30 JUN 2021
5 Minutes
Has this ever happened in your practice?
A patient with bronchiectasis schedules a sick visit, reporting congestion and trouble clearing his airways. You ask whether he’s been keeping up with his prescribed respiratory therapy sessions. He replies, a bit sheepishly, “Honestly, I’ve fallen off over the past few days — but I was all over it before then!”
You may ask him to bring in his therapy device so you can confirm how often it has been used recently, and trust that he is following your prescribed protocols (session durations, therapy settings, etc.). But you know it’s difficult for this patient to keep up with his therapy, and you want to help him succeed in his own, real-world environment.
Connectivity can help. Here are three ways it can make a difference for patients like this one.
1. Trust, but Verify (and Then Make Better Decisions)
In the example above, the physician could easily prescribe more medications or even admit the patient to the hospital. But if she has prescribed a connected device, she can verify the patient’s reports and use their time together to educate him on getting the most value from his respiratory therapy.
Accurate, objective therapy session data is also helpful for patients who want more freedom in their daily lives. For example, many teens with Cystic Fibrosis feel ready to take on the responsibility of managing their own health with less parental oversight. Connectivity empowers them to manage their own therapy and track other health information like spirometry results, weight, etc. Better yet, it makes this information available to their care teams — so they can best help them stay on track and keep enjoying their freedom.
2. See the Bigger Picture
Many factors go into successful respiratory therapy. If your device only records how many hours it has been used, you may be working from an incomplete data set. Solutions like the Hillrom™ Connex® App and Health Portal share much more thorough information about therapy sessions, such as:
A more informed data set can help physicians and care teams have more productive conversations with patients — and, in turn, help them make better decisions, together.
3. Lay a Foundation for Connectivity and Digital Growth
The COVID-19 pandemic forced our healthcare system to advance in many ways — not the least of which is the expansion of digital health services like remote monitoring and telehealth offerings. As this trend continues, practices can prepare to expand their own digital offerings by investing in connectivity solutions that are designed for growth. Since launching the Connex® connectivity solution in 2020, building upon the success of VisiView® Health Portal launched in 2016, Hillrom has added at-home spirometry to the offering, and many future enhancements are planned. Prepare for the future of telehealth by researching connected respiratory therapy devices and determining which could best serve the unique needs of your patients.
Patients want to live their healthiest lives by following your care plans, but sometimes life gets in the way. That’s why connectivity can be such a powerful tool in improving engagement, compliance and outcomes. When care teams and patients can clearly see day-to-day therapy results, they can make better decisions together. Learn more about connected solutions like the Hillrom Connex App and Health Portal here, or contact your Hillrom representative for more information.
The Hillrom Connex App and Health Portal is available for The Vest® and Monarch® Airway Clearance Systems.
