By Sandra Ray, Staff Writer
Some people feel that the
best way to gather information
is through video relay in a
person’s home. Cameras can be
installed at various points
throughout the home in order to
determine whether or not a
patient is able to care for
himself, if he is taking
medication correctly, or if he
is eating and performing other
activities of daily living. A
downside to video monitoring is
that someone has to take time to
review the stored video, a
time-consuming effort that may
not be practical.
Another “twist” on the video relay method is
through remote link-ups with patients and nurses
at regular scheduled intervals. American
TeleCare offers a system like this that allows
scheduled visits, as well as on-demand visits
when patient’s information indicates that a
health emergency could exist. The system does
not include installing cameras throughout the
house; rather, it relies on a monitoring station
that patients are taught how to use with little
assistance.
Systems like Lifetime Care allow patients to
measure weight, temperature, blood pressure,
blood sugar, and other vitals and enter them
into a system on a daily basis. The information
is then transmitted to a central processing
center where a nurse reviews the data and
decides if any action is needed. Maybe a doctor
needs to assess the patient for further review;
perhaps no action needs to be taken and the
patient is performing as well as can be
expected.
QuietCare offers a monitoring alternative
that does not take the same bits of data, yet it
can paint a portrait of activities of daily
living in the home. The QuietCare system places
sensors throughout the home that are triggered
by motion. When a person enters a bathroom, for
example, the sensor records the activity. The
system then records how long the person was in
the bathroom by noting the time that the sensor
was activated again. Repeat trips to the
bathroom could be a cause for concern at the
doctor’s office that a patient may never mention
to their physician until more extensive
follow-up is needed. Other sensors are placed
strategically throughout the home to record
nocturnal wakings, whether or not they took
their medicine, and if a person left the home or
if a visitor dropped by for a few minutes.
Available telehealth systems offer a way for
both doctors and caregivers to access the
information (provided proper confidentiality
waivers are in place) in order to determine if
the patient is doing well at home or if they
need more assistance. In addition, since these
systems are monitored 24 hours/day, if emergency
assistance is needed, alarms can be sent to
whomever the patient designates.
Caregivers may find that these types of
systems provide more than peace of mind. For
those patients who are reluctant to reveal
details of their overall health for various
reasons, home monitoring systems can provide the
daily outlook of a patient and notify caregivers
and physicians before symptoms become too
serious. By avoiding hospital stays and keeping
patients stable in their homes, patients may be
more compliant with physician orders and stay on
track with their health plans.
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