Telehealth Helped George Manage COPD

Meet George

When first admitted to the visiting nurse association, George was incredibly weak, anxious, and often short of breath, requiring the use of oxygen continuously. George had been recently discharged from the hospital following a diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

After discharge, George’s palliative care nurse set small goals for him to help improve his daily health and build his confidence. As George began to exceed his goals, his Palliative Care nurse enrolled George in the telehealth program offered by the VNA to help George engage in his own health further.

Ready for Telehealth

Via the telehealth platform, George was able to record his daily vital signs, complete symptom surveys and access educational videos to learn about his conditions and how to cope with them. George’s telehealth nurse monitored George’s recovery closely, connecting with George when his vital signs were abnormal or his symptom surveys indicated an exacerbation in his symptoms.

Several times throughout his enrollment in the telehealth program, George recorded low oxygen levels, prompting a visual assessment by his telehealth nurse via video conferencing. Via the virtual visits, George’s telehealth nurse would educate George on relaxation breathing techniques to bring his oxygen readings above 90%. Once his breathing had improved, George’s nurse would check his medications, ask additional questions about his symptoms, and answer any questions George had.

Each day, George continued to learn about his conditions and how to manage his symptoms. Eventually, George has enough strength to leave his home to spend time with his wife, family, and dog, Pepper. During his nearly four months enrolled in the telehealth program, George had zero emergency department visits or rehospitalizations.