Special COVID-19 Webinar: Navigating COVID-19 Challenges with Telehealth - May 2020-How to Provide HBPC with Telehealth: Direct-to-Patient Model

How to Provide HBPC with Telehealth: Direct-to-Patient Model

Pdf Summary

Health care providers are encountering significant challenges in addressing the medical needs of the senior population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many in-person appointments and home visits have been cancelled or delayed to minimize virus transmission. Telehealth has emerged as an effective solution to offer necessary care while adhering to social distancing guidelines. The following summarized guidelines outline a telehealth video visit model suitable for seniors, including preparatory and operational steps.<br /><br />**Training Staff:**<br />1. Conduct hands-on sessions for staff to practice logging into the telehealth system.<br />2. Facilitate practice calls among staff to familiarize with the technology.<br />3. Encourage practice calls with friends and family to identify and discuss challenges.<br />4. Ensure electronic medical records are set up for telehealth documentation and billing.<br />5. Train staff on telehealth-specific documentation and newly expanded billing codes.<br /><br />**Pre-Visit Preparation:**<br />1. Schedule visits and obtain verbal consent from patients.<br />2. Check patients' equipment (camera and microphone) and decide if a caregiver's presence is needed.<br />3. Provide clear instructions on connecting to the video visit, including written instructions with screenshots if possible.<br />4. Inform patients about the provider’s name, call duration, and disconnection procedures.<br />5. Confirm the patient’s connection shortly before the scheduled visit.<br />6. Conduct a mock video visit to troubleshoot any technical issues.<br /><br />**Conducting the Visit:**<br />1. Confirm and document patient consent.<br />2. Choose a quiet space with minimal interruptions for the video visit.<br />3. Maintain a non-distracting background and avoid patterned clothing.<br />4. Speak clearly, maintain eye contact, and limit movement to avoid distractions.<br />5. Start the call by introducing yourself, displaying your ID badge, and managing time efficiently.<br />6. Provide disconnection management steps (e.g., phone call, video application restart).<br />7. Conclude by reiterating care instructions and document details of the telehealth visit.<br /><br />**Post-Visit Evaluation:**<br />1. Gather user feedback from patients, caregivers, and staff via surveys.<br />2. Collect process measures such as connection success rates and the total number of video visits.<br />3. Conduct a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to refine workflows and enhance user experience.

Keywords

health care providers

senior population

COVID-19 pandemic

telehealth

video visit model

staff training

pre-visit preparation

conducting the visit

post-visit evaluation

Plan-Do-Study-Act