Staff members at Wilmington VA used telehealth to help a Veteran in need of care. The Wilmington VA uses the Remote Patient Monitoring – Home Telehealth (RPM – HT) program to monitor Veterans’ vital signs and health status and provide health education. Veterans enrolled in the RPM – HT program send key vital signs and other health information to their care team who can monitor the data and intervene if something seems wrong.
The Wilmington RPM – HT team also has regular check-ins with Veterans using VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing tool. During these video visits, the care team can review the Veterans’ vital signs with them and assess their condition.
Recently, the team successfully intervened to assist a Veteran in need. The Veteran had a history of heart failure and depended on home oxygen. He has been enrolled in the RPM – HT program for over a year to monitor his vital signs and his condition had been stable for some time.
Kenneth Horseman
Something was wrong
In December 2022, Lead Care Coordinator Kenneth Horseman, RPM – HT, noticed something was wrong. The Veteran’s blood oxygen and heart rate measures from that day were both abnormal.
Horseman scheduled a Video Connect visit that day to check on the Veteran. During the video visit, he quickly noticed the Veteran was not himself. He was short of breath, had difficulty speaking in complete sentences and appeared pale and pasty. When he checked the Veteran’s vital signs remotely, Horseman saw that his blood oxygen was lower than normal and his heart rate was higher than normal.
Horseman immediately advised him to seek emergency care and the Veteran’s brother drove him to the hospital. When Horseman followed up with the Veteran the next day, he was still in the ICU but in much better condition.
“Home Telehealth has been a godsend to me.”
“I could tell the difference talking to him from his hospital room. He was in less distress. He was very thankful for the assistance and for my follow-up call. He is thankful for his VA Health Care team and all we do,” Horseman said.
The Veteran declined to be identified by name for this article, but said, “Home Telehealth has been a godsend to me. I value the nurses’ input and opinion on my many medical problems. And it’s so convenient because I can’t easily get into a doctor’s office when I need care or an opinion.”
Learn more about VA Video Connect and RPM – HT.
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This article highlights the benefits of telehealth in providing medical care to veterans, particularly the Remote Patient Monitoring – Home Telehealth program used by the Wilmington VA. The success story of how Kenneth Horseman, the Lead Care Coordinator of RPM – HT, was able to intervene and help a veteran in need shows the importance of telehealth in monitoring the health status of patients and providing immediate medical assistance when needed.
It is heartening to read that the veteran who received care through telehealth expressed his gratitude and found the program to be convenient, especially in situations where it is difficult to visit a doctor’s office. This success story serves as a great example of how technology and healthcare can work together to provide efficient and effective care to those in need, particularly in situations like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where in-person visits are not always feasible.
Overall, this article is an excellent example of the positive impact of telehealth on the healthcare industry and highlights the importance of continuing to invest in technology that can help healthcare providers to deliver high-quality care remotely.
I completely agree telehealth is God sent, and who ever brain-child community health care is truly brilliant ideal. That saved my life thank you V A administrators. Sincerly, Robert Parker.
Nicely done with the Telehealth services.. I have recently began using them and liked the connivence and the opportunity for face to face communication. Good work and I encourage greater development for more tele-health services..