RCM – Referral and Program Information

RCM pendant

Remote Care Monitoring Referral Form

Please be advised that the eligibility and discharge criteria for the RCM program have been slightly revised, taking effect on August 20, 2026. The criteria can be reviewed on the first page of the revised referral form (linked above). Of note, the form has a new URL, with the previous form becoming inactive. If you have any questions, please contact the RCM program.

*Please note:  Referrals must be submitted by a healthcare professional or individual who is working with the client in a formal capacity (e.g. Ontario Health at Home, community responders, etc.)

RCM Devices

There is no cost to the client to participate in the RCM program. 

SOS/Falls/GPS Locating Pendant (OdysseyGo)

Odyssey Go Pendant Image

  • Provides escalation for falls and SOS (non-falls-related emergency) alerts
  • Canada-wide coverage (dependent on cellular signal)
  • GPS locating and geofence (virtual perimeter) features for clients with a wandering history

Medication Dispensing Device (Karie/Spencer) 

Karie Machine Dispenser

  • Provides a secure means to manage medications by dispensing appropriate medications at the prescribed time
  • Device will alert clients to take medications at the prescribed time using a flashing light and chime
  • If a client does not dispense the medication within a set period of time, the TGHC team will notify clients and/or assigned caregivers, so the issue can be quickly addressed
  • Please note that although the RCM Team can determine whether someone dispensed the medications, we do not know if the client ingested them

Eligibility Criteria

  • 60+ years of age
  • Valid OHIP
  • Clinical Frailty Scale score of 5, 6, or 7
  • Have an escalation contact (e.g. friend, family member, etc.) for non-urgent/psychosocial concerns
  • Stable housing
  • 3+ chronic conditions; and: 1 encounter with emergent/urgent care services within the past 1 month related to any of the listed conditions. Examples of an urgent visit include: urgent appointment with a family physician/primary care practitioner, emergency department visit, hospitalization (acute or post-acute/rehab), or urgent need identified following visit from a community provider (e.g. homecare coordinator, caseworker, etc.).

OdysseyGo Pendant

  • Sufficient hearing and vocal abilities to communicate via pendant (with or without assistive devices such as hearing aids, text-to-voice devices, etc.)
  • Ability to charge device daily or have a support within the community who can assist.

Automated Medication Dispensing

  • Medication adherence due to forgetfulness
  • Escalation contact (e.g. friend, family member, etc.) who can commit to visiting the client to support with medication, if required.
  • No history of intentional overdose(s) (i.e. suicide attempts).
  • No active pest infestations (e.g. cockroaches), as this can cause destruction and breakage of the machine. Consideration can be made if treatment is in progress.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Client has 24/7 care in the home (either from family or a private caregiver).
  • Individuals approaching end of life (Clinical Frailty Scale score of 8 or 9)
  • Individuals who are independent with all activities of daily living, with no cognitive or physical limitations.
  • Client is regularly moving to different living situations (e.g. the shelter system)
  • Client resides in an institutional setting or retirement residence where they are receiving support with their care
  • Client has a pacemaker or atrial defibrillator (for the OdysseyGo pendant only).

Discharge Criteria

The RCM program is time-limited, with length of stay ranging from 6 months to 1 year (maximum). The RCM program is not offered indefinitely. At discharge, the client’s circle of care can be notified. In addition, clients have the option of continuing the service for a fee. The remote monitoring technologies are property of Toronto Grace Health Centre and must be returned to the RCM program upon discharge.

All clients who are enrolled are subject to the following discharge criteria:

  • There have been no “true”/intended alerts from the monitoring devices (e.g. a fall, request for emergency assistance, missed medication dose, etc.) after 6 consecutive months.
  • There is inconsistent usage/adherence to the monitoring devices (e.g. not charging the OdysseyGo pendant). This can result in a discharge within 1 month of enrollment, or sooner.
  • Client experiences a long-stay hospitalization (~3+ weeks)
  • Client relocates to a facility where the RCM program is not offered:
    • Long-Term Care (LTC) facility (i.e. nursing home)
    • Retirement home
    • Palliative care unit/hospice
    • Any other institutional setting

Special Considerations 

SOS/Falls/GPS Locating Pendant (OdysseyGo) pendant 
Due to cellular and magnetic features, individuals with cardiac implantation devices (e.g. pacemakers) are ineligible for the SOS/Falls/GPS Locating Pendant (OdysseyGo). Other devices offered by the program do not have an impact and can still be considered.

Medication Dispensing Device

  • Best suited for clients whose medication non-compliance is due to forgetfulness
  • Client must be willing to take their routine medications and possess the insight to the fact that they need to take medications
  • Client must have enough awareness to recognize the prompts from the machine and will recognize the alarm and lights as time to dispense their medications
  • Client must have an escalation point in the community (e.g., family member, friend, caseworker, etc.), who can respond in a timely manner. They may be asked to assist with any device troubleshooting or to check on the client if too many medications are missed
  • Clients who have a history of overdosing are not appropriate for the device, as the RCM team cannot control someone’s access to their medications
  • Client’s home must be safe for storage of the medication dispensing device. For example, the home must be free from current pest infestations (e.g. cockroaches), as pests can cause the machine to malfunction
  • Client or social supports must be present at home to receive regular deliveries (i.e. every 1-4 weeks depending on the types of medications) for medication cartridge refills
  • Client’s home must have a safe pathway for deliveries of medication cartridge refills (i.e. safe entryway, pathway free from clutter)
  • Client to be assessed by Toronto Grace Health Centre’s pharmacist to determine if their medications are appropriate for the device. Please note that the medication dispensing device is not able to support certain medications, including:
    • As-needed medications (i.e. not prescribed on a routine schedule)
    • Liquid medications
    • Medications that require special preparation (e.g., crushing)

Additional Resources: 

Program Brochures: 

Remote Care Monitoring Program – Brochure (English)

Remote Care Monitoring Program – Brochure (French)

Supporting Seniors to Age Safely at Home – Brochure (English)

Falls Pendant Information: 

RCM Falls Pendant (OdysseyGo) – User Manual  

RCM Falls Pendant (OdysseyGo) – How to Video