VNA HealthCare: Home Telemonitoring Decreases Hospital Readmissions in Heart Failure Patients by 38%

May 8, 2012 - PRLog -- But VNA HealthCare, a Hartford HealthCare Partner, recently completed a quarterly evaluation of its Cardiac Readmission Avoidance Program, showing a far more promising trend. Combining the use of technology and specially trained cardiac nurse oversight, the agency has been able to greatly reduce readmission within 30 days after hospital discharge.

Patients with Heart Failure admitted to VNA HealthCare’s service between January and March 2012, had a 16% readmission rate compared to Connecticut’s average readmission rate of 25.9%.

“The management of patients with heart failure is receiving enormous attention nationally and within our state. As Hartford HealthCare’s home care partner, I was delighted to see that we have been able to effect a 38% reduction in preventable readmissions, on par with industry leaders such as Geisinger Clinic in Pennsylvania. I feel that through this program, we are able to help our health system manage our patients’ care successfully as they transition from our acute care settings to home,” stated Ellen Rothberg, President and CEO of VNA HealthCare.

In an article entitled, “Telehealth and Hospitalizations for Medicare Home Healthcare Patients,” in the June 2011 edition of The American Journal of Managed Care, the effects of an integrated, clinician-focused telehealth monitoring system on the probability of hospitalization within the first 30-day episode of care was conducted. The study was conducted using data from 5,873 Medicare beneficiaries receiving home healthcare services. The study demonstrated that the probability for hospitalization of the patients receiving telemonitoring services was 7% lower than the group who did not.

Currently, at VNA HealthCare, over 250 patients are receiving telehealth services from VNA HealthCare. The in-home telemonitor verbally and visually guides each patients through a simple, three-minute process to measure their own vital signs daily.¬ The vital sign information is transmitted via phone lines, or digitally, to VNA HealthCare, where cardiac clinical specialist nurses monitor the results in real time. Measurements that fall outside of a patient’s personalized parameters are automatically flagged, which result in follow up calls with the patient to talk about any symptoms, diet or medications. The cardiac nurse also can use the data for clinical decisions, including contacting the doctor to discuss possible clinician intervention.

“I feel that since our agency achieved hospitalization reductions significantly lower than the AJMC study, it demonstrates that it is not only the telemonitoring that has a beneficial effect, but also the clinical program in which it is provided, which can have a major impact. Clearly, in our case, the scope of our cardiac program and the education we provide are effective contributors to our patients’ individual plans of care, which have made a profound difference in achieving positive outcomes,” stated Rothberg.

“Our telehealth nurses are able to educate patients daily, rather than just interacting with them during visits. This daily interaction is not unique for telehealth programs, but what is unique about the VNA HealthCare Cardiac Readmission Avoidance Program is the depth of cardiac-specific training of the nurses who oversee and interpret the transmitted telehealth data and use it to inform and educate our patients,” explains Beka Apostolidis, MS, RN, Cardiac Program Manager at VNA HealthCare, who oversees the agency’s Cardiac and Telemonitoring Program.  

Apostolidis further amplifies the point by stating, “Our team works to not only decrease readmissions, but to improve our patients’ quality of life and increase their medication compliance. I’m pleased to say that, every day, I see the evidence of just what a benefit the telemonitor and our cardiac program has in our fight to keep people in their homes and out EDs and hospitals.”


About VNA HealthCare

Founded in 1901, VNA HealthCare provides Home Health Care, Hospice Care and Private Duty Independent Living Services to more than 60 towns in Central Connecticut and Greater Waterbury. VNA HealthCare is a Hartford HealthCare partner and is a Caring Partner with Saint Mary’s Hospital. VNA HealthCare employs more than 800 staff and cares for more than 18,000 patients annually. To learn more about VNA HealthCare's many services and initiatives, log on to www.vnahealthcare.org.