Plaza Health Network (PHN), South Florida’s largest, not-for- profit, network of rehabilitative care and skilled nursing centers serves a diverse population.
Plaza’s mission is to provide restorative, high quality care. That standard is even higher now with the inclusion of continual changes in medical technology, such as telemedicine.
This new HIPPA-compliant technology provides real time, remote monitoring for patients as needed at all seven facilities within Plaza Health Network. The clinical team can monitor vital signs and receive immediate information that shows a sudden or irregular change. That data can then be immediately transmitted to the appropriate physician or care provider as well as placed in the cloud. Video conferencing features can also allow specialists to communicate with the PHN team. The benefits show a decline in hospital re-admission rates, reducing patient stress as well as medical costs.
“The role of telemedicine is extremely important today, and we are at the forefront,” said Leonard Pianko, Chief Medical Officer for Plaza Health Network. “We value each patient that turns to us for care, and that is why we remain committed to providing the types of services they expect and deserve.”
The flexibility of telemedicine is also important to the continuum of care. Traditionally, a primary care physician might order a transfer of a resident who reported chest pain to a hospital for further evaluation. Now, on-site our nurses or advanced registered nurse practitioners have the capability of connecting that resident to a portable electrocardiogram device and immediately share results with that patient’s primary care doctor, and/or a remote specialist.
“Members of the clinical team have greeted this seamless communication model, warmly, as it gives them quicker access and more opportunities for interpersonal contact with patients and clinical providers,” stated Claudia Innocent, PHN Chief Clinical Officer.
