Telemedicine in Acute Care

• What are your thoughts about the value of telemedicine (either via teleICU or telepresence) for care of the critically ill patients?
• Examine the history of telehealth & telemedicine and the influence it has on the profession of Nursing… think about it since the pandemic!
• How will you apply what you learn about Telemedicine to enhance the care provided in acute care?
• How has this knowledge built on your prior knowledge or experience with telemedicine?

I believe telemedicine is a blessing in disguise. This is a new realm of healthcare that can be controversial. In my opinion, telemedicine is extremely valuable for critically ill patients. It can allow these patients to stay in the comfort of their own homes while receiving medical advice from professionals. This can give the provider a brief overview of how the patient is doing within their own home. It can also provide remote teaching to patients who may be completing their home care (dressing changes, IV medication administration, etc.). In my experience with telehealth, I have been allowed to reach out to my pulmonologist during my exacerbations to get advice as to how to continue. During the pandemic, this was one of the main ways of connecting with a healthcare team. I was able to have my ENT, Pulmonologist, Home Nurse, and PCP on the same Zoom call to talk about my healthcare regime during this scary time. I hope to use this knowledge of telemedicine to encourage patients to learn how to use electronics to set up appointments. Video call appointments can benefit many patients who live far away and may have an acute illness. This presentation has enhanced my prior opinions about telemedicine. I believe that this can be life-changing for anyone and everyone willing to take this next step into the unknown.