John Busigin, MD, Named Advanced Care at Home Medical Director

Covenant Health announces the appointment of John Busigin, MD, as the Medical Director for its new program, Advanced Care at Home.

“As the first Medical Director of the newly created Advanced Care at Home program, Dr. Busigin will set the direction of this novel and innovative approach to enhancing the patient care experience,” says Mandy Halford, MD, senior vice president and chief medical informatics officer for Covenant Health.

Advanced Care at Home aims to provide care for patients traditionally requiring hospitalization, in the comfort and safety of their homes, by combining the use of multiple advanced-home services, provider visits, and technology.

Covenant Health hospital leaders are unreservedly excited by the selection of Dr. Busigin for this role. One colleague said, “Dr. Busigin brings over a decade of knowledge in clinical patient care, combined with an Information Technology (IT) background, first as a web-database programmer and then in several IT leadership positions, to help create quality patient care for patients, who have previously required hospitalization, that is now provided in the home environment.”

Jessie Doers, MD, is the president and managing partner of StatCare, and as a critical care medicine specialist and pulmonologist, he serves as a Critical Care and Tele-ICU Physician Leader. Dr. Doers said, “Dr. Busigin is innovative, yet patient-centric in his goals. Improved patient outcomes will be imperative for him.”

Dr. Busigin’s background is ideal for this new approach to patient care. His educational training includes a summa cum laude accomplishment with his B.S. in Professional Aeronautics. He worked as a web-database programmer during his undergraduate classes, followed by earning a medical degree from the University of Florida. He completed his residency in family medicine at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Dr. Busigin has held numerous IT positions during medical school and subsequently within the Society of Hospital Medicine, and he has worked clinically at Covenant Health hospitals since 2017.

Dr. Busigin notes that he is truly excited and honored by this new opportunity. He believes this new model for patient care will grow rapidly and be embraced by patients. He said, “Imagine receiving all the care for an illness that would typically require three to 10 days in a hospital, but in a safer environment and in the comfort of home. As I have said before, this passes the “family test” in that it is what we would want for our own family members. I am excited by the opportunity to lead this change in healthcare.”

The program, in partnership with Medically Home Group, Inc., is designed for patients who require high-acuity care. Patients can receive hospital-level medical support services including medication management, laboratory services, intravenous (IV) infusion services, rehabilitation therapies (physical, speech and occupational), oxygen treatments, X-ray and ultrasound, all in their home setting.

Conditions in which a patient might qualify include heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, soft tissue infections, gastroenteritis or dehydration to name a few.

“The future of healthcare seems a little brighter than what has been felt and experienced over the last few years,” says Dr. Halford. “We are fortunate to welcome Dr. Busigin as the medical director of this program effective May 2023.”