Phelps Memorial Hospital Center
has implemented an ambitious new telehealth program. The New York-based healthcare institution partnered with the Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley to set up the remote care system and is touting its benefits.
The main purpose of the program is, of course, to extend care beyond the hospital and to avoid as much as possible the costs of re-hospitalizations. It uses biometric equipment that can monitor patients’ weight, pulse oximetry, and blood pressure, and transmit that data back to healthcare providers. Any anomalies are immediately flagged for follow-up with the patient via phone or video chat. According to Phelps Medical Associates clinical quality manager Judith Sapione, RN, the Phelps’ healthcare providers have “already experienced the benefits of this program.” She adds, “Several of our patients required intervention and their care was managed in a timely way, achieving a better outcome as a result.”
As demographic pressures increase the costs that healthcare providers are facing, more are turning to the kinds of remote care solutions now available via biometric technology to help keep patients out of the hospital while ensuring they’re receiving quality care. The growing preponderance of mobile devices employing such technology is adding to these capabilities, too. For its part, Phelps Memorial Hospital Center is at the forefront of this revolution, helping to lead the way by demonstrating the benefits of this approach.
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