Hospital expands use of remote and virtual services
Partnerships provide access to specialized programs
Campbellford Memorial Hospital is forging partnerships to serve patients via remote and virtual services provided by large Toronto hospitals.
Today, Campbellford announced a partnership with the Baycrest Virtual Behavioural Medicine program, an initiative to improve the care of patients with dementia. This collaboration ensures that inpatients who have, or are suspected of having, dementia, receive the specialized care they need without having to leave the area.
Two weeks ago, the hospital announced an expanded partnership with Toronto Grace Hospital to use remote monitoring and pendants worn by patients to allow people who are awaiting a spot in long-term care to be treated at home, instead of in hospital. This helps reduce the demand for inpatient beds.
The remote care program equips patients with a pendant that uses geolocating technologies to detect wandering or falls. Additionally, the program provides extensive personal support worker support and access to nursing care through home and community care services.
"We are thrilled to offer the “remote care” program to our patients," said Heather Campbell, VP of Patient Care at Campbellford Memorial. "This innovative program has proven to be a safe and effective care option, allowing eligible patients the ability to stay at home while waiting for long term care."
The Baycrest program provides a short-term, behavioural medicine consultation service that leverages virtual consultations to address challenging neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as severe agitation and physical expressions of anger.
The Baycrest team reviews medications, medical and family histories, co-morbidities, and symptoms to determine the most effective medication and behaviour support strategies. This comprehensive approach not only addresses the immediate needs of the patients but also lays the foundation for a successful transition home or to long-term care.
Campbellford’s Inpatient Unit began referring patients to the Baycrest program in February.
"Our partnership with the Virtual Behavioural Medicine Program aligns with CMH's mission to provide comprehensive care to our community,” said Campbell. “By collaborating with this program, we ensure that individuals with dementia receive the specialized support they need to improve their quality of life and help reduce repeat hospitalizations."
Patients referred to the Baycrest program undergo an assessment, which may include virtual appointments lasting between one to two hours, followed by shorter, focused follow-up sessions.
The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre is a mission of The Salvation Army. It is a 150-bed facility located in downtown Toronto. The remote monitoring program started in 2019 with two patients and now serves 8,500 patients from more than 20 hospitals across the province.
Patients are monitored 24/7 with alerts from their devices sent to the Toronto Grace centre. The program uses technology developed by GRTHealth based in Aurora. In urban areas with better cellphone service, the program can include sensors on refrigerator doors to indicate whether a patient is eating and motion-detectors in doorways.
The remote monitoring team completes a wellness check with the patient forty-eight-hours after they are discharged, says program manager Danielle Kilby-Lechman.
“We know that patients are most vulnerable/at-risk for an emergency department (ED) “bounce back,” in the 24–48 hours post-discharge,” Kilby-Lechman says. “This is because formal supports can take time to be arranged, and things can fall through the cracks.”