| American TeleCare, Inc.
and Visiting Nurse Service Demonstrate Benefits of Home Telehealth
to U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) during Annual Recognition Event
EDEN PRAIRE, Minn. (September 11, 2002)
- American TeleCare, Inc. (ATI) and the Visiting Nurse Service (VNS)
of Southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire demonstrated the benefits
of home telehealth monitoring to United States Senator Susan Collins
(R-ME) at the VNS’s annual recognition event. The event was
held at the Colony Hotel of Kennebunkport, ME, where Senator Collins
was presented with the VNS’s Doris Reando “Spirit of
Caring” award. The Spirit of Caring Award is presented to
individuals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment and leadership
in advancing home health care. In addition to the Senator’s
award, other corporations including ATI were recognized for their
support of VNS.
VNS began a home telehealth demonstration
project funded by the Rural Utilities Office of the United States
Department of Agriculture, one year ago in response to the needs
of chronically ill elders within southern Maine and New Hampshire.
Says Mia Millefoglie, Chief Business Development Officer for the
VNS, “There exists an intense need to augment the productivity
of the scarce clinical resources to address our area’s rapidly
growing, aging, rural and chronically ill patient base. Our project
uses home telehealth technology by American TeleCare, Inc to monitor
some of the area’s most frail and at-risk elders.”
The American TeleCare system features live
audio and video combined with a telephonic stethoscope and other
medical peripherals (blood pressure meter, scale, pulse oximeter)
to allow nurses to conduct a “video visit” to homebound
patients. The nurse and patient can see and talk to each other while
the nurse gathers objective and subjective information, allowing
a timely clinical assessment of patient status. If a problem is
identified, the nurse can intervene rapidly, preventing a worsening
of the condition.
A highlight of the VNS’s fundraising
event was the remote health assessment of Senator Collins utilizing
the American TeleCare home telehealth system. She was able to see
firsthand the benefits that remote patient monitoring brings to
the lives of chronically ill patients. Both the senator and the
nurse were able to see and hear each other via the telehealth system
while she gave the senator instructions and received her vital signs
measurements on her computer screen.
“This way of delivering healthcare
brings enormous benefit to sick, elderly, isolated patients with
limited access to a healthcare facility,” noted Senator Collins,
“Telehealth enables thousands of our most frail and vulnerable
elder persons to avoid hospitals and nursing homes and stay right
where they want to be – in the comfort and security of their
own homes. In addition, telehealth clearly provides answers to many
of the stresses on our resource-strapped health care system.”
An avid and vocal advocate for home care
especially for those who are disabled, elderly, and at risk of institutionalization,
, Senator Collins was a distinguished guest at the event. In addition
to the “Spirit of Caring” award, she was presented with
the Claude Pepper award by the National Association for Home Care
in September of 2001 in recognition for her tireless efforts on
behalf of home care and hospice patients, and the home health care
agencies that serve them. Senator Collins serves on the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as well as the Special
Committee on Aging.
The VNS plans to move the project from a
pilot phase to full implementation with another grant from the Rural
Utilities Office in the near future. Of her decision to utilize
American TeleCare’s telehealth technology and implementation
services, Millefoglie states, “We evaluated several technologies
on the market and felt that the ability to conduct a live, face
to face visit and collect vital signs was of critical importance
to our patient population, many of whom reside a considerable distance
from healthcare access. American TeleCare has the right system for
our patients, and their knowledge of the industry and support has
helped us tremendously. We are committed to enhancing our ability
to deliver care to our patients with telehealth.”
“We are honored to see how organizations
such as the VNS continue to validate our telehealth system as a
tool to improving the quality of life for seniors coping with chronic
illness,” comments Michael Lemnitzer, senior vice president
for American TeleCare, “We are also pleased that Senator Collins
is among a number of our nation’s legislators who have seen
firsthand the benefits of this technology for addressing the strains
on our healthcare system.”
American TeleCare, Inc., pioneered the concept
of home telehealth in 1993. The company markets the AVIVA® System,
an FDA-cleared telemedicine monitoring system that incorporates
live audio/video with integrated electronic medical peripherals
to allow a clinician to conduct remote examinations of patients
in their homes. American TeleCare has installed the majority of
home telehealth programs throughout the world, and is the recognized
industry leader. For more information, visit www.americantelecare.com.
Visiting Nurse Service of Southern Maine
and Seacoast New Hampshire (VNS) is a leading, independent, not
for profit organization providing a full range of medical and nursing
services to patients patients and families in their homes. VNS
offers specialty care services to include hospice, telehealth, pediatrics,
and community health care. VNS is fully licensed, Medicare
certified and accredited by CHAP.
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