Visiting Nurse Service (Skilled Home Health Care)

• Telemonitoring Program

Keeping Patients At Home Where They Want To Be

TeleHealth is an in-home monitoring program that allows Visiting Nurse Service nurses to remotely track a patient’s vital signs including blood pressure, weight, oxygen saturation, pulse and blood glucose. The equipment (pictured below,) is compact, wireless and easy for the patient to use – all that’s needed is a few minutes each day. Data from the devices is sent by secure server to VNS nurses who read and analyze the information.

In use since November 2007, VNS’s TeleHealth program has proven to be a now indispensable part of many patients’ care and lives. TeleHealth has led to a drop in the number of VNS patients needing acute care to well below the state and national rates. The average length of stay on the program is 79.1 days.

VNS patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiac disease may qualify for this service. Participating individuals use a small, convenient device a few minutes each day to check their vital signs, such as blood pressure or blood glucose, in the comfort of their own homes. The measurements are then transmitted automatically by the device to VNS nurses who readily access the information and act on it accordingly. If the patient’s vital sign measurements are outside of limits set by the patient’s physician, the nurse will call the patient to see what is happening. Sometimes, the VNS nurse will have medications adjusted through contact with the patient’s physician. Communication and directives from the patient’s physician are paramount, and TeleHealth’s purpose is to enhance the physician’s care, not replace it.

Early intervention and response to subtle changes in the patient’s vital signs have prevented rehospitalizations and unnecessary trips to the emergency room for several patients. Lastly, the TeleHealth program’s greatest strength may be something that can’t be readily measured – peace of mind for patients and their loved ones.

There is no charge for the patient. For additional information, call VNS at 330-745-1601.

VNS Talks About Patient Telemonitoring on "Akron General Good Health Radio Hour"

VNS Discusses Telemonitoring on Akron General Health Report

Watch a brief video on VNS' Telemonitoring Program