For most of us, sending texts or emails from our phones has become the norm for personal and professional communication. Many of us also rely on hand-held devices to check our social-media accounts and pay bills. What if you could use your iPad or a similar tablet device to have a virtual visit with your CVHHH nurse?
CVHHH introduced its telemonitor program in 2011 and has utilized the devices with much success to help people living with chronic diseases—hypertension (including pregnancy-induced hypertension), heart and lung disease, diabetes—manage their conditions and reduce the likelihood that they need to be hospitalized or visit the emergency department. Every day, patients enrolled in the program take their vital signs, and the data is reviewed by a member of our telehealth-nurse team. If anything looks out of the ordinary, action is taken.
“The video gives me a more complete picture of how a person is doing.”
-Bridget Chatterley, RN
Recently, CVHHH introduced a new telemonitor system, Health Recovery Solutions, that adds an extra layer of support that benefits patients and providers. The key is electronic visits. From the comfort of home, patients can securely connect with CVHHH staff, including the telehealth nurse team, Bridget Chatterley, RN, and Monica Hampton, RN.
“The addition of video capacity is another specialized tool that I can use to remotely care for central Vermonters,” says Bridget Chatterley. “The video gives me a more complete picture of how a person is doing and is a valuable complement to the data transmitted by the telemonitor. It helps me fill in the gap between the words, so to speak.” In addition, Bridget can use video visits to check on how a wound is healing.
“Our new telemonitorsystem allows us to augment the care we provide on the ground every day, in part, by bringing care to people when they need it and where they want it, at home,” says Derek Kouwenhoven, MSN, RN, Director of Clinical Services. “From the patients’ perspective, the system is intuitive and user friendly, and we have found that people are comforted when they can not only talk to, but see, their clinician.”