Page 11 Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring RPM for Long Termand Post Acute Care A Primer and Provider Selection Guide 2013

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cated functions that provide decision support to as of an older adult can be monitored in his or her
a functionality of broader HIT systems including own living setting through sensors embedded in the
EMRs, EHRs, health information exchange (HIE), environment or other objects, wearable monitoring
and telehealth. technologies, telehealth devices, and other tech-
nologies. The environment is the place the older
adult calls home and it may be the person’s house or
2.6 Social Connectedness Technologies apartment in the community, or a residence pro-

Social connectedness technologies include spe- vided by an aging services provider—a continuing
cial phones (amplified, large-button, and memory care retirement community, an independent living
phones) and easy to use/simplified cell phones, apartment, assisted living or even a skilled nursing
which may offer, in addition to basic communica- facility. Safety, activity, physiological, health and
tion functionality, different communication mo- socialization data can be analyzed, archived and
dalities such as video reminders and multimedia mined to detect indicators of early disease onset,
messaging to keep seniors connected with family deterioration or improvement in health conditions
and friends. Senior-friendly social networking at various levels. The care delivery diagram in Fig-
websites, easy to use email systems, e-mail-to-paper ure 1 illustrates the process.
communications systems, easy to use video phones Figure 1. Model for the Technology-Enabled
and video conferencing systems also fall into this Geriatric Care Paradigm.
category. Some of the computer-based cognitive
and/or physical stimulation technologies may also
provide an opportunity to connect with peers par-
ticularly in congregate living settings.

3 vision of TeChnology-
enabled Care and ConTinuum
of moniToring

Data analysis results, at various levels, can be made
3.1 Vision for Technology-Enabled Care available to all stakeholders in the care process,

The use of information technologies in the care including the monitored older adults, their profes-
environment is perceived by care professionals to sional caregivers, informal caregivers and primary
have added value on the levels of administration, health care providers, and integrated into an EMR
integration of services, care quality, and profes- or PHR accessible to authorized caregivers when-
sionalism. It can be argued that a new paradigm ever they need them.
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for technology-enabled geriatric care can emerge The monitored individual can use the analysis
with more integrative technologies. For example, results in personal wellness and health maintenance
the activities and selected physiological parameters

LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST)