In the world of remote patient monitoring there are devices that are provided by a clinician or doctor’s office and there are off-the-shelf devices ready to be used by anyone with a healthcare need.
Dustin Vance, a telehealth professional with over two decades of experience, benefited from such a device. His daughter, Lexie, was experiencing nausea and chest pain and the mother contacted Dustin for advice. With the aid of an off-the-shelf telehealth device available through retailers, the mother saw that the girl was undergoing atrial fibrillation (aka, AFib). The mother immediately took the child to the local emergency department where she was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and eventually diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid and heart.
Utilizing the same telehealth device, Dustin tested his other daughter, Sydney, and saw that she was in early stages of tachycardia, an indicator that she has Graves’ Disease as well. With the corresponding smartphone application, the parents are able to monitor the girls’ health and send reports to each other. This device used in tandem with professional healthcare services brought a serious health condition to light where without it, the children would have continued their lives undiagnosed and potentially could have worsened their condition.
Have a Real World Example of your own?
Do you have a time in which telehealth has impacted your life? We’d love to hear your story! Please complete the form below to share your Real World Telehealth Example with the SCTRC team.
