Sleepy Eye Medical Center and rtNOW: Pioneering Telehealth Respiratory Therapy in Rural America
In the heart of south central Minnesota stands a beacon of healthcare hope – SEMC. While nestled in a rural setting, this independent hospital and clinic facility is anything but a simple establishment. Not affiliated with a larger health system, they shoulder the immense responsibility of catering to the health needs of Sleepy Eye residents and its neighboring communities.
But how does a rural facility ensure its patients receive access to specialists synonymous with larger, urban hospitals? Enter rtNOW.
In 2016, a remarkable partnership was forged. rtNOW, a leading telerespiratory service provider, approached SEMC with an innovative solution. rtNOW offered to bridge the gap through technology.
Traditionally, large hospitals are able to hire respiratory therapists. Now, thanks to rtNOW, SEMC can boast a similar caliber of care. Physicians and staff can connect with a team of highly trained and state-licensed respiratory therapists, 24/7. Whether it’s a critical situation, like a patient having difficulty breathing and needing assistance with the settings on a mechanical ventilator, or a less urgent opportunity to teach a patient wanting to better understand their asthma, COPD, or other respiratory conditions; rtNOW is just a call away.
While SEMC does have an in-house respiratory therapist who provides care for patients once a month, the collaboration with rtNOW ensures that top-notch respiratory consultations are always available when needed.
Why is this telehealth service so crucial?
Patients dealing with heart and lung disorders require specialized care. Whether it’s undergoing spirometry breathing tests, providing education on chronic respiratory diseases, assisting the on-site medical team assess a patient in respiratory distress , or teaching patients how to use respiratory medications and devices effectively; a knowledgeable respiratory therapist is indispensable.
The synergy between Sleepy Eye Medical Center and rtNOW stands as a testament to what can be achieved with a little innovation, foresight, and collaboration. Rather than letting location be a limitation, Sleepy Eye has shown that with the right partners and technology, it’s possible to deliver exceptional care anywhere and everywhere.
In our eyes, Sleepy Eye Medical Center isn’t just a hospital. It’s an emblem of resilience, dedication, and, most importantly, a commitment to the community. Their partnership with rtNOW only reinforces their promise to always prioritize the well-being of their community.
Joerns Healthcare & rtNOW Partnership
rtNOW is excited to announce the partnership with Joerns Healthcare.
Read the press release below:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. and FRANKENMUTH, Mich., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Joerns Healthcare, a healthcare technology and equipment services company, announced the addition of consulting telerespiratory services to its portfolio through an exclusive agreement with rtNOW. Joerns will initially leverage the respiratory services of rtNOW, which include registered, certified respiratory therapists to provide remote tele-connected delivery for proper device/therapy setup, ongoing use and troubleshooting for caregivers and clinicians along the clinical pathway. The inclusion of the rtNOW telehealth capability complements the existing BioIntelliSense remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution that is part of Joerns first-in-class Connexio™ platform.
rtNOW brings unique and comprehensive capabilities to the respiratory care field and has quickly been recognized as a leader in delivering clinician education, patient support and device training from their remote learning and support portal. Users can connect directly from anywhere with a respiratory therapist by simply clicking on a provided link. The rtNOW platform uses high quality video via a proprietary HIPPA compliant link, allowing a telerespiratory therapist to not only answer questions, but view settings on respiratory equipment, provide just-in-time education, and troubleshoot equipment issues.
“Telehealth has become essential in value-based care. We are excited to continually drive healthcare forward with these kinds of innovative services that empower providers, caregivers, their patients and families at the point-of-care, no matter where that happens to be,” said Doug Ferguson, chief strategy officer for Joerns Healthcare. “rtNOW is another example of a clinical technology solution that Joerns is bringing to market that can be used standalone, or in concert with our other AI-enabled technologies, to help in the transition from a bed-centered care system to a patient-centered care ecosystem. Our partnership with rtNOW brings another powerful tool into our remote patient monitoring offering, allowing the effective and safe care of the patient anywhere.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Joerns to provide long-term healthcare facilities with access to our telerespiratory therapists,” says Curt Merriman, chief sales officer at rtNOW. “We both have our eyes on the future, and the inclusion of our AI-driven services within their growing technology portfolio provides a cost-effective, turnkey, and scalable solution, further simplifying the experience for their customers.”
About rtNOW
rtNOW is a unique telehealth service directed at empowering respiratory care for HME companies and in rural and urban healthcare locations in outpatient and inpatient settings. Professional, experienced respiratory therapists provide remote PAP set-ups, home non-invasive ventilator follow-ups, and remote physiological monitoring for patients. Our inpatient telerespiratory therapists assist nursing colleagues with respiratory care knowledge and experience at the bedside. Visit rtNOW.net for more information.
About Joerns Healthcare
Joerns Healthcare is a healthcare technology and equipment services company focused on driving the transformation of care nationally across the post-acute continuum. We are simplifying the complex post-acute care world by providing the technology, professionals, products, and data to help streamline the process, so providers concentrate on care. Joerns brings our national service footprint, the right products, and over 130 years of expertise to help navigate the new complexities that surround accountable care and optimize patient and financial outcomes. Visit Joerns.com for more information.
Chuck Stadler Jr on HME Business Podcast
Our President and CEO Chuck Stadler Jr was recently a guest on the HME Business Podcast with David Kopf. Feel free to take a listen: https://hme-business.com/articles/2021/11/04/podcast-060.aspx?s=esource_081121&admgarea=esource&oly_enc_id=
HME Smart Talk Article – Part 4
Our very own Curt Merriman was asked to prepare a 4-part article for HME News “Smart Talk” column. We happily are reprinting it here.
Q. With the continued shortage of respiratory therapists, how do we look for ways to maximize this scarce resource?
A.One HME company has outsourced their RT coverage exclusively with a tele-respiratory therapist. This organization incorporates a couple of strategies:
The customer comes into the HME’s location and meets with a customer service representative and a tele-respiratory therapist joins remotely to provide the PAP setup instruction. The relationship is developed between the in-location staff, as well as the remote RT.
The HME technician delivers the device to the customer’s home and the driver technician uses their work smartphone and a HIPAA-compliant telehealth app to connect the tele-respiratory therapist in the customer’s home to provide whatever equipment instruction is needed.
The driver technicians delivering and setting up equipment in the home are a staple of the HME industry. Combining the driver’s role with the RT or other health care professionals could be a game changer. The HME company is able to offer the convenience of delivery and set up in the home and again maximize their resources by providing the clinical component to the setup instructions via telehealth.
Providing the “hands on” equipment manipulation in the home removes some of the physical barriers that are present when performing completely remote setups. This hybrid process enhances the patient-caregiver relationship with the HME as it would with the RT delivering and setting up the device in person.
Innovation has always played a role in how we care for our patients at home. HME respiratory care is at a crossroads. Those who are willing to utilize tele-respiratory therapists will reap the benefits of scalable, patient-centered solutions, while keeping staff RTs refreshed and excited about their roles.
Curt Merriman is chief sales officer for rtNow. Reach him at curt@rtNow.net.
HME Smart Talk Article – Part 3
Our very own Curt Merriman was asked to prepare a 4-part article for HME News “Smart Talk” column. We happily are reprinting it here.
Curt Merriman
Q. Is there an opportunity for me to provide remote patient monitoring?
A.The HME industry has always had innovators and care providers interested in providing health care services that improve a patient’s quality of life in their homes. At the same time, payers continuously ratchet the fee schedules downward. Remote physiological monitoring can be a game changer.
While not officially recognized by CMS as telehealth, RPM does have four primary CPT codes (99453m 99454, 99457 and 99458) and reimbursement to allow for adherence and compliance measures to improve care in the home. Biometric sensors (usually with Bluetooth technology) provide physiologic data taken from the patient. This data is sent to a cloud-based dashboard to be monitored for early changes. These changes can indicate non-adherence to therapy or provide clinical signs and symptoms of a health risk or exacerbation.
RPM is typically billed and managed through a provider/physician clinic and may utilize Qualified Healthcare Providers (QHCPs) to perform the monitoring and direct communication with the patient, with escalation to the provider as needed. This service can be outsourced as a contracted extension of the physician’s practice. Respiratory therapists and other health care providers meet the definition of a QHCP.
Companies such as Verustat offer RPM services in the HME industry. Some interesting findings from various sources: 90% of patients want a digital health connection with their doctor; RPM has been shown to improve patient satisfaction; and RPM reduces emergency visits, improves patient health and reduces hospital admissions.
RPM of data allows for another opportunity for outsourcing resources. Many clinics that implement RPM do not have the staff bandwidth to take on the extra time required for monitoring and the required monthly communication with the patient.
Curt Merriman is chief sales officer for rtNow. Reach him at curt@rtNow.net.