At Home Harmony, which provides in-home health services to the elderly, is expanding to Williamsburg and Charlottesville. (Photos courtesy At Home Harmony)
A Richmond-area startup is bringing its in-home health services to other parts of the state after launching locally nearly two years ago.
At Home Harmony, formerly called Synergy Healthcare, is planning to expand to the Williamsburg and Charlottesville areas in the coming months. The move into new markets is scheduled to follow At Home’s rollout of a new support service for patients with dementia.
At Home offers primary care visits, remote health monitoring, personal care and pain management to elderly patients in their own homes.
The company bills itself as a way for seniors with significant medical needs to maintain their health while they age in place, though At Home does have customers who are residents in assisted or independent living centers. Its average patient age is mid-80s and takes a median of more than 12 medications.
As At Home plots its expansion, CEO and founder Will Saunders said the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has made in-home care more appealing to older people.
“I think it’s fair to say that model has exploded, it has incredible value. … The most dangerous place you can be if you’re 86 years old is the hospital. We learned that during COVID. Our team can really keep folks safely in place,” Saunders said. “Coming out of COVID there is a substantial population of seniors that simply want to stay home that I think in years past maybe would have accessed some type of institution or senior living setting.”
Will Saunders
Currently operating in the Richmond and Petersburg areas, At Home is looking to expand its footprint by kicking off operations in Williamsburg in August and in Charlottesville in the fall.
Saunders said At Home picked those markets for expansion because they have relatively high numbers of elderly and retired people. The company hopes to expand into additional states starting early next year.
Saunders said At Home has already hired providers in Williamsburg and plans to have 15 providers there within the first few weeks of operations.
In addition to expanding into new markets, At Home also is introducing a new service for people with dementia and their caregivers.
The company has been approved by the federal government to participate in the new Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) program. At Home plans to start marketing the new offering in July.
As a GUIDE provider, At Home will coordinate medical appointments for people with dementia, provide training to their caregivers and offer other resources. GUIDE is a Medicare program.
“Our nurse, supervised by our physicians, would basically provide them care navigation, give them advice on their conditions, recommend a plan of care,” Saunders said. “It’s basically having a concierge nurse to help you navigate the healthcare system.”
About 1,500 people have used At Home’s services since it launched in 2022. The company rebranded from Synergy shortly after its launch. Saunders, who has years of experience in the health industry, founded and later sold AllyAlign Health before he started At Home.
At Home’s headquarters and pharmacy is at 1504 Santa Rosa Road in Henrico. The company occupies 12,000 square feet there and has expanded its office footprint several times since it launched.
The company has more than 160 employees. Among the team are doctors, nurses and personal care aides. The company’s services, except for personal care, are covered by Medicare.