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Joaquim Cardoso MSc*
Founder, Chief Researcher and Editor
November 28, 2022
MSc* from London Business School — MIT Sloan Masters Program
The Beat
Gina Campbell, senior communications consultant, Communications and Public Affairs
November 17, 2022
Fraser Health’s Virtual Hospital Program opens its first unit, a Virtual Psychiatry Unit. This unit transforms delivery of inpatient hospital care; care is provided safely to patients within the comforts of their own home, with the support of a multidisciplinary team and the right technology.
As part of Fraser Health’s expansion of virtual care services, the Virtual Psychiatry Unit opened for patient admissions on September 20, 2022.
Placed on the acute continuum of care, this is the first clinical inpatient unit for the new Virtual Hospital Program at Fraser Health.
The Virtual Psychiatry Unit allows patients to receive hospital-level psychiatric interventions, safely and conveniently, from the comfort of their own home.
Using a combination of remote patient monitoring and home visits, the unit’s multidisciplinary health care team aims to prevent hospital admissions, and allow for earlier supported discharges from traditional inpatient psychiatry units.
The Virtual Psychiatry Unit allows patients to receive hospital-level psychiatric interventions, safely and conveniently, from the comfort of their own home.
Using a combination of remote patient monitoring and home visits, the unit’s multidisciplinary health care team aims to prevent hospital admissions, and allow for earlier supported discharges from traditional inpatient psychiatry units
Care is provided to patients through use of innovative technologies, such as iPads for virtual video visits, and remote patient monitoring devices for vital sign readings.
Care is provided to patients through use of innovative technologies, such as iPads for virtual video visits, and remote patient monitoring devices for vital sign readings.
Patients have access to 24-hour nursing support and monitoring, regular psychiatry assessments, and collaborative care planning with an interdisciplinary team.
While receiving hospital intervention from their home, patients have the ability to continue with their day-to-day activities, while focusing on their recovery goals.
Patients have access to 24-hour nursing support and monitoring, regular psychiatry assessments, and collaborative care planning with an interdisciplinary team.
Patients have access to 24-hour nursing support and monitoring, regular psychiatry assessments, and collaborative care planning with an interdisciplinary team.
Admitting our first virtual psychiatry patients
The Virtual Psychiatry Unit recently had the opportunity to admit two patients presenting to hospital with post-partum mental health conditions.
This team of health professionals were able to provide interventions tailored to the new mothers’ schedules, recognizing the unique challenges post-partum patients may encounter.
Hospital-level care was delivered to them in their homes, helping to support their recovery and mental wellness, while also providing the flexibility a new parent requires to respond to their baby’s needs.
Hospital-level care was delivered to them in their homes, helping to support their recovery and mental wellness, while also providing the flexibility a new parent requires to respond to their baby’s needs.
The health benefits of providing hospital-level services in a way that balances patients’ mental wellness and recovery, as well as their home and family life, provides opportunity to deliver holistic, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive care.
Participation in the Virtual Psychiatry Unit program is voluntary.
Patients are provided with all technology to participate, cost-free (LTE enabled iPad and vital sign equipment).
Patients are provided with all technology to participate, cost-free (LTE enabled iPad and vital sign equipment).
“As a Clinical Nurse Educator for the Virtual Psychiatry Unit, working closely with my manager, we both came to learn how many incredible professionals it takes to open a virtual hospital unit. It takes all hands on deck!
Our team’s motto is: Together, we can do virtually anything! I couldn’t be more proud of the work we are doing!”
– Radhika Khosla, clinical nurse educator
Providing an excellent experience to patients begins with remembering that they are people first, patients second.
Congratulations to the entire team for collaborating to ensure the Virtual Psychiatry Unit can provide care to patients that is holistic, patient-centered, and safe.
Originally published at https://thebeat.fraserhealth.ca.
