Press release

TeleHealth Services and Banyan Virtual Nurse System Help Hospitals Respond to COVID-19

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TeleHealth Services and Banyan Medical Systems have launched a new partnership to jointly provide audiovisual telenursing solutions at no cost to TeleHealth Services client hospitals for COVID-19 patients in furtherance of Banyan’s TAP4H program.

Through Banyan’s tech-enabled staffing solutions, nursing staff can conduct virtual care visits through centralized workstations within their hospitals or in remote locations to reduce the risk of spreading the disease and augment care for more patients. The AV technology provided by TeleHealth enables virtual care for isolation room patients using a networked TV, mounted camera, and an integrated pillow speaker for patient and nurse interaction.

In addition to providing the Telehealth Aid Program for Hospitals (TAP4H) program, Banyan is partnering with TeleHealth to offer the solution to select TeleHealth Services hospitals, equipping up to five isolation rooms at no cost as part of a rapid response program to help hospitals deliver needed care while addressing potential nurse shortages in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The new partnership enables Banyan to offer a joint solution to additional hospitals including TeleHealth Services’ interactive software, AV integration, services and support.

“We understand the demands on nurses and clinical staff in hospitals every day. This pandemic has the potential to quickly overwhelm hospital staff and capacity,” said TeleHealth Services General Manager Kevin Colores. “TeleHealth Services’ expertise with interactive patient care technology and AV systems both inside and outside the patient room is a key factor in rapidly deploying this telenursing solution. We are collaborating with Banyan to quickly help hospitals during this crisis, facilitating interactions without the need for direct contact that can spread the disease.”

The virtual care system can be configured to operate with fully trained and appropriate managed staff within 14 days. By conducting certain clinical assessments from a remote workstation, nurses who also may be at risk for the virus are better protected. The telenursing solution also conserves PPE (personal protective equipment) for hospitals. Remote staff can supplement existing patient care professionals with admissions, education, patient requests, safety companionship, and discharge planning. The system can be also used to support safe visitation from other medical professionals (hospitalists, specialists, etc.) and pastoral care.

“Hospitals are looking for new and creative approaches to treat patients while protecting staff from exposure to the coronavirus,” said Tony Buda, CEO of Banyan Medical Systems. “We are working with TeleHealth Services to offer solutions that help hospitals minimize risks with fewer direct contacts between patients and staff. Our partners at MarinHealth, located near San Francisco, are using telenursing to treat patients remotely and triage the coronavirus patients due to concerns about spreading the virus inside the hospital.”

MarinHealth Chief Nursing Officer Karin Reese added, “MarinHealth has been using the Banyan platform for case management and fall prevention, but COVID-19 has caused us to expand the functionality so providers can treat patients while reducing their exposure, while preserving our precious supply of PPE. This fast-moving requirement for virtual access is essential for health systems to continue to be able to provide safe care across the nation.”

The TeleHealth Services Client Outcomes Team responded to the initial COVID-19 outbreak in early February. A coronavirus video message campaign was produced to help hospitals quickly inform patients and visitors using their Tigr Interactive Patient Education and Engagement System. Approximately 40 U.S. hospitals are now broadcasting the video on patient televisions and other public areas about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The brief two-minute video (www.telehealth.com/responding-covid-19-outbreak) uses federal “plain language” and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for clarity.

About Banyan

Banyan Medical Systems is a next generation care delivery services and technology company focused on improving patient outcomes and lowering the cost of healthcare for hospitals nationwide. Banyan currently enables over one third of the nation’s healthcare systems with technology that integrates systems across the enterprise, combined with high-fidelity two-way communication that harmoniously joins local hospital staff with virtual medical professionals to provide the best patient care, at the point of need, wherever it is required; thus driving up efficiency and improving patient health and satisfaction. For more information, please visit www.banyanmed.com.

About TeleHealth Services

TeleHealth Services is driven to enhance the patient experience and positively impact health outcomes using innovative patient engagement and audiovisual technologies. With 60 years of patient-centered expertise and 2,500+ healthcare clients, the company designs and delivers turnkey solutions that increase patient satisfaction, improve quality of care, and maximize clinical and operational efficiencies. For more information about TeleHealth Services, please visit www.telehealth.com.