Achieving Patient-CenteredCare through Videoconferencing:
Challenges, Opportunities and Successes.
by Sharon McGonigle, BSN, MSN, & Brendan Purdy, MSN Student
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ABSTRACT
Providing patient-centered care through videoconferencing technology has resulted in numerous challenges, opportunities and successes for the Telehealth Team at a large urban tertiary care hospital. This presentation will focus on the organization’s experience in adopting and implementing this innovative communication medium to remotely deliver health care services from a variety of locations within its clinical facilities. Examples of this innovation, such as mobile videoconferencing units that can be transported to the clinician’s workplace that demonstrate the integration of Telehealth activity into existing clinical care, will be given.
University Health Network (UHN) is committed to exemplary patient-centered care. In this regard, it has embraced as its model of care delivery the 8 Dimensions of Care that the Picker Institute considers critical to achieving successful patient outcomes: respect; coordination; communication and information; physical comfort; emotional support; involvement of family and friends; continuity; and access to care. The information and communication technology (ICT) of Telehealth enables the clinicians to practice in a patient centered environment, allowing them to be present with the client, albeit virtually, bringing nursing’s unique human science perspective to the encounter.
Whilst the use of videoconferencing can ensure that geographical remoteness is no longer an obstacle to providing patient centred care - the challenge remains of modifying other potential barriers, such as clinicians’ traditional behaviours and practice patterns, in the application of this technology. Examples will be provided of the opportunities for transitioning patients from hospital care to self-care; usage of a multi-disciplinary team approach to coordinate and plan ongoing treatment and services after discharge; and increase access to care for patents in distant locations. Lessons learned and success in the area of care delivery and positive patient outcomes will be shared.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Sharon McGonigle
Sharon McGonigle, completed her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Ryerson University and her MScN from D’Youville College in Buffalo. She has extensive clinical experience in Cardi-vascular Nursing and Critical Care. While new the nursing informatics, Sharon has a passion for technology that transforms the way nurses delivery care. She is a Patient Centered Care Champion at the University Health Network.
Brendan Purdy
Brendan Purdy, is currently enrolled in the MN program at the University of Toronto. His clinical background is psychiatric, surgical and Critical Care nursing. His diverse nursing experience has enabled him to successfully introduce and adopt Telehealth technology in a wide variety of clinical and educational settings.
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