Hospitals across the nation are facing financial constraints and unprecedented staffing shortages. This situation is compounded by the growing need to provide skilled, resource-intensive care for sicker patients being admitted to hospitals’ general care units.

This situation is not only impacting clinical staff, who are overworked, stretched thin and reporting high levels of burnout, but patients, who are more likely to experience a harmful safety event due to inadequate working conditions.

“The intersection of fewer providers and sicker patients is challenging hospitals a great deal,” said Dr. Sam Ajizian, Chief Medical Officer of the Patient Monitoring Operating Unit at Medtronic.

A powerful, impactful strategy to address this challenging landscape is for hospital leaders to leverage technology, specifically remote monitoring, connectivity, and interoperability solutions.

The impact of remote monitoring

Technology — particularly, remote patient monitoring — provides clinical staff with a significant gift: more time with patients.

Right now, clinicians spend far too much of their shift on administrative tasks such as manual charting. They continuously check routine vital signs and manually input the information into the electronic medical record, leading to short, stressful and unsatisfactory interactions with patients.

Remote patient monitoring automates some of this work for caregivers by enabling the continuous capture of vital patient data, which is then uploaded to the EMR and put in the hands of caregivers in the most convenient format for them, such as on a desktop, mobile app or tablet.

As a result, remote patient monitoring can help reduce burnout for clinicians as it decreases the need for manual charting and supports more one-on-one time with patients.

“Remote patient monitoring frees up a lot of nursing hours^3,5 where they can do what they went into the profession for — to talk to patients and give care. No provider went into healthcare to type on a computer,” Ajizian said.

The continuous capture of real-time patient data also allows clinicians to identify adverse patient trends earlier and intervene sooner, helping them improve patient outcomes overall.

In order to gather this data from patients continuously, the monitoring device, such as a wearable, must be comfortable for patients to wear. The BioButton multi-parameter wearable from BioIntellisense, part of Medtronic’s HealthCast portfolio, is small, with a self-adhesive, worn on the patient’s upper left chest, with up to 16 days of battery life. “The BioButton device offers an effortless user experience. Just stick it on and forget it” Ajizian said.   

The important role of connectivity

While the device used to continuously capture patient vital sign information is key to the success of remote patient monitoring programs, so is connectivity. Clinicians must be able to access patient data anytime, anywhere, quickly and easily.

“You can have the best wearable in the world but if the data can’t be displayed where the caregiver wants it and how they want to see it, it’s useless,” Ajizian said.

To achieve this, remote patient monitoring systems should be part of the existing ecosystem of devices and workflows, including the hospital’s EMR.

The HealthCast^TM Vital Sync^TM remote patient monitoring system allows clinicians to remain connected to their patients wherever they are in the hospital. The system is designed to connect to hospitals’ EMRs and existing devices. Additionally, it provides clinicians with actionable insights through near real-time trend and alert data on patients wherever they prefer to see it including via desktop or mobile app.   

The future of remote monitoring

Choosing a remote monitoring platform is a significant financial investment. In addition to considering the product features, hospitals should also factor in the quality of the partnership with the provider.

Hospitals must prioritize finding a partner that will offer long-term clinical, technical, education and maintenance support that puts patients and clinicians first. Medtronic understands the importance of partnering with hospitals to build sustainable remote monitoring programs.

“We meet the customer where they are, we fill in the gaps with the tech and we connect it in the easiest way possible,” Ajizian said.

Learn more about Medtronic’s HealthCast^TM intelligent patient monitoring, a portfolio of remote monitoring, connectivity and interoperable solutions, here.

Footnotes

1. Baker MA, Sands KE, Huang SS, et al. The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Healthcare-Associated Infections. Clin Infect Dis. 2022;74(10):1748-1754.
2. https://www.jointcommission.org/-/media/tjc/documents/resources/patient-safety-topics/sentinel-event/sentinel-event-general-information-and-2021-update.pdf
3. Bellomo R, Ackerman M, Bailey M, et al. A controlled trial of electronic automated advisory vital signs monitoring in general hospital wards. Crit Care Med. Aug 2012;40(8):2349-61.
4. Stellpflug C, Pierson L, Roloff D, et al. Continuous physiological monitoring improves patient outcomes. Am J Nurs. 2021;121(4):40–46.
5. Han WH, Sohn DK, Hwangbo Y, et al. Effect of a Wireless Vital Sign Monitoring System on the Rapid Response System in the General Ward. J Med Syst. 2022;46(10):64. Published 2022 Aug 26.
6. Downey C, Randell R, Brown J, Jayne DG. Continuous versus intermittent vital signs monitoring using a wearable, wireless patch in patients admitted to surgical wards: pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet. Res. 2018;20(12):e10802
7. Eddahchouri Y, Peelen RV, Koeneman M, Touw HRW, van Goor H, BrediS JH. Effect of continuous wireless vital sign monitoring on unplanned ICU admissions and rapid response team calls: a before-and-after study. Br JAnaesth. May 2022;128(5):857-863.
8. Verrillo SC, Cvach M, Hudson KW, Winters BD. Using Continuous Vital Sign Monitoring to Detect Early Deterioration in Adult Postoperative Inpatients.J Nurs Care Qual. Apr/Jun 2019;34(2):107-113.
9. Weller RS, Foard KL, Harwood TN. Evaluation of a wireless, portable, wearable multi-parameter vital signs monitor in hospitalized neurological and neurosurgical patients. J Clin Monit Comput. Oct 2018;32(5):945-951.

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The internet, COVID-19 pandemic and increased access to smartphones and laptops has changed the way people shop, bank, travel and work. It also has changed how people manage their health care.

Telehealth, including telemedicine and virtual visits, uses digital information and communication technologies to access health care services remotely and manage your health care. It’s often thought of as remote communication or monitoring between a health care team and the patient or caregiver.

Asynchronous and synchronous communication

Some interactions are asynchronous, meaning communication that doesn’t happen at the same time. For example, a patient sends a message through an online portal and the health care team responds at a different time. Or a patient completing an online survey about symptoms to update the health care team.

Remote monitoring, which is asynchronous technology that collects and reports temperature, weight and other vital signs, allows the health care team to check a patient’s status without a visit to a health care facility. Any identified problems are usually addressed quickly.

In contrast to these examples are synchronous interactions, in which the patient and health care team communicate in real time. A telephone conversation is synchronous communication and an important part of a health care journey. Virtual visits use online technology to allow the patient and team to see and hear each other in real time. These synchronous communication telehealth options extend health care to meet patient needs.

Telehealth options are available for general health care, acute needs or specific conditions. Virtual visits became common because of the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two years later, oncology professionals recommend telehealth interactions when appropriate for the patient or the caregiving team.

Telehealth and cancer care

For many people with cancer or malignant diagnosis, telehealth has become an important part of their care. It may be appropriate for medical oncology, hematology, consultations, second opinion consultations and surgical consultations.

Many patients use portal online messages throughout their cancer journeys to communicate medication side effects, changes in condition or send questions to the health care team. Other common telehealth options during cancer care are virtual visits and telephone conversations. These extend care and options for patients, regardless of geography. Occasionally, remote monitoring is part of cancer treatment plans as well.

Some appointments and treatments cannot be conducted virtually. The health care team recommends in-person or virtual visits based on the needs and treatment plan for each patient.

Telehealth benefits

There are multiple benefits of telehealth for all patients, but especially for people with a chronic or complex health condition, such as cancer, including:

• Greater access
  Telehealth can bring cancer experts to people who live in remote communities. It can provide people with choices to meet with specialists who don’t live where they do, especially when they are seeking a second opinion on a complex cancer diagnosis. Patients who don’t have good access to devices or internet may be able to participate in virtual appointments by using cancer center clinic resources and assistance.
• Reduced travel time and expense
  Cancer care requires many appointments, and patients often travel significant distances to receive the care they need. Some appointments, especially consultations or general checkups, can be completed virtually. This reduces travel time and expense for the patient and family. Not every appointment can be conducted using telehealth but saving travel expenses a few times can make a significant difference.
• Larger support network
  Most of the time, patients who receive care in Oncology attend visits with a family member or other support person. Virtual visits allow remote family members to participate in important conversations, ask questions and lend support, regardless if they live across the street or across the country.
• Improved energy
  Gearing up to travel to and from an appointment can be a challenge, especially if a person is experiencing severe fatigue due to cancer treatment. Participating in virtual visits can be less draining and preserves energy for recovery.
• Improved safety
  Hospitals and clinics are safe to visit and receive care. However, traveling to and from appointments does increase a person’s exposure to infectious diseases in the community, such as influenza and COVID-19. Mobility and falls are concerns for some people. Remaining at home to receive care can keep the person safe.

There are limitations to telehealth. Sometimes technology doesn’t work as well as designed. It’s important to have a plan with your health care team to call on the telephone if there is an issue connecting to a virtual visit.

Some people have no or limited internet access and may have to travel to a local clinic to participate in a virtual visit with specialized providers at other sites. Others don’t have or don’t feel confident using a mobile device or may need to have an exam done in person. Telehealth may not be appropriate for these patients. However, it’s an important tool to have that can extend options for care.

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You may have heard of or used Telehealth. The growth of Telehealth has increased rapidly after the pandemic of COVID-19. Because during the pandemic of COVID-19, people depended on the Internet for their daily issues, and health was one of the issues faced daily by people. They needed a platform where they could get healthcare services. They found Telehealth, where they can get healthcare services from different experts at a distance with the help of the Internet. 

Sometimes people use Telemedicine in place of Telehealth, or vice versa. Sometimes, they are confused between them. In this blog, we will discuss the difference between Telehealth vs Telemedicine. We will discuss them one by one. First, we will start with Telehealth. 

Telehealth 

Telehealth is a medium where people get their healthcare services at a distance, mainly through video conferencing. Apart from this, this medium is also used for sharing information related to health with patients, doctors, and medical students. It is a broader concept than Telemedicine. You will get all these services at your home or any comfortable place through telecommunications. Let’s understand Telehealth app with some examples. 

Examples of Telehealth 

The followings are some examples of Telehealth-

• To check their body’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels, patients use a mobile app. 
• Patients can examine their lab results, schedule appointments, and obtain prescription medications through an online self-service portal like a patient portal.
• Patients can receive online reminders for vaccines, examinations, or prescription refills. 

Let’s see some benefits of Telehealth. 

Benefits of Telehealth 

The following are some benefits of Telehealth- 

1. Remote Health Monitoring 

Checkups for preventative health are made easier by a novel method of health monitoring. It fills the gap between the actual healthcare facilities and the places where patients reside and work. Physicians can remotely communicate information with patients and track the healthy development of their patients with the aid of remote technologies. Few devices can immediately exchange patient data with doctors, including blood pressure, weight, and pulse rate. It enables the doctor to continuously monitor any abnormal deviation in the patient’s body and spot areas for improvement and minor issues before they turn into major issues. 

2. Mobile Health

The person’s current health status is displayed on this platform using mobile apps. Its potential is open to both ill and healthy individuals. With the use of mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops/computers, mHealth enables patients and mobility disorder professionals to give healthcare and educational support materials. A dependable form of communication is provided by mobile health. It provides services irrespective of geographical limitations. 

3. Cost effective 

It reduces the overhead cost of patients, including traveling, food, staying, parking, etc. as well as reduces the maintenance cost of hospitals, including office decor, waiting room, the salary of staff, etc. 

4. The Accessibility Of Rural Areas 

It was always an issue for rural areas to get proper healthcare services. The people of rural areas have to travel far for better treatment. But now, people in rural areas get better treatment from their homes with the help of Telehealth. 

Now it’s time for Telemedicine. Let’s see what Telemedicine is. 

What is Telemedicine? 

Telemedicine is a subset of Telehealth, which means it is a part of Telehealth. Telehealth and Telemedicine are approximately similar, but the only difference is that Telemedicine is limited to providing services to patients. 

  Telemedicine is a medium where Only people get healthcare services from a doctor at a distance through telecommunications. Apart from this service, no other services are provided by Telemedicine. Telemedicine apps emerged as the best choice during a recent pandemic crisis to make sure patients receive high-quality care remotely. 

Benefits of Telemedicine 

The following are some benefits of Telemedicine- 

1. Virus Exposure is Lessened 

If you get your treatment from Telemedicine, there is no need to go to the hospital or face to face interactions with doctors. You can get the treatment at your home that reduces the virus exposure. 

2. Care during the night

Patients have 24/7 access to Telemedicine, which provides immediate medical care from distant locations.

3. Enhances doctor’s safety 

No need for face to face interaction between doctors or patients for treatment in Telemedicine, which increases the doctor’s safety from any infection or viruses. 

4. Assistance for Patients with Chronic Illnesses

Patients with chronic diseases find Telemedicine to be a handy choice since it allows them to avoid making in-person hospital visits.

5. Online Psychiatric Support 

Medical professionals offer various advantages to patients in psychiatry. A couple of them include swift healing and individualized treatment.

Telehealth v/s Telemedicine 

The following are some differences between Telehealth and Telemedicine- 

1. Telehealth is a broad concept, where Telemedicine is a part of Telehealth. 

2. Telehealth is not only restricted to providing healthcare services to patients. It also engages in providing information related to health to students, doctors, or patients. But, Telemedicine is restricted to providing only healthcare services to patients. 

3. In Telehealth, the services are provided by healthcare experts, healthcare staff, pharmacists, medical professors, and Frontline workers. But, only healthcare professionals provide healthcare services in Telemedicine. 

4. Education about healthcare, numerous lab test results, training, a partnership between technology and the healthcare industry, etc. are all included in Telehealth. But, Telemedicine provides healthcare services to patients only. 

5. Patients with chronic conditions who use Telehealth can track their progress and communicate with their doctors to take part in their care. Whereas, Telemedicine only broadens the scope of physician coverage. 

Conclusion 

In this blog, we have discussed the differences between Telehealth and Telemedicine. After reading this blog, you will know that all the services of Telemedicine are Telehealth, but not all the services of Telehealth are Telemedicine. We hope that the blog will be useful for you. 

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