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PHOTO: Corinne Dionne, shown at home, is a strong advocate for MaineGeneral’s remote patient monitoring program. (Submitted photo)
By John D. Begin
AUGUSTA – Before she fell at home and broke her hip two years ago, 95-year-old Corinne Dionne was blessed to have only one previous hospital stay – when her son was born more than seven decades ago.
Her injury, surgery and the recovery that followed – at the Alfond Center for Health, a short-term skilled nursing facility, and then at home – significantly impacted her independence and physical activity, which also affected her congestive heart failure.
Thanks to technology and staff support provided through MaineGeneral’s remote patient monitoring program (RPM), Corinne was able to comfortably stay in her home as she recuperated, knowing someone was always there to help – remotely.
WHAT IS RPM?
MaineGeneral’s RPM program was launched in January 2020 to help patients with CHF who receive care through MaineGeneral HomeCare and the Kennebec Valley Community Care Team. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were later added to the program.
Patients about to be discharged from the hospital, as well as those at home receiving HomeCare services, are taught how to use the tablet-based Bluetooth system and its measurement devices – scale, blood pressure machine and oxygen sensor. If the patient takes any daily medication, that information is preprogrammed by staff so that they receive medication reminders during the day.
Each morning, patients use the system to send their weight, blood pressure and oxygen level with the click of a button. These vital statistics are monitored by KVCCT staff on weekdays and HomeCare staff on weekends. Abnormal vitals or other concerning data bring a follow-up call from staff and, if needed, conversations with the patients’ primary care clinicians to determine a course of action. The intent is to address issues early before they become acute and require a trip to the hospital.
BENEFITING PATIENTS
Dionne praised the support provided by staff in setting up the equipment at her home and showing her how to use it, which she did daily for seven months before her discharge from the program.
“It was very easy to use and the staff was excellent,” she said. “If my blood pressure was quite high, the phone would ring within five minutes of me taking my vitals and a nurse would ask me how I was feeling and if everything was OK.
“It was very helpful because I don’t have any relatives around and I’ve outlived most of my friends,” she added. “That little machine was a godsend. I would tell anyone to take advantage of this program because it really was a big benefit for me. It was almost like having a little person in my home paying attention to me. It was a wonderful thing and it gave me peace of mind.”
Before her injury, Dionne could drive to doctor appointments, go grocery shopping and run errands. Even though she has fully recovered, she doesn’t yet feel confident to return to driving, a factor that is very limiting to many older adults like her and highlights the importance of the RPM program, said Karla L’Heureux, a certified medical assistant with the RPM program who worked directly with Dionne.
“We have a significant elderly population in Maine, so for these patients to be able to have someone on the other end of the equipment who can review the information daily and provide guidance to patients is huge,” L’Heureux said. “That’s especially true with CHF, where patients are trying to balance their diet, their salt intake, their medications and their lifestyle. Patients who are using RPM can call us or send us a text if they have concerns and we can then contact their doctor.
“This program has created a really nice outlet for patients to not only advocate for themselves but also have feedback on a regular basis,” she added, “and our medical staff often can create care plans that will help patients stay in their homes.”
And that’s good news for Corinne Dionne, should she ever need to be re-enrolled in the program and have the “little person” return to her home for help.
To learn more about MaineGeneral’s remote patient monitoring program, please visit www.mainegeneral.org/rpm or call 207-621-4647.
John D. Begin is a communications specialist in MaineGeneral Health’s Marketing and Communications Department.
