Essentia Health changes

How Care Is Delivered

AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

WORDS : JENNIFER MCLAUGHLIN PHOTOGRAPHY : DENISE SARGENT and ESSENTIA HEALTH

In the course of a few weeks, “normal” took a sharp turn as communities, businesses and organizations adapted to finding innovative ways of doing things when faced with the reality of COVID-19. The sudden new reality caused everyone to navigate through social distancing and business closures for the health and safety of our community.

From delivering care virtually to drive-up testing, healthcare took on a new look in the face of the pandemic.

Virtual Health Care

Essentia Health expanded healthcare into people’s homes with virtual video visits. Virtual visits are a telephone or video appointment directly between a provider and patient similar to an in-person visit. The difference is patients are in the comfort of their home using audio and video through their own computer, tablet or smartphone.

Plans for an April launch were already in place at Essentia for this service when COVID-19 fast-tracked it. Essentia’s first virtual video visit was conducted on March 18 and since then has exploded with an average of about 3,000 visits occurring each day.

“Essentia Health has changed the way we operate, and we are doing it for the better of our patients,” says Nicole Christensen, chief nursing officer.

Virtual video visits are available in primary and pediatric care, and nearly all specialty areas. Even walk-in virtual visits are now available, and all appointments are open to both new and existing patients.

Therapy is virtually serving patients of all ages. Michelle Enockson, director of Rehabilitation Services at Essentia Health, says patient reaction has been extremely positive. “Patients have appreciated being able to continue therapy from the comfort of their home, and they also feel safer by limiting their exposure to the risk of coronavirus out in the community.”

Therapists can provide therapy exercises utilizing what is available to the patient at home. Patients are giving more detailed feedback, which is enhancing their treatment. “Patients are paying more attention to their body, and are better able to identify what makes the pain worse or better, because they are doing it in their own home and in their own environment,” says Enockson.

Family members have also been more likely to attend these virtual appointments, allowing therapists to keep them actively engaged in the treatment as well.

Karra Krump, a physical therapy patient in Detroit Lakes, has had five appointments so far. Her appointments consist of discussing pain level, issues, and reviewing past exercises. New exercises are implemented by her therapist demonstrating and then watching, giving suggestions and critiques, while she completes them.

“These visits have been great, and I feel the virtual visits for this have been just as successful as an in-person visit,” she says.

Krump says a bonus has been the amount of time it saves in travel or possible wait times.

COVID-19 SCREENING and DRIVE-UP TESTING

If you have concerns or symptoms related to COVID-19, Essentia Health is providing e-visits at no cost* for evaluation.

To learn more, or to start an e-visit, go to essentiahealth.org/covid-19 .

After the visit, patients determined to need a test will be directed to one of Essentia’s drive-up testing sites.

Convenient Curbside Care

With patient safety and comfort in mind, Essentia Health put new models in place for virtual video visits that may require in-person follow-up. Clinic locations have been designated for patients to receive immunizations, labs or other necessary treatments post-virtual visit to ensure the highest level of care.

OB patients are receiving curbside vital checks once a virtual visit is completed with their provider. These curbside appointments check blood pressure and baby’s heartbeat, which are vital elements to gauge mother and baby’s health. Patients arrive, drive up to a designated parking space, and a nurse and provider come out to their vehicle and complete the check-up.

“We recognized that there was a gap with our virtual visits in that we are not able to assess fetal heart rate and blood pressures for our OB patients. Our curbside vitals appointment allows us to offer a comprehensive visit without our patients even entering the clinic,” explains Dr. Stefanie Gefroh Ellison, OB/GYN physician at Essentia Health.

Hannah Cook, an Essentia OB patient loved the experience. “It helped just having that extra faceto-face contact and reassurance that everything was going well,” she says. “To have Essentia working and coming up with ideas to help us moms stay safe during this time and yet have that assurance is very much appreciated.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION on virtual video visits, go to essentiahealth.org/virtualvisit. [ aw ]