FirstHealth offers a powerful look at hybrid telemedicine in action
Many experts say a combination of in-person care with telehealth is the future of telemedicine. FirstHealth of the Carolinas shows how it's done.
At FirstHealth of the Carolinas, a health system based in Pinehurst, North Carolina, bed capacity always seemed to be at the forefront of challenges. A not uncommon challenge in healthcare.
Having more bed capacity is always helpful, but that usually means construction of some sort. FirstHealth staff thought of a way to increase hospital bed capacity without laying a single brick.
"While there are many hospitals that have started a hospital at home program, we decided to look at this type of program from a different angle," said Stephen Kapa, administrative director of telehealth services. "The program we came up with is called Observation at Home.
"While a traditional hospital at home program looks to care for the sometimes-sicker patients who would traditionally meet inpatient status and be admitted to the hospital, Observation at Home looks to enroll patients who don't quite meet inpatient admission criteria, but also aren't well enough to go home," he continued.
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