Managing patients’ health at home

St. Cloud Hospital Home Care and Hospice uses telemonitors to help care for patients suffering from chronic illnesses, such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension and other conditions. The telemonitor is individually programmed for the patient according to conditions set by their health care provider.

What are the benefits of telemonitoring?
The technology benefits both patients and health care professionals.

• Telemonitoring can prevent emergency room visits and hospitalizations. When patients’ vital signs are taken on a daily basis, irregularities can be caught before they become full-fledged problems.
• Nurses can be sent to patients’ homes and, based on the daily data, work directly with the patient’s health care provider to adjust medication and diet regimens.
• Patients become more aware of their condition and understand the effects diet, activity and other factors have on their health.
• Telemonitoring helps health care professionals work more efficiently. One nurse can observe the clinical health of numerous patients at a time and effectively direct medical attention to those who need it.

How does telemonitoring work?
In just three minutes each day, the telemonitor collects a variety of vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, body weight and temperature.

The telemonitor also gathers information on patients’ fatigue and general wellness levels. The monitor asks the patient a variety of customized questions. For example, a patient with high blood pressure might be asked, “Are you experiencing any dizziness today?” The patient responds to each question by pressing the “yes” or “no” button on the monitor.

The data collected by the telemonitor is sent via digital wireless technology over a virtual private network for review by our clinicians, who can detect and address even the slightest abnormalities before they become serious. This helps prevent emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

Insurance Coverage
Telemonitoring is provided at no additional fee to patients with a qualifying condition who are receiving skilled services.