Improving Patient Care With Telemedicine Technology

2021 ◽

pp. 136-154

Author(s):

Edward T. Chen

Keyword(s):

Patient Care ◽

Healthcare Cost ◽

Wearable Devices ◽

Healthcare Industry ◽

Health Maintenance ◽

Telecommunications Infrastructure ◽

Telemedicine Technology ◽

Business Opportunities ◽

Improving Patient Care ◽

The Impact

With the spread of telecommunications infrastructure, telemedicine has attracted attention from both healthcare and IT industries. Telemedicine has shown a potential to improve health maintenance, enhancement, as well as healthcare cost reduction. Many governments are boosting telemedicine applications through regulations. The purpose of this chapter is to review the major telemedicine technologies—telemedicine, wearable devices, and emerging innovative health equipment—and current issues of the impact on the patient care in the healthcare industry, the business opportunities, and threats from telemedicine.

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Promoting patient health maintenance with cancer care planning at diagnosis and during treatment: baseline data of the Coleman Supportive Oncology Collaborative (CSOC).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2020.38.15_suppl.e24051 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e24051-e24051

Author(s):

Christine B. Weldon ◽

Julia Rachel Trosman ◽

Rosa Berardi ◽

Al Bowen Benson ◽

Betty Roggenkamp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Patient Care ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Online Survey ◽

Care Plan ◽

Care Planning ◽

Health Maintenance ◽

Supportive Cancer Care ◽

Personalized Care ◽

Care Plans ◽

The Impact

e24051 Background: CSOC conducts quality improvements (QI) for cancer patients that facilitate delivery of appropriate health maintenance and supportive cancer care at diagnosis and during treatment. CSOC is implementing a care planning QI starting at diagnosis using the 4R oncology model (Right Info / Care / Patient / Time), which provides patients a formal personalized care plan called Patient Care Sequence. Each Care Sequence includes health maintenance, cancer treatments and supportive care. As part of CSOC, we conducted provider surveys as a pre-intervention baseline to inform QI opportunities. Methods: Online survey of cancer providers from 8 cancer centers (4 academic, 4 community) conducted July 2018 - October 2019, prior to 4R implementation. The survey focused on current care planning practices and inclusion of guideline recommended health maintenance in care plans. Results: Survey response rate: 80% (180/225); respondents were 53% physicians, 20% advanced practice, 27% nurses. Only 59% (107/180) of respondents give patients care plans at diagnosis: 61% (65/107) verbally, 22% (24/107) written, 17% (18/107) using a printed form. Providers reported considerable gaps in including guideline-based health maintenance and promotion activities in care plans given to patients (Table). Additionally, 61% of providers reported concerns that it is challenging for their patients to manage their own health maintenance activities. Providers who are concerned about patients’ challenges in managing their own health maintenance are significantly more likely to give their patients a written or printed plan (76%, 32/42) compared to those providing care plans to patients verbally or not at all (56%, 77/138), p = .02. Conclusions: Guideline based health promotion activities are not consistently included in care plans, and care planning is not sufficiently conducted at cancer diagnosis. The CSOC 4R Oncology Model, which implements Patient Care Sequences at diagnosis, will address these gaps and examine the impact of formal care planning on improving utilization of health maintenance and promotion activities. [Table: see text]

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Utilization of Patient Navigators in Breast Imaging Facilities Across the United States: A Survey of Breast Imaging Radiologists

Journal of Breast Imaging ◽

10.1093/jbi/wbz078 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 16-21

Author(s):

Amie Y Lee ◽

Donna Plecha ◽

Genevieve A Woodard ◽

Elissa R Price ◽

Jessica H Hayward ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Patient Care ◽

Breast Imaging ◽

Online Survey ◽

The United States ◽

Patient Navigators ◽

Navigation Program ◽

Impact Patient Care ◽

Improving Patient Care ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objective To assess the utilization of patient navigators at breast imaging facilities across the United States. Methods An online survey was distributed to physician members of the Society of Breast Imaging. Questions encompassed use of patient navigators in breast imaging including: presence and qualifications, roles in patient care, perceived benefits, and barriers. Data were analyzed to identify the overall prevalence of patient navigators, their responsibilities and qualifications, and the impact on breast imaging centers. Results Three-hundred and eighty-five board-certified radiologists practicing in the United States completed the survey. The most common practice types were private practice (52%; 201/385) and academic (29%; 110/385). The majority (67%; 256/385) employed navigators, and the most common qualification was a registered nurse (78%; 200/256). Navigators were used for a variety of patient communication and care coordination roles, most commonly to provide educational resources (86%; 219/256), assist patients with scheduling appointments (80%; 205/256), explain the biopsy process (76%;195/256), and communicate biopsy results (64%). Nearly all (99%; 254/256) respondents ranked patient navigators as valuable to extremely valuable in improving patient care and indicated they would recommend implementation of a patient navigation program to other breast imaging practices. The most common barrier to employing a navigator was the financial cost. Conclusion Patient navigators have been widely adopted in breast imaging practices across the United States, with two-thirds of respondents reporting use of a navigator. Although navigator roles varied by practice, nearly all radiologists utilizing patient navigators found that they positively impact patient care and would recommend them to other breast imaging practices.

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Integrative Medicine as a Bridge to Physician Wellness

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1177/0194599818765126 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 158 (6) ◽

pp. 987-988 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chau T. Nguyen

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Patient Care ◽

Integrative Medicine ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Self Care ◽

Neck Surgery ◽

Care Providers ◽

Health And Healing ◽

Improving Patient Care ◽

The Impact

Burnout is increasingly recognized as an issue of major importance affecting physicians of all ages and disciplines and thereby patients, systems, and health care in general. At the 2017 American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting, the scope of burnout in medicine was addressed, along with systematic issues that remain. While changing the culture of medicine and health systems to address this is needed, what strategies can health care providers use in their everyday lives to lessen the impact of burnout? Integrative medicine with its focus on wholeness of patient care, including the emotional, mental, social, and spiritual domains of health, is uniquely positioned in arming physicians with sets of tools to help them navigate patients to better health and healing. These very same methods are invaluable for personal self-care, as we are all potential patients. Integrative medicine is a pathway to improving one’s own self-care and, thereby, improving patient care.

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