The Covid-19 Pandemic has been rough (to put it lightly) on many businesses, families and relationships. The pandemic has brought struggle, heartache, fear, and uncertainty to  many. As the number of cases continued to climb in Nevada, many restrictions became required for all businesses and institutions to follow. Social visitation in hospitals being one. As an admitted hospital patient, you were no longer able to have visitors; at any time of the day. This meant one thing, isolation and loneliness. Being admitted to the hospital is one thing. Being admitted to the hospital (during a pandemic) with no ability for your loved ones to be there with you is another.

Henderson Hospital, the sixth acute-care hospital in the Valley Health System, which provides patient care throughout Las Vegas and Southern Nevada, wanted to provide a solution to keep loved ones together during their stay. HH (Henderson Hospital)  implemented the TeleVisitor™ (Social) solution in their ICU, Emergency, Labor and Delivery, as well as their designated “Covid Wing” departments. Since May, HH has successfully had over 100 visits, bringing families virtually back together. With a variety of patients ranging from new mothers introducing their newborn to his overseas deployed father, to an ICU patient’s family saying their final goodbyes. One may think, “Well how is this different than a nurse or hospital staff or patient, utilizing their personal phone to connect families?” Technological literacy, productivity and privacy. We cannot assume that all patients have 1. A smartphone/tablet device with a camera/microphone or 2. They are physically able to use such device during their stay. When depending on hospital staff to facilitate visits, this includes taking them away from their clinical duties. Many times, hospital staff is required to hold their phone in front of the patient who may not be physically able. Also, having a third party, stranger, in the room during hard or special times is not ideal for anyone. The TeleVisitor™ solution is completely hands free. TeleVisits are scheduled and coordinated with the visitor(s) through ITS’ care plan management software, TeleTether™.

At the time of the visiting session, hospital staff simply places the TeleVisitor™ rolling cart in front of the patient, starts the meeting, verifies that the visitor has joined the session, and continues on with all clinical duties. This creates privacy for the patient and the visitor to converse freely and uninterrupted, as well as time for hospital staff to simultaneously continue their clinical obligations. Renee Magtibay, Patient Experience Manager at Henderson Hospital shares a story from one of her many TeleVisitor™ experiences: “A mother of all boys has been in the hospital for over 47 days was finally feeling well enough to participate in a virtual call. Her husband wanted to see her so badly, so he recruited their grandson help him set it up on his phone. I came into the patient’s room and introduced the virtual call and that her husband would be seeing her – she quickly picked up some lip balm – I offered her a hair comb and reassured her she looked beautiful. As soon as her family appeared on the screen – everyone’s faces lit up and the patient was so happy. One of her grandsons even had the opportunity to show her his new missing tooth.” Not only was Henderson Hospital able to re connect this patient with her husband again after 47 days, but this patient was also able to connect and celebrate a monumental time with her grandson as well.  ITS is honored to partner with Henderson Hospital to provide them with ultimate TeleVisitor™ experience.