Transforming Rural Health Care Through a First-of-its-Kind Collaborative
May 27, 2026
Transforming Rural Health Care Through a First-of-its-Kind Collaborative
A study designed to address rural pharmacy deserts by bringing pharmacy services directly into the home
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (May 27, 2026) – Ōmcare and PharMerica are proud to announce the launch of the Rural Health Innovation pilot study.
Nearly half of all U.S. counties contain at least one pharmacy desert, leaving millions of older adults, particularly those in rural communities, without consistent access to the medication services they depend on. Traveling long distances for pharmacy and medication management is a persistent barrier for rural populations, their families, and healthcare professionals.
The Rural Health Innovation Initiative is a 6-month pilot study designed to address rural pharmacy deserts by demonstrating a scalable model for remote pharmacy access delivered through an easy-to-use home technology platform.
The model combines medication management, pharmacy home delivery, 24/7 pharmacy support, automated medication scheduling and dispensing, and monthly nurse check-in services to provide older adults in rural communities with consistent, reliable access to pharmacy and care services regardless of their proximity to a physical pharmacy.
The University of Minnesota Center for Healthy Aging & Innovation is leading the pilot evaluation, assessing both observed and reported outcomes associated with the use of the Ōmcare Home Health Hub® to ensure older adults in rural communities have consistent, reliable access to pharmacy services and medication management regardless of proximity to a physical pharmacy, as well as the model’s potential for broader adoption across rural communities nationwide.
Collaborators include:
- A Minnesota Mayor, Alicia Pearson, is personally invested in the initiative and provides local leadership support.
- Ōmcare – Delivering services through its pharmacy-integrated Ōmcare Home Health Hub®, a platform designed to enable in-home care and medication management.
- PharMerica – Delivering integrated pharmacy and medication management.
Objectives of the Study:
- Demonstrate the potential benefits of a technology-enabled integrated virtual pharmacy and med-management model in a rural setting.
- Evaluate feasibility and scalability of the model for broader national application.
“Rural communities do an enormous amount of the work that keeps this country running, yet they face the greatest barriers to healthcare. People should not have to travel miles away for healthcare or lose their lives because they forgot to take their medication. We have the tools to deliver care into homes and help people take the right medication at the right time. We can do better, and we have a responsibility to do so,” said Mayor Alicia Pearson.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to changing the way the world cares for our aging and rural populations,” said Lisa Lavin, CEO of Ōmcare Inc. “With a growing caregiver shortage, the need has never been greater. By bringing care directly into the home, we can expand access, ease the burden on families, and deliver a more equitable model of healthcare.”
“Medication access and adherence are critical to keeping people healthy, especially in rural areas where resources are limited,” said Brett Bearfield, COO at PharMerica. “Through this initiative, we’re bringing the pharmacy directly into the home, ensuring safe, timely delivery of medications and integrated management that supports better outcomes for patients and peace of mind for families.”
This pilot is designed to show what’s possible when technology, pharmacy, and healthcare come together.
Potential Outcomes
- A rural healthcare model that is perceived as useful and beneficial by older adults living in rural areas.
- Indications of improved medication adherence, better health outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
- Potential for reduced ER visits and hospitalizations.
- Demonstration of a scalable rural healthcare model.
- Recommendations to guide scalable rural healthcare solutions in future research and programmatic efforts.
Alignment with National Rural Health Priorities
This initiative also aligns closely with emerging federal efforts to modernize care delivery in rural communities. The Rural Health Innovation pilot reflects the goals of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ new ACCESS Model (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions), which will test outcome-aligned payment approaches. Like these national programs, the pilot seeks to expand access to technology-supported care for chronic conditions that affect more than two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries. By bringing integrated virtual pharmacy services and medication support into the home, this study offers a real-world example of how rural communities can benefit from innovative care models that improve health outcomes, reduce preventable hospitalizations, and strengthen the path toward long-term sustainability in rural healthcare delivery.
Discover more about the project and follow the documentary film production showcasing the stories and real-world impact of the pilot. (https://omcare.com/rural-health-innovation-study/)
About Ōmcare
Ōmcare is a digital health company Changing the way the world cares® by integrating technology with pharmacy and care services to help older adults live where they want to live, longer. Ōmcare enables a more efficient, tech-enabled care delivery model that addresses workforce shortages and serves as the last mile of pharmacy into the home, ensuring the right medication is taken at the right time.
To learn more, visit https://omcare.com/
Media contact:
Molly Mulvehill Steinke
952-925-4848
About PharMerica
PharMerica delivers personalized pharmacy care through dedicated local teams, serving health care providers such as skilled nursing facilities, senior living communities, and hospitals. We also cater to individuals with behavioral needs, infusion therapy needs, seniors receiving in-home care, and patients with cancer. With 30 years of senior care pharmacy experience, we combine the personal touch of a neighborhood pharmacy with the resources of a national network. PharMerica operates over 180 long-term care, home infusion, and specialty pharmacies across 50 states. Our comprehensive solutions, backed by industry-leading technology and regulatory expertise, ensure accurate medication access, cost control, and compliance with best-in-class clinical standards. We are committed to enhancing resident health, reducing staff burdens, and supporting our clients’ success.
For more information, visit www.pharmerica.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Leigh White
Leigh.white@brightspringhealth.com
502.630.7412
HIGH LEVEL PITCH POINTS:
- The Rural Health Innovation Initiative is launching as a 6-month pilot study, led by the University of Minnesota Center for Healthy Aging & Innovation, designed to address rural pharmacy deserts by demonstrating a scalable model for remote pharmacy access.
- The pilot begins in a small town in southern Minnesota and combines pharmacy home delivery, 24/7 pharmacy support, medication adherence support, medication management, and monthly nurse check-in services delivered through a comprehensive in-home technology platform. The goal is to bring pharmacy services directly into homes and improve outcomes for underserved rural populations.
- The Rural Health Innovation model aligns with federal priorities such as the Rural Health Transformation Program and CMS’s ACCESS Model to expand technology-enabled care for rural communities.
Ōmcare talks about how new technology helps seniors and caretakers stay on top of their meds with CBS News Minnesota, 6/29/25
For the many who are caregivers, doling out meds can be tricky. It can be tricky, too, for those trying to maintain their independence. In fact, medication mismanagement is the leading cause of hospitalizations among older adults.
Watch the full news clip from CBS News Minnesota here.
Ōmcare helps seniors keep track of their medicine and stay healthy with Twin Cities Live, 5/20/25
TCL Reporter Kelli Hanson introduces us to a device called Ōmcare that helps seniors keep track of their medicine and keeps them healthy.
Watch the full news clip from Twin Cities Live here.
Twin Cities Home Care Providers Launch Innovative In-Home Medication Assistance Service to Improve Health and Independence
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – May 5, 2025 — Two leading Twin Cities home care agencies, CareAparent and Right at Home (Bloomington), have launched a new In-Home Medication Assistance Service, powered by the Ōmcare Home Health Hub®, to help aging adults stay healthier and live independently at home longer.
Medication mismanagement is the leading cause of hospitalization among older adults and a major contributor to loss of independence. With 80% of adults aged 65+ managing multiple prescriptions daily, timely and accurate adherence is essential.
Today, the responsibility of managing complicated medication routines often rests on family caregivers—most often an adult daughter or son. This role can require juggling multiple pharmacy visits, organizing pill boxes, tracking paper schedules, and providing daily oversight. These time-consuming and manual processes can erode the quality of the parent/child relationship and can lead to errors, often resulting in missed doses, confusion, and avoidable medical emergencies.
The new service is a comprehensive, turnkey solution designed to reduce medication errors and hospitalizations by supporting patients where they need it most—at home. It includes:
- Home-delivered, pouched medications from a national pharmacy
- Medication loading by trained home care professionals into the Ōmcare Home Health Hub®
- Automated alerts and dispensing when it’s time to take medications
- Verification of medication intake and real-time adherence tracking
- Easy one-touch video calls with family and caregivers
“This is exactly the kind of innovation we need in home care,” said Jody Hahn, CEO of CareAparent. “Medication adherence is one of the most critical components of healthy aging. The combination of human care and digital precision offers our clients greater peace of mind.”
“We’re proud to bring this transformative service to our clients and our community,” said Paul Blom, Co-Owner & CEO of Right at Home (Bloomington). “It aligns with our mission to Improve the Quality of Life for Those We Serve. Ōmcare will help us further empower individuals to age with dignity and independence, and it adds a new layer of safety and support.”
“At Ōmcare, our mission is to Change the way the world cares® for our aging population,” said Lisa Lavin, Founder and CEO of Ōmcare. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a vibrant, independent life—surrounded by connection, supported by care. We designed the Ōmcare platform to be a simple hub for health, connection, and wellbeing—empowering people to thrive in the place they call home.”
This groundbreaking service is now available to clients of CareAparent and Right at Home in the Twin Cities. Contact Ōmcare at 952-456-6848 or omcare.com/homecare to learn more.
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About Ōmcare
Ōmcare is a digital health company that is Changing the way the world cares® for our aging population by seamlessly integrating innovative technology and compassionate service—making connection and care easier. Learn more at omcare.com/homecare
About CareAparent
CareAparent is a full-service home care provider in the Twin Cities. With a strong culture of hospitality and a genuine dedication to the people they serve, CareAparent is a supportive, responsive partner across the care journey. Contact CareAparent at https://careaparent.com/
About Right at Home
Right at Home Bloomington is a locally owned and operated in-home care agency offering personalized care plans for seniors who wish to remain in their homes. Their team is dedicated to improving quality of life and supporting families with trusted caregiving services. Contact Right at Home at https://www.rightathome.net/twin-cities
Ōmcare Debuts “Phygital” Home Health Platform at CES
The Digital Health Technology Leader to Showcase How it’s Changing the Way the World Cares® for the Aging Population
MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 10, 2024) – Ōmcare®, a Minnesota-based leader in digital health technology, will make its CES debut. The Ōmcare Home Health Hub® will showcase how it's transforming the way the world cares® for the aging population through its new “phygital” approach to remote healthcare at the world’s most influential technology event from January 7-11 in Las Vegas, NV.
More than 11,000 Americans turn 65-years-old every day, leaving more than 1 in 5 adults — a total of 53 million Americans — as unpaid family caregivers. For many, the journey of caring for aging loved ones can be challenging, both emotionally and financially. The Ōmcare Home Health Hub is giving caregivers the crucial support they need to help keep their aging loved ones in their own homes while helping them maintain their wellness and independence from afar.
Through its adaptive “phygital” approach to remote health management, the Ōmcare Home Health Hub seamlessly blends the physical aspects of health support with the benefits of digital connectivity. By linking patients, pharmacies and care providers with technology through its comprehensive, user-friendly system, the Ōmcare Home Health Hub fosters a sense of community and human connection while providing a holistic caregiving experience, ensuring aging individuals feel supported and connected at all times. The core system features include:
- Easy video calls available through a one-touch audiovisual system helping aging adults stay connected to their caregiving team at all times.
- Dispensing pouched medications direct from the pharmacy helping aging adults and their caregivers seamlessly and efficiently manage medication regimens.
- A three-camera system that enables visual confirmation of medication adherence, ensuring the right medication is taken at the right time.
- Biometric monitoring integration that offers a transparent view of the care recipient’s health.
“As caregiving options for aging loved ones grow increasingly scarce and the costs of in-home and facility care continue to rise, families are urgently seeking dependable and affordable solutions for essential needs like medication management,” said Lisa Lavin, CEO of Ōmcare. "For years, medication management has been a significant challenge for aging adults, with many struggling to manage complex regimens. This issue often leads to hospitalizations and a loss of independence. Ōmcare offers a breakthrough solution by directly integrating with pharmacy systems to automate medication scheduling and ensure timely, accurate dispensing. Our platform not only enhances adherence to prescribed medications, but also keeps caregivers informed and provides clear insights into their loved ones’ well-being, ensuring peace of mind for families."
The Ōmcare Home Health Hub was designed with accessibility in mind to meet the needs of older adults. Thoughtfully engineered, the system addresses solutions to common age-related challenges that can create barriers with in-home technology such as reduced vision and limited dexterity. By prioritizing design features such as intuitive functionality, visual clarity, enhanced screen sensitivity and high decibel sound, the platform is not only user-friendly but also highly accessible, empowering individuals to manage their care needs with confidence and ease.
Ōmcare will be exhibiting at CES as a portfolio company of AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP, an unparalleled innovation ecosystem bringing together cutting-edge thinkers in the longevity tech space to champion meaningful advances so that everyone can choose how they live as they age. For more information about the Ōmcare Home Health Hub and its leading remote care technology, please visit Ōmcare.com.
Lisa Lavin visits KARE 11 News at Noon to share more about Ōmcare and the shortage of caregivers in Minnesota, 11/27/24
About 1 in 5 Americans operate as an unpaid caregiver. This device could ease the labor.
The device includes remote care, video connection and medication dispensing so that caregivers are able to check in and care for their loved ones or patients virtually.
Lavin visited KARE 11 News at Noon to share more about Ōmcare and the shortage of caregivers in Minnesota.
According to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, more than 20% of Americans were unpaid family caregivers in 2020. To ease the labor for caregivers, Minneapolis resident Lisa Lavin invented Ōmcare’s Home Health Hub device.
Watch the full news clip from Kare 11 here.
Ōmcare Appoints Healthcare Industry Veteran Martha Goldberg Aronson to its Board in preparation for scale
MINNEAPOLIS, November 19, 2024 -- Today Ōmcare announced the appointment of Martha Goldberg Aronson to its Board of Directors. Martha is a distinguished healthcare industry leader with over 25 years of experience who brings extensive expertise in scaling medical device businesses.
"Martha's appointment to our board comes at a critical inflection point for Ōmcare as we prepare to scale," said Lisa Lavin, CEO of Ōmcare. "Martha’s proven ability to guide companies through rapid expansion while maintaining operational excellence makes her an ideal addition to our board. We look forward to benefiting from Martha’s leadership and expertise as we continue to revolutionize medication adherence and remote care delivery."
Ms. Goldberg Aronson currently serves as Chair of the Board for ConMed Corporation and comes with extensive board experience in medical technology. She has held executive leadership positions at several leading healthcare companies including Medtronic, Hill-Rom and Ecolab. During her tenure at Medtronic, she led the business unit that successfully launched the InterStim sacral neuromodulation device, demonstrating her ability to bring innovative medical technologies to market and scale operations effectively.
"I'm honored to join Ōmcare's Board of Directors at this important juncture," said Ms. Goldberg Aronson. "As our population continues to age, medication non-adherence and our caregiver shortage become even more pressing challenges. Ōmcare's innovative technology platform addresses these critical issues and supports an individual’s wellness and independence. I look forward to working alongside the board and management team to help scale this transformative platform and create meaningful impact for healthcare providers, patients, and their families.”
Ōmcare and PharMerica Team Up to Provide the Comprehensive Last Mile Solution to Tackle Medication Non-Adherence
- Ōmcare will integrate with PharMerica's full-service home delivery pharmacy and proprietary pharmacy information system for seamless medication dispense by the Ōmcare Home Health Hub® platform, bridging a critical gap in the healthcare sector's ability to ensure right medication, right time, right person.
- The integrated solution serves as a platform for new, more efficient service models for senior care and home health operators at a critical juncture for the healthcare industry as more and more Americans are not only living longer, but doing so at time when access to caregivers is falling and seniors are dealing with an increasing number of chronic conditions.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn., May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ōmcare today announced that it is collaborating with PharMerica to deliver a comprehensive last mile solution to address medication non-adherence, a problem that costs the healthcare industry in excess of $500 billion a year. Approximately 40% of hospital admissions stem from issues related to medication non-adherence as do 150,000 deaths each year. The novel alliance between Ōmcare and PharMerica will empower clinicians with better visibility into how patients are actually using the medications they have been prescribed.
Ōmcare's at-home telehealth platform will integrate with PharMerica's pharmacy fulfillment capabilities and proprietary pre-packaging technology to deliver one-touch access to caregivers, remote patient monitoring and medication dispensing with visual adherence confirmation. Unlike current industry practices in which clinicians, absent the on-site presence of a caregiver, have little to no indication that medications are in fact being properly administered, this novel approach will not only deliver the prescribed medications but ensure that the right medications are dispensed to the right person and taken at the right time.
"For far too long, clinicians have not had adequate visibility into how the medications they prescribe to their patients – particularly among seniors – are being taken, especially when they are living independently," remarked Lisa Lavin, the CEO of Ōmcare. "This alliance with PharMerica will revolutionize the way in which we think about end-to-end pharmacy. It will equip clinicians with a valuable tool to ensure that prescribed medications are being administered in the way they were intended while giving family the peace of mind that comes when knowing that loved ones are getting the right meds at the right time."
Traditionally, pharmacies deliver prescribed medications to patients and it is usually up to them or their caregivers to ensure that they are taking the right medications, the right dosages, and at the right time. Up until now, this last mile in medication administration has been rife with challenges as many patients – particularly senior populations – struggle to manage often complex medication requirements.
"Today's announcement of our alliance with Ōmcare marks the next phase in our efforts to transform the pharmacy landscape, specifically addressing that critical last mile into private homes and senior living, ensuring that medication is being effectively administered precisely as clinicians intended," said T.J. Griffin, the Chief Clinical Officer of PharMerica. "The Ōmcare Home Health Hub's ability to monitor and validate medication dose-level adherence sets a new bar in the industry and is the perfect value-add complement to our existing suite of solutions."
"We believe that this synergy between our two companies offers a glimpse into a not-so-distant future when medication non-adherence becomes a far more manageable issue," added Griffin.
Medication nonadherence is one of the biggest problems in healthcare with over 50% of all medications prescribed are taken incorrectly or not at all. And although the challenges related to medication adherence exist in every age group, the issue is particularly acute among aging populations who, due to skyrocketing healthcare costs and other systemic factors, are aging at home longer than in previous generations. With 11,000 people turning 65 every day in the United States, the size of this cohort is projected to more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, at which point seniors will account for nearly 1 in 4 Americans. Moreover, as many as 4 in 10 older adults take 5 or more prescriptions on a daily basis and nearly 20% are taking 10 drugs or more.
The Ōmcare Home Health Hub is commercially available through senior care and home care providers to bring existing telehealth infrastructure and services into the home to improve health, reduce cost, increase member engagement, and elevate patient experience.
About Ōmcare
Ōmcare is a digital health technology company that is Changing the way the world cares® for the aging and complex chronic condition population. Ōmcare has pioneered an all-in-one, integrated home health platform that enables rapid deployment of a home care strategy with one-touch access to telehealth services, aggregated remote patient monitoring and medication dispensing with visual confirmation of dose-level medication adherence. The Ōmcare Home Health Hub® enables a "phygital care" model by serving as a portal for health care providers to maintain patient health and independence while reducing the cost of care.
Ōmcare is an AARP Innovation Labs portfolio company, was recognized as one of the "top innovations" by the New York Observer and has been heralded by the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge as one of most innovative startups serving North America focused on solutions for health organizations. To learn more, visit www.Omcare.com/contact-us-providers/ or www.Omcare.com.
About PharMerica
PharMerica is a leading provider of institutional, community- and home-based pharmacy services. The company serves the long-term care, senior living, hospital, home infusion, hospice, behavioral, specialty and oncology pharmacy markets. PharMerica operates over 180 long-term care, home infusion, and specialty pharmacies in 50 states. PharMerica is a customer- and patient-focused organization serving health care providers, such as skilled nursing facilities, senior living communities, and hospitals, as well as individuals with behavioral needs, individuals with infusion therapy needs, seniors receiving in-home care, and patients with cancer. The company provides highly reliable, accurate medication delivery and support services to approximately 350,000 individuals a day with unmatched service reliability, cost containment solutions, and clinical, regulatory and educational support for its clients and their residents and patients. For more information, visit www.pharmerica.com.
Ōmcare Media Contact:
Morgan Rogers
Morgan.rogers@omcare.com
PharMerica Media Contact:
Leigh White
leigh.white@brightspringhealth.com
SOURCE Ōmcare
Ōmcare talks about the importance of monitoring your health with CBS News Minnesota, 1/29/24
Watch the full news clip from CBS News Minnesota here.
Ōmcare recognizes National Family Caregivers Month with CBS News Minnesota, 11/21/23
"Bloomington based Ōmcare wants to make the job of caregiver as easy as possible. CEO Lisa Lavin talks about how they're doing that."
Watch the full news clip from CBS News Minnesota here.