Phillip Robinson, RDNS - The RDNS Telehealth Journey

The RDNS Telehealth Journey

Connected Australia Sydney October 2013

Philip Robinson

General Manager – Internal Investments


Today’s Presentation

• RDNS in Perspective

• Telehealth underpinnings

• Telehealth Initiatives

• The Future


RDNS in Perspective • NGO

• 130 years old

• Homecare provider supporting ageing in place

• Australia and New Zealand

• 2,500+ staff – clinical and home support

• RDNS Institute – leading centre for homecare research

• Strong clinical focus


RDNS in Perspective

• 45,000 clients per annum

• Over 2 million visits per year

• Every day, over 8,000 clients

receive a visit from RDNS


Telehealth – Department of Health definition

• Telehealth services use information and communications technologies (ICTs) to deliver health services and transmit health information over both long and short distances. It is about transmitting voice, data, images and information rather than moving care recipients, health professionals or educators. It encompasses diagnosis, treatment, preventive (educational) and curative aspects of healthcare services and typically involves care recipient(s), care providers or educators in the provision of these services directed to the care recipient

Courtesy:


Demand for Services

• Ageing population

• Life expectancy increasing

• Support needs increase with age

• Rise of chronic disease

• Preference for remaining at home

• Consumer expectations


Internal challenges

• Ageing workforce

• Time to address

• Creating career options

• Demand on specialist

nurses

• Larger service footprint – Townsville to Hobart, Perth

to Dunedin.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Up to 25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+

RDNS Workforce


External factors

• Changing purchasing arrangements

and competitive pressure

• Consumer experience and expectations

• Technology adoption and possibilities


Our Platform

• The RDNS Customer Service Centre

• Nurse led contact centre

• 24/7 operation

• Call centre disciplines

• Telehealth capability


CSC Capability

• Receive referrals from individuals, hospitals and healthcare professionals

• Provide telephone based intake and assessment

• Provide telephone advice

• Co-ordinate face to face care

• Provide telehealth services

Current Work • Medication Management via video – utilising high speed broadband



5 -6 Video visits per week plus one face to face visit

per week

The Video Medication Management Service Model


Video Medication Management – the future

• Has delivered value

• Project period has concluded

• Finalising evaluation

–High level of client satisfaction

–High level of staff acceptance

• Currently working on transition to BAU


Examples of the intangible benefits of Telehealth: • Client One

– Increased frequency of video calls was able to maintain the client in their own home despite an increasing level of Dementia

• Client Two – RDNS was able to maintain video consultations with a client in a high

risk Bushfire Area while “road” nurses were not allowed to visit

• Client Three – Using video technology, a nurse recognised the early symptoms of

heart attack & called “000” for an emergency response by paramedics • On arrival, the paramedics were surprised to see the nurse on a video screen


Current Work: NBN-enabled Telehealth Pilot • Funded by DoHA (now DH)

• Partnership with Precedence Healthcare (PHC) and involving a number of Medicare Locals, suppliers and universities

• Chronic Disease Model based on a care team approach

• Clients have to be connected to the NBN

– Different cohorts

– Low intensity – PHC

– High intensity – RDNS


High intensity clients

• Remote monitoring in the home by RDNS from CSC

• Video interactions

• Liaison with GPs

• Support model based on virtual and F2F nursing

• June 2014 conclusion – evaluation to follow


Improved patient monitoring & deployment also needs:

• High-speed broadband that is:

– Readily Available i.e. able to be deployed in hours/days

– Easy to Access i.e. affordable or free to the health client

– Fast and Synchronous (bidirectional videoconferencing)

• These criteria are largely met by the NBN, but

– Important to roll-out to where the consumers are!


Our criteria for successful Telehealth projects: • Clinical leadership and governance • Client selection criteria and enrolment processes • Human Research & Ethics approval for

evaluation • Expert Reference Group including consumer

groups • Independent evaluation by major Universities • Client (and carer) choice and consent

paramount


Key Messages

• RDNS is investing in and committed to Telehealth-based service delivery

• Telehealth is a service delivery mode not a service in itself

• It has to work for the client – ease of use, health outcomes, cost, reliability

• We have some way to go yet


Philip Robinson

T 03 9536 5267

M 0417 342 930

E [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Phillip Robinson, RDNS - The RDNS Telehealth Journey

Technology

Transcript of Phillip Robinson, RDNS - The RDNS Telehealth Journey