Lessons learned from telehealth pioneers

Just as American pioneers imagined a future in the West, telehealth visionaries envisioned a new way of delivering healthcare. Four home care telehealth innovators share their experiences including the support and barriers associated with this new technology. Each of the users interviewed in this article were pioneers in using the LifeSigns telehealth monitor, which consists of a monitor that measures a patient's blood pressure, pulse, ECG, and oxygen saturation in the home. Each user adopted the technology in various ways that would meet their specific needs, making their experiences both similar and unique. Their responses will assist home care organizations, clinicians, and clinical managers in recognizing how telehealth can be efficiently implemented in their settings. Survey participants were Baptist Home Care (BHC), New Brunswick Heart Center in Canada (NBHC), University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC), and Cardiovascular Home Care (CHC), Fort Worth, TX.