Question

A to Z Hospital has recently implemented a team-based approach to managing patients with chronic disease. The approach to management includes using telehealth for routine follow-up appointments and monitoring of patient released from hospital care by nurse practitioners and physician assistants of specialty care areas (i.e diabetes clinic, CHF clinic).

1. What benefits can be achieved by using this approach?

Answer 1

Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases affects a very large population of the state. Patients with chronic diseases require regular check ups and treatment for longer periods of time. Chronic care management is costlier and time consuming.
Use of telehealth medicines technology such as live videos and chats, telephonic consultations and smart gadgets to monitor vital parameters bot only help reduce the cost of treatment but is also time saving and less cumbersome.
Monitoring of patient with chronic diseases by nurse practitioners and physician assistants of specialty care areas help improve the accessibility of medical services and care.
Such facilities helps patients to drive long way to the hospitals which can be difficult for some having mobility issues.
Some diseases require lifestyle modifications such as controlled diet, physical activity, avoiding smoking and alcohol. Telemedicine helps timely and regular monitoring of the patients which helps the nurses and physician to keep a keen eye on patient lifestyle. Any deviation from the proposed lifestyle can be immediately assessed by the healthcare team and corrected in time.
These facilities promote regular monitoring of the patient on a easy basis and thus helps prevent readmissions and longer stay at hospitals and gain positive outcomes.