Like a thief in the night, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has stolen the lives of so many so quickly. In our lifetimes, a pandemic of this proportion has never before swept the nation with such extreme destruction.
In the wake of this devastation, it has become evident that our country was greatly unprepared to handle an attack of this magnitude. With issues such as inadequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and staffing shortages affecting numerous healthcare workers, the need for change is apparent.
Identifying and deploying healthcare technology solutions like NOVA (Nursing Observation and Virtual Assistant) by Wachter Healthcare Solutions, can assist in addressing many of the problems being faced today.
NOVA uses HD cameras with 360° views as well as pan, tilt, zoom, and night vision capabilities to allow technicians to visualize a patient’s environment with extreme quality. Combined with the ability to communicate using two-way audio and video features, NOVA can provide a means to care for patients while maintaining staff safety.
Through the use of NOVA, a reduction in PPE use, staff exposure, and the spread of infection is possible. Furthermore, healthcare facilities can utilize this technology to remotely observe offline devices such as ventilators, IVs, or drainage systems. Providers can conduct virtual rounds, continuously monitor critically ill patients, and receive frequent updates from technicians regarding the statuses of patients.
Aside from the various benefits of using virtual patient observation solutions to tackle healthcare concerns, NOVA can also assure peace of mind for family members by knowing that their loved ones are being monitored at all times.
“In nursing school, we are taught to care for patients holistically, which includes the mind and the body,” says Clinical Support Specialist Ashley Kuruvilla, MSN, APRN, FNP-C. “This can be a very scary time for patients, particularly those that are elderly or may have mental health issues. Not being able to have contact with others and seeing healthcare providers in personal protective gear can certainly cause anxiety. With NOVA, patients can communicate with a real person and isolation doesn’t have to be so lonely.”
As a nation, our responsibility is to work together to help fight this uphill battle and it is through adversity that we evolve and improve. At Wachter, we are dedicated to keeping the needs of the people at the center of what we do, and NOVA does just that.
- April 15th, 2020
- Nursing, Coronavirus
