Cardiovascular

Virtual Monitoring Reduces Hospital Readmissions for Spectrum Health Heart Patients

Patients discharged from the hospital with congestive heart failure (CHF) often are readmitted to the hospital because it is difficult to manage their condition. A home monitoring pilot program available through Spectrum Health has helped to significantly reduce hospital readmissions for these patients.

Priority Health, Spectrum Health Heart Failure Clinic, Spectrum Health Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and West Michigan Heart worked together to develop a program that involves “virtual monitoring” of eligible patients.

“Telehealth has provided just-in-time daily information that helps our members and providers respond quickly to changes in clinical condition. Interventions based on this information have contributed to improved health outcomes for patients,” said Dr. Jim Byrne, chief medical officer, Priority Health.

The telehealth program, which began last June, is being used by CHF patients receiving care from VNA nurses at home. The patient’s biometric readings, such as weight, blood pressure and symptom presentation are transmitted daily by equipment provided by VNA. The patient data is automatically sent via the telephone to a heart failure registered nurse at VNA who reviews the patient’s condition.’ This allows the nurse to contact the patient at the first sign of a change in the condition.’ Daily phone conversations or home nursing visits are part of the program.

“Heart patients like the idea that their medical team is keeping constant track of their condition and progress via this electronic means,” said Michael Dickinson, MD, medical director, heart failure, West Michigan Heart. “There is something unique about an electronic monitor that makes patients more willing to share concerns or problems than if they had to call on the phone.”

Patients must transmit the information by 11 a.m. each day. A VNA triage team reviews the reports daily and adjusts home visits by nurses if they see symptoms.

“One of the key factors in hospital readmissions of a CHF patient is a build up of fluid in the body which causes the heart to work harder pumping blood,” said Karen Pakkala, executive director, Spectrum Health Visiting Nurse Association. “This program helps us identify subtle changes, for example, a two pound weight gain from one day to the next. Our nurses respond when they see changes like this.”

Pakkala said Spectrum Health has seen a 73 percent reduction in the number of readmissions for the patients involved in this program. Patients selected to participate in the pilot program were identified as being at-risk for readmission to the hospital. They also were Priority Health members.

Telehealth has been popular with the patients involved in the program.

“It gives them peace of mind,” Pakkala explained. “They feel better about managing their condition at home and knowing that we are involved and here if they need us.”

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, a collection of seven hospitals and more than 140 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group, mmpc’ and West Michigan Heart-physician groups totaling more than 400 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with nearly 580,000 members. Spectrum Health’s 16,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,200 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care. The organization provided $79.4 million in community benefit during its 2009 fiscal year. As a system, Spectrum Health has earned more than 100 awards since it was formed in 1997.