With the influx of coronavirus patients needing treatment at its facilities in recent weeks, the Yale New Haven Health system has relied on telehealth to a greater extent than ever before.
Through telehealth, patients and doctors meet virtually instead of in person, allowing patients to get care and treatment advice without having to leave their homes.
On Wednesday, YNH leaders noted that telehealth has worked so well during the crisis that it will likely continue to be used more often into the future, even after the pandemic subsides.
Tom Balcezak, MD, chief clinical officer, said YNH has performed thousands of telehealth consultations since the pandemic began, and the practice has been well accepted by both patients and staff.
“Some things have worked so well,” Balcezak said. “I think that is something that will stay and stay forever.”
“It works well — you can’t do everything by telehealth, but at least they can assess your symptoms,” he added.
Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven Health, said use of technology has been beneficial in other instances too, such as allowing some staff to work remotely. Also, YNH has been having weekly town hall meetings across the health system, to improve communication between leadership and staff, she said.
Passing the peak
Also Wednesday, YNH officials indicated they are seeing a decline in coronavirus cases in system facilities in New Haven and Fairfield counties, including Bridgeport and Greenwich Hospitals.
“We have to attribute this decline to people adhering to social-distancing recommendations and wearing masks,” Borgstrom said.
This week, the system reached a significant milestone, she said, by discharging more than 1,500 patients who have either gone home or to a facility with a lower level of care.
“We are starting to see some encouraging trends,” Borgstrom said.
On Wednesday afternoon at Yale New Haven Hospital, the 1500th treated and discharged COVID-19 patient across the Yale New Haven Health system was discharged home: Charles Moore of New Haven, seated center. / PHOTO | Courtesy Yale New Haven Hospital
According to Balcezak, the system’s flagship New Haven hospital peaked in cases last week. He stressed that measures such as social distancing need to continue, or the number of cases will start to climb again.
While numbers are going down in YNH facilities in western Connecticut, there has been an uptick in cases in the system’s facilities in eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island, however, officials said.
Gov. Ned Lamont reported Tuesday afternoon that 26,312 Connecticut residents had tested positive for the virus, and 2,089 had died.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
