Show #381 Airing Sunday, 4/1/07
Most of us would rather remain at home as we age, and stay out of hospitals and nursing homes. And there’s an exciting new development to help us accomplish that goal. Tele-monitoring. Not telemarketing. Tele-monitoring. Here to “tele” us all about it is Linda Krause, Vice President of business development at the Visiting Nurse Association of Cleveland.
Question: More and more seniors are living longer. And while that's wonderful, that also brings about new challenges in healthcare, doesn't it?
Answer: People are living longer, and that has caused an increase in what we consider to be chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and diabetes. These illnesses often lead to lots of repeat hospitalizations. On the other hand, patients very much want to stay in their own home for as long as possible.
To resolve that tension, we want to be as proactive as possible concerning homecare, to try to catch problems early on to avoid the need for hospitalization. One such way we combat that is through tele-monitoring. At the VNA, we call it our TeleCare program.
Question: What is tele-monitoring? How does it work?
Answer: This is a tele-monitor, which we will come and install in your home. Each morning, the tele-monitor prompts the patient to take their vital signs: weight, oxygen levels, blood pressure, heart rate, glucose level, etc.
The results are transmitted wirelessly to an advance practice nurse. Any abnormal result will appear as red on the monitor and will prompt the nurse to call the patient to see what's going on, how they are feeling, etc. The nurse will make contact with the person's physician to determine if the nurse should visit the patient, or if a modification should be made to the person's medication/diet.
The information from the vital signs is gathered over time and is routinely given to the person's physician. Therefore, subtle changes can be recognized and early detection can be made of any problems which may arise.
Question: What results and benefits do you see in patients who use the TeleCare program?
Answer: We see a significant decrease (11%) of re-hospitalization in those who use the TeleCare Program.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is that it prompts the patient to become more involved with their self-care. They are more likely to take their meds and to watch their diet because of the monitoring. It also gives them peace of mind regarding their health. We see an increase in patient satisfaction through the usage of this program.
Question: Who is eligible for TeleCare? What is the cost?
Answer: Any patient who qualifies for Home Health Care qualifies for the TeleCare program. There is no cost if the patient is under the Home Health Care benefit.
We are really targeting those with chronic illnesses (like cardiac disease, lung disease, and diabetes).
TeleCare is also available through private pay (a monthly fee) for those who don't qualify for the Home Health Care benefit.
Visiting Nurse Association
1-888-553-0053
www.vnatelecare.org
TeleCare might be a wonderful option for someone you care about. My thanks to Linda Krause for sharing this vital information. Call the VNA to learn more about their TeleCare program. The number's next.
