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UHealth Launches Televigilance Program for Select COVID-19 Patients

The University of Miami Health System and oxygen saturation. If providers see
has launched the UHealth Televigilance data that concerns them, they can follow
program, allowing providers to remotely up with a telemedicine visit and conduct a
monitor and care for COVID-19 patients thorough examination. The patient or
who might otherwise need to continue caregiver uses device adapters to allow Dr.
care in inpatient settings. Taldone and other providers to examine
The program involves arming dis- the patient’s heart, lungs, skin, mouth, and
charged patients with TytoCare home ears.
health devices, which they and their care- The TytoCare device is integrated with
givers use to electronically transmit timely Epic, UHealth’s Electronic Medical Record
health status information. Providers mon- system. This allows UHealth to apply
itor patients’ vital signs and can quickly computer logic to patients’ clinical data,
address problems or triage patients who which also helps to alert providers when a
need higher levels of care. value is out of normal range, according to
“The UHealth Televigilance program David W. Reis, Ph.D., chief information
intends to decrease length of hospital stay officer at the University of Miami Health
and prevent readmissions while freeing up System.
hospital beds," said Sabrina Taldone, M.D., “It brings another layer of data review
M.B.A., medical director of the UHealth and analysis for the patient, and makes it
Televigilance program and associate pro- easier for our clinicians to rapidly respond
gram director of the Internal Medicine when they see something that looks out of
Residency Program at the Miller School of range,” Dr. Reis said. a patient in the UHealth emergency access to a smartphone or tablet and a Wi-
Medicine. "Merging the benefits of UHealth began distributing the department with COVID-19 pneumonia, Fi network. Once they’re trained in how to
telemedicine visits with the clinical accura- TytoCare devices to eligible patients on who isn’t necessarily sick enough to be use the device, patients or caregivers need
cy obtained through recording patient vital July 10. The plan is to distribute seven to admitted to the hospital but would do well to be able to perform vitals measurements
signs and an extensive physical examina- 10 of the devices a week. with a provider following up and making using the technology.
tion enhances the opportunity to closely “Thus far, these devices have been given sure that the patient isn’t getting worse. "As we gain a better understanding of
monitor specific patients immediately after to the COVID-19 patients at higher risk of Inpatients who are eligible for the program the UHealth Televigilance program’s full
hospital discharge or ER release, thereby complications, such as those with co-mor- include those who have been hospitalized potential, we hope to improve patient
improving transitions of care." bidities or those discharged on home oxy- for a significant length of time and need transitions of care and to provide a higher
The device regularly monitors patients’ gen,” Dr. Taldone said. close follow-up after discharge. quality of patient care at lower cost,” said
temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, A candidate for the technology might be Patients or caregivers need to have Dr. Taldone.

Health Foundation of South Florida Commits $1.5 Million

to Address COVID-19 Disparities

The Health Foundation of South Florida the Foundation placed an emphasis on Our goal with this important investment is Census tract and block level data to help
(HFSF) announced it will provide $1.5 funding and partnering with trusted to address those disparities but also to community partners identify exactly
million in funding to local nonprofits to Black- and Hispanic-led groups already reduce transmission among our most vul- where interventions are most needed and
address COVID-19 racial and ethnic dis- embedded in the communities. The nerable neighbors.” can reach the highest number of vulnera-
parities by increasing outreach, education recipients are: As part of the investment, HFSF also ble people.
and access to diagnostic testing in some of • Healthy Little Havana, a neighbor- partnered with Spatially Health, a data In addition, HFSF is granting $650,000
the region’s most vulnerable communities. hood coalition that promotes healthy liv- analytics and predictive modeling health to Ready Responders, a New Orleans-
The investment is part of a coordinated, ing in Little Havana. tech company headquartered in Coral based on-demand health service that deliv-
data-driven, targeted plan to help reduce • James Wilson Bridges, MD Medical Gables, to develop the Health Foundation ers care through telehealth and other tech-
coronavirus transmission in existing and Society, the South Florida chapter of the of South Florida COVID Vulnerability nologies. They will provide at-home
potential Miami-Dade and Broward “hot nation’s oldest Black medical association. Index, a digital mapping tool that predicts COVID-19 testing to residents of low-
spots,” where residents are at higher risk • Centro Campesino, which advocates high-risk areas where potential outbreaks income housing developments or areas
for infections and severe outcomes for and supports the economic advance- or spikes are likely to occur. Created where access to a car or other means of
because of social and economic condi- ment of farmworkers in Homestead and exclusively for HFSF, the map captures transportation is a challenge.
tions. The grants will support efforts to: South Dade.
• Develop new technology that pre- • The Allapattah Collaborative
dicts specific areas and neighborhoods Community Development Corporation,
where outbreaks or spikes are likely to which works to ensure the equitable
occur so that interventions can be tai- development of Miami’s Allapattah
lored; neighborhood by preventing the displace-
• Deliver thousands of at-home tests ment of its small businesses and residents.
for people who have limited access to • YMCA of South Florida, the well-
transportation, and facilitate the creation known nonprofit that nurtures the poten-
of pop-up and mobile testing centers in tial of kids, promotes healthy living and
at-risk communities; fosters a sense of social responsibility, and
• Link patients who test positive to which will expand the role of their com-
critical resources such as food and health munity health workers to conduct out-
care; and reach and support testing efforts in
• Advocate and help inform decision- Broward County.
making by local government through “The COVID-19 pandemic has demon-
policy and system change recommenda- strated exactly how critical it is for every-
tions. one in our community to have access to
HFSF is providing grants between quality health care,” said HFSF President
$35,000 and $160,000 to five organiza- and CEO Steven E. Marcus. “It has also
tions who will drive education and com- shown us the tremendous impact social
munity outreach efforts, help identify and economic conditions can have on peo-
barriers to care and coordinate the deliv- ple’s ability to stay healthy plus how
ery of tests. In selecting the recipients, inequity can drive disturbing disparities.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com September 2020 13