VA New Jersey Health Care System
Empowering Health with Advanced Technology
Veteran Leonard Englebrook and Nurse Margaret Hogan, RN, review the use of a cell phone for Telehealth.
Veterans no longer have to worry about traffic delays, rain, sleet, or snow to see their health care providers for a traditional face-to-face visit. There is another option, "TeleResponse," an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology.
TeleResponse provides a way to improve the care of patients who have low-risk, chronic conditions by allowing the Veteran to use a standard telephone to communicate about health-related issues. One particular type of TeleResponse system is Cardiocom. Optimized for patient ease-of-use, a clear, friendly voice prompts patients through their daily health check using simple instructions.
The Veteran uses the TeleResponse system on his/her phone to answer health-related questions. Because TeleResponse uses state-of-the-art voice recognition technology, patients can speak their responses directly into the phone. Patients who prefer not to do this, may also respond to health questions by using the buttons on their telephone.
The voice or button transmission allows the health care provider to monitor a Veteran's response to health questions on a daily basis. The responses are then transmitted securely and privately through phone lines to a Care Coordinator Nurse.
Based on the transmission, the Care Coordinator Nurse may call the Veteran for further information. They can assist with the design of a personal plan of care to manage the health condition and provide referrals and further health education. This is all done in coordination with the Veteran's Primary Care Patient Aligned Care Team. Currently, VA New Jersey Health Care System has approximately 1,000 Veterans enrolled in the Home Telehealth TeleResponse system.
These feature articles and many others are previewed in the Spring 2014 issue of the VA NY/NJ Veterans Healthcare Network's Veterans Healthcare Advantage Wellness Magazine
