark Health is uniquely positioned to lead the development of this improved technology support system, leveraging insights from its pilot study.

About Highmark Health

Highmark Health, a Pittsburgh, PA-based enterprise that employs more than 44,000 people who serve millions of Americans across the country, is the parent company of Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, and enGen. Highmark Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates provide health insurance to more than 7 million members in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York, as well as dental insurance, and related health products through a national network of diversified businesses. Allegheny Health Network is an integrated delivery network in western Pennsylvania comprised of 14 hospitals, more than 2,500 affiliated physicians, ambulatory surgery centers, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute, a group purchasing organization, and health and wellness pavilions. enGen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Highmark Health whose dynamic ecosystem of smart automation and technology supports and streamlines complex operations for health plans and their provider partners. To learn more, visit www.highmarkhealth.org. 

About Henry L. Hillman Foundation

Henry L. Hillman Foundation works to ensure that Pittsburgh's considerable strengths, assets, and advantages are fully leveraged to make it one of the world's most innovative and forward-looking cities, building on the late Henry L. Hillman's legacy for solving big problems through civic leadership and collaboration. Henrylhillmanfoundation.org

*Please note the full name of Henry L. Hillman Foundation should be used and not shortened to "Hillman Foundation," which is a similarly named but separate entity.

PR Contact:

Catherine Clements, Highmark Health

724-757-2800

Catherine.clements@highmarkhealth.org

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SOURCE Highmark Health