Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/1291546
10 to home care. When called, specially trained paramedics visit patient homes and connect them to doctors via telehealth. They work with home care clinicians to manage chronic conditions and, ultimately, reduce unneeded hospital visits. YOU MENTIONED COVID-19. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW IT HAS IMPACTED HOME HEALTH CARE AND HOW NVNA AND HOSPICE HAS RESPONDED TO IT? As you probably read about in every major news outlet, the coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on home health care. People were, understandably, reluctant to visit hospitals and emergency departments, which meant that patients in need of care were turning to home health clinicians to minimize their exposure to the virus. But that rapid shift meant that physicians and home health clinicians had to increase and improve communication in order to ensure that proper care could be provided at home. As a result, it highlighted to physicians just how important home care is, and how it can support their practice by keeping their patients safe at home. As far as NVNA and Hospice's response to the pandemic, our primary goal was, of course, to keep our patients and staff safe. Much of our response was an extension of what we already do as an agency, and centered on fast, clear communication. We've always had a comprehensive infection control program in place, which allowed senior management to initiate it swiftly. The incident command team met daily to check CDC guidelines, implement changes to protocol and communicate those changes to the rest of the agency. The situation at the Pat Roche Hospice Home was far more delicate. Nursing homes were quickly and devastatingly affected by the pandemic, which led facilities to eliminate visits entirely. telehealth has been a topic of national conversation as healthcare agencies around the world are relying on it to see, diagnose and, in many cases, treat their patients. Amidst a global pandemic, telehealth is helping bridge the gap between patient and care provider. As an agency, I'm proud to say that we've been ahead of the curve when it comes to investing in technology. NVNA and Hospice started utilizing telehealth back in 2005 and we now offer a robust program through a company called Health Recovery Solutions (HRS) that allows our clinicians to provide high-quality coordinated care via phone, video chat and text messages with patients. Having this technology in place and in use allowed us to quickly and efficiently scale the program once the country went into lockdown. Beyond the typical home care patient, we began utilizing telehealth for post-surgery patients as well as hospice caregivers who needed guidance prior to the nurse's in-home visits. In March, we were able to quickly incorporate HRS's new COVID Care Plan, consisting of a COVID-19 screening tool, symptom surveys and custom education. It also provided clinical best practices on symptom survey cadence and video visits on our entire telehealth census. This gave us an effective, ongoing layer of patient monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms. The care plan also provided clear, simple and accurate guidance to both assure and educate patients about the virus and to help stop the spread. But telehealth isn't the only technological advancement that has helped progress the field. Hospitals, paramedics and home health care professionals have developed a program fueled by a symbiotic relationship that helps keep patients at home safe and out of the hospital. Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) programs – such as the one through South Shore Hospital – are personalized, high-touch and high-tech healthcare programs that add modern technology