Telehealth…
North Penn Visiting Nurse
Association has been
utilizing telehealth technology since
2005. The Honeywell HomMed
telemonitor allows North Penn VNA nurses to
monitor the health status of home care patients
7-days a
week in addition to the intermittent nursing visits that
patients
receive.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth, or in-home monitoring,
uses technology to
assist patients in the daily collection
of their vital signs
and other clinical data. The
information is transmitted,
securely, through the patient’s
telephone line to a computer
at North Penn VNA for
interpretation by a registered
nurse. North Penn VNA will place telemonitoring units,
about the size of an alarm clock, in the homes of selected
home care patients who will benefit from the additional
monitoring of their health status. With a kind voice,
the
monitors will alert
patients when it is time to take their
blood pressure, pulse
and weight, then the monitor will
ask up to 10 yes/no
questions on how they feel, or whether
they have eaten or
taken their medications.
Early Detection = Reduced Hospitalization
and Maintained
Independence
The North Penn VNA nurses will use the
information for
early detection, intervention, and to
educate patients on
ways to improve their health. If any of
the data is out of
a pre-set range
it will be flagged and a
call will be made
to the patient. If necessary, a
nurse will make a visit to
better asses the situation. “Collecting and evaluating vital
signs and other
information on a daily basis will allow our
nurses to see
what’s happening with a patient even when
they are not
scheduled for
a visit,” said Kitty Fitzgerald, Executive
Director of North Penn VNA. “Monitoring patients
this way
may give us the ability to catch a problem early and prevent
a more serious one from developing. We’ve been excited to see
how the monitor has helped our patients
maintain their
independence, reduce the risk of going back
to the hospital
and improve their health.”
Patient and Physician Satisfaction
Studies conducted by Honeywell HomMed have shown
that patient and physician satisfaction
increases with the
use of in-home monitoring during home
care service. Physicians whose patients are on monitors
will receive
periodic reports, including graphs of the data
collected,
showing their patient’s progress. “With our
nurses monitoring patients on a daily basis, physicians can
use the clinical
data collected to be more pre-emptive in
patient care,
allowing for quick adjustments to medications
or treatment
plans in response to a change in condition,”
said Jane
Brainard, Director of Patient Services at North
Penn VNA. “Telehealth allows our patients to immediately
see the results
of not following their medication regimen
or recommended
diet. Patients can learn that doing what the
doctor and
visiting nurse told them to can mean a better
quality of life.”
In previous telehealth studies, patients
have indicated that
they feel better knowing that someone is
watching out for
them each day.
When you are referred to home care
services by your
doctor or during discharge planning from a
hospital stay,
ask for Telehealth provided by North Penn
Visiting Nurse Association.
Disease Management
North Penn VNA is the
premier provider of home health
and community services in the
region. We are committed
to providing you with the highest
quality of care available.
That’s why we combined the latest in
home health technology, the teaching skills of our knowledgeable
and professional
staff, and a coordinated plan of care to create
a comprehensive disease management program called TLC –
Telehealth, Learning, Control.
North Penn VNA
designed TLC to assist you, on a daily
basis, with the
treatment and management of:
TLC
is designed to put you in control of your health.
Success in the TLC program depends on you.
- Follow the instructions
of your nurse and physician.
This
is the most important
thing you can do to improve your health.
- Take your medications
as prescribed and follow the
diet and exercise plan laid out
for you.
- Use your monitor as
prescribed, follow the instructions and answer the questions
truthfully. The information gathered from the monitor is
the best way the nursing team at North Penn VNA can help you
remain at home, active and keep you out of the hospital.
- Educate yourself about
your disease, medications and restrictions using the book
and materials provided by
your nurse and in your TLC program
folder.
- Ask questions of your
nurse or doctor when you are confused about instructions or
need clarification.
You will benefit from the TLC program by:
- Achieving independence
and self-management
- Making lifestyle
changes that promote good health
and optimal daily living
- Reducing the
aggravation of symptoms, emergency
room visits and
hospitalizations
- Learning about the
treatment and management of
your disease and your health
- Having the security
knowing that a nurse is “seeing”
you daily and your health
is improving
To enrollment in the TLC program you must be:
-
Homebound
-
Unstable in the
control of either CHF, Hypertension
or COPD
-
Need additional
education and monitoring by a
skilled nurse
In addition, a doctor's referral is required for admission
to
North Penn VNA servcies, so talk to your doctor about whether
homecare with telehealth services - TLC - is right
for you.
Private Pay
If telehealth sounds interesting to you
and you see it
fulfilling a need for yourself or a loved one,
you could
have a telehealth monitor placed in your home with
daily nursing oversight for a small monthly fee.
Many people feel safer knowing that a
nurse is reviewing
their health status and vital signs on a
daily basis and is available for questions if the need arises.
Children of aging parents, particularly those who live some
distance away, find comfort in having telehealth in the home.
Knowing that small changes in their parent's health could be
detected early, possibly preventing an emergency room visit or
more serious issue, brings peace-of-mind.
For more information on having a
telehealth monitor installed
in your, or a loved one's home,
please e-mail us at
info@npvna.org, or call the marketing department at
215-855-8296.
