Leslee Gross, Assistant Vice-President of Operations at Baptist Health South Florida, says telemedicine will be accepted in the future and will be treated as the same face-to-face visits that you have with your physician, it is just a different delivery system but it is the same medicine.
According to Gross, all of the physicians are trained and credentialed. They are trained to go over as they would in an inpatient setting or in an office setting. Lisa-Mae Williams, Operations Director of Telehealth-elCU at Baptist Health South Florida, points out they have a secure network and the patients sign a consent to treat and also, they do not record to maintain the patient’s privacy. Gloria Kelly, eClinical Pharmacist Consultant at Baptist Health South Florida, says going to a patient’s home and providing care is valuable, it is also discussing in detail the medication the patient is using, how to store it and when to take it.
She points out it is not only talking about medication, but about lifestyle changes, exercise and nutrition. Lisa-Mae Williams, Operations Director of Telehealth-elCU at the same institution, highlights they have an ambassador program for their staff to keep and build a relationship between coworkers. Leslee Gross, Assistant Vice-President of Operations at Baptist Health South Florida, explains doctors work as a team to set a plan for the patient’s treatment and they make sure the communication is effective among them.
The institution also makes transportation arrangements. Lisa-Mae Williams, Operations Director of Telehealth-elCU at the same institution, points out they are able to know where all the moving parts are and the transfercenter is able to take patients to the hospital during a hurricane, for example, meanwhile the tele-ICU takes care of other types of patients. Lisa-Mae Williams, Operations Director of Telehealth-elCU at Baptist Health South Florida, explains TeleHealth is a response to lack of access to experts, so healthcare organizations want you to be able to get the right experts.
Leslee Gross, Assistant Vice-President of Operations at Baptist Health South Florida, says there are three hospital systems in Florida that have tele ICU and there are about 400 hospitals, which equates about 55 health systems that have tele ICU. Leslee Gross, Assistant Vice-President of Operations at Baptist Health South Florida, explains they monitor 173 ICU beds throughout all Miami and it is the second set of eyes that are always watching the patients.
Lisa-Mae Williams, Operations Director of Telehealth-elCU at the same institution, points out they are supporting the care for patients in the critical care areas. They have nurses, physicians and pharmacists that divide up the care and are in constant communication with the teams in the hospitals.
