AHRQ’s Health Care Innovations Exchange Focuses on Better Access Through Virtual Visits

The latest issue of the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange features three innovations that used virtual visits to increase patient access to health care. The programs include one in which a solo practitioner provided year-round, 24-hour-a-day access to care for her patients through liberal use of “virtual” or e-mail visits and telephone calls. The second program used an online clinic to diagnose and treat minor health problems with a protocol-based treatment plan. The third allowed patients with skin conditions to submit their medical history and photographs through secure, Web-based applications for review by a dermatologist. The featured Quality Tools include a website that offers resources on using technology to assist care coordination and improve the independence of older adults, a guide for developing a remote diabetic retinopathy screening program, and a toolkit for developing telehealth activities. Select to access more innovation profiles and tools related to virtual visits and telehealth.

Innovations

Automated Phone Counseling Helps Parents of Overweight Children Model and Encourage Appropriate Behaviors, Leading to Meaningful Reduction in Body Mass Index 11/6/2013

Parents of overweight children completed a workbook, attended two discussion groups, and received up to 10 recorded, interactive phone messages promoting a healthy diet and physical activity, leading to a marked reduction in their children’s body mass index.

Between-Session Access to Mobile Cognitive Behavioral Self-Assessment and Exercises Improves Self-Awareness and Ability to Manage Strong Emotions 11/6/2013

Individuals in cognitive behavioral therapy receive real-time support between therapy sessions by accessing mobile phone applications that prompt them to assess their mood and allow access to self-directed exercises that encourage cognitive reappraisal and physical relaxation. Users of the program report greater self-awareness and mood awareness, improvements in coping skills and mood patterns, and reductions in negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy via Instant Messaging May Enhance Access to Therapy for Some Patients With Depression 11/6/2013

General practices in England offered cognitive behavioral therapy via secure, online instant messaging to patients with depression, who could schedule and execute up to 10 online sessions with the same therapist; the program proved effective in helping participants recover from depression, with qualitative patient feedback suggesting that it may be attractive to certain subgroups of patients who lack access to or dislike face-to-face therapy.

Daily Remote Monitoring and As-Needed Nurse Contacts Reduce Unexpected Clinic Visits, Hospitalizations for Chemotherapy Patients 11/6/2013

Daily, telehealth-enabled symptom monitoring combined with as-needed interactions with a nurse reduced unexpected clinic visits and inpatient use among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Family Caregiver Participation in Hospice Care Planning Meetings via Videophone Might Improve Understanding of Practices Related to Pain Management 11/6/2013

Every other week, family caregivers participated in interdisciplinary patient care planning meetings with hospice staff via videophone. The pilot program did not result in any statistically significant changes in caregivers' overall perceptions of pain medication or management, and did not determine impact on their pain management practices.

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QualityTools

Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center Toolkit 11/6/2013

This toolkit is for organizations starting or expanding a telehealth program at their facility.

Blue Button 9/11/2013

Blue Button is a way for consumers and patients to get easy, secure online access to their health information offered by their doctors, insurers, pharmacies, or other health-related service.

Rural Health IT Adoption Toolbox 2/20/2013

This health information technology (IT) toolbox provides rural health providers with tools to improve the effectiveness of their institutions through the use of technology.

An Interactive Preventive Care Record: A Handbook for Using Patient-Centered Personal Health Records to Promote Prevention 12/5/2012

This handbook for primary care practice personnel, leaders, and informatics staff provides practical guidance on the implementation of interactive preventive health records (IPHRs).

Telehealth Technology Assessment Center Toolkits 11/28/2012

This collection of toolkits can help health care organizations become better informed consumers of telehealth technology.

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