How One Community Improves COVID-19 Nursing Home Care Through Collaboration and Communication

Lorry arch bold pannone, University of Virginia

Residents of nursing homes around the world Particularly vulnerable To the destruction of COVID-19. As of August 2, 2020 in the United States, Special elderly nursing home 46,000 He died of a virus. In addition, deaths associated with nursing homes 40% of all deaths from COVID-19 In the usa

In my hometown of Virginia, more than half of the state’s residents are in nursing homes. COVID-19 related deaths.. The statistics alone underscore the important need for infection control and adequate support for these residents.

I am a doctor A person who specializes in geriatrics and works in an academic medical center. Since March 2020 I have led a team Joint treatment model Nursing homes for our community. That is, bringing together hospitals, doctor groups, community agencies and health departments to understand how we can all work together to improve the outcomes of these residents during a pandemic.

The name of our team is Back pal.. Members of varying backgrounds, such as doctors, nurses, paramedics, and public health professionals, have created new ways for academic medical centers and hospitals to work with local nursing homes. We believe our model will help these facilities not only during the pandemic, but later.

Above all, our team supports them in infection control measures. This includes COVID-19 testing and treatment coordination. We have improved access to specialty care with telemedicine, an excellent tool for patients. And help families get personal protective equipment.

Team members have specific roles. Nurse innovators connect directly to the home and see how we can help. Through nursement, the nurse practitioner leads the educational program for facility managers and clinical teams. A paramedic sees a patient undergoing telemedicine, and a geriatrician provides the visit and assists in palliative care (alleviating pain and other symptoms).

Lack of personnel in a nursing home

GERI-PaL before the regional pandemic surge Was already successful Build a collaboration with a nursing home. However, our greatest impact is currently occurring as we are responding to multiple facilities that have been severely impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Of course, our primary concern is the care and health of our residents. Early in the pandemic Staffing crisis Appeared in many facilities. Some workers became ill, some needed quarantine, and some decided not to return.

With limited staff, coordinating care is more important than ever. The remaining employees will need to assume new roles to make up for the loss. So we worked with our home and primary care providers to ensure that every patient was seen during our daily telemedicine. Daily medical practice is common in hospitals, but generally not standard in facilities where the population is not ill.

We used a virtual stethoscope to hear the heart and lung sounds remotely and helped to arrange a telemedicine visit with a paramedic who connected in real-time video chat with residents, nurses and attending physicians. .. This type of care we have discovered is effective, efficient and much easier for residents. Instead of going to the hospital or clinic, the patient can be treated or talked to a doctor from a nursing home.

Innovation is more than technology

We had the local medical students call the residents to talk and provide peace of mind, especially during the policy changes that took place during the initial blockade. For the inhabitants, this has reduced their loneliness and social isolation. For students, it was an empathy class.

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We also tried to make moving patients to and from the hospital or home as easy as possible. This alone will reduce the burden on the staff of the nursing home. A long-needed bridge between two care sites, Improved patient care..

Lessons from a pandemic that I find most sympathetic with: doctors and all providers Adaptability and creativity.. COVID-19 shows that not everyone has all the answers. But by chasing science and sharing ideas, you can care for patients in any situation.

People often refer to healthcare workers as heroes. At both hospitals and nursing homes, we carefully propose the word “hero,” which overlooks the depth of courage that doctors, nurses, caregivers, and staff show every day. True, they are scared and uncertain, but they are determined to move forward despite the fear. The innovations I have learned do not always mean technology upgrades. At times, innovation is a dedicated person, simply joining together to make things better for patients, families, and communities.

Lorry arch bold pannone, Associate Professor Medicine, Geriatrics, University of Virginia

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