CALLER:
Hi. I’m a caregiver. I work with adults who have IDD and live in a very rural area of Northwest Tennessee. Going to an urgent care place or a hospital is hard on them and on me and the other staff members, because of the distance we have to travel. And then when we get to the emergency room, often a client gets more upset — nothing happens fast and the environment is not familiar. Communication is a real barrier, not to mention waiting and waiting for hours. One of my clients is nonverbal and sometimes has significant behaviors even before we leave his home, and the other is very medically complex and has to use medical equipment every day. Both of them take medications multiple times a day. And there is another home I sometimes visit as a backup worker for an elderly person.
My agency asked me to Call Pathfinder. Are there resources to make these problems more manageable and easier for my clients?
CALL PATHFINDER:
We’re so glad you called because there is a resource in Tennessee that can really help. Have you heard of StationMD? It offers telemedicine and its doctors specialize in treating patients who have IDD. Here’s a link to their listing on Pathfinder’s website.
Started in 2016 by a group of emergency room doctors, StationMD focuses on making it easier for vulnerable populations to stay safe in 22 states, including Tennessee. It is easy to get started, just give them a call. They work through secure technology, often a tablet which is kept in a client’s home residence. And get this, doctors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
StationMD’s mission is to provide the highest quality of medical care for individuals with I/DD, fostering independence and improving the quality of life for our patients and those providing their care.
You don’t have to wait until a crisis is arising to call. You can call and get direction from a trained doctor before the crisis hits. For example, when there is a problem starting like a fever or a rash or swelling, or when there is just a question, like what to do if a dose of medicine was missed, the paid or family caregiver can call StationMD. They’ll be connected to a doctor, or if necessary the doctor will call them back, and when needed a medical exam is performed using the secure video conferencing technology on the tablet provided and diagnostic tools.
Documentation of the telemedicine visit and any prescriptions is provided, according to what is needed for each individual. Secure electronic medical records are sent to the person’s primary care physician.
StationMD has diverted many thousands of visits from the emergency room and saved a lot of money in the process. According to their website, 88% of the calls they receive are resolved without the person having to leave their home environment. But when an incident or condition cannot be adequately handled by telemedicine and must be treated in person, the StationMD doctor calls the facility where the patient will be taken and makes the referral.
Payment options include TennCare, private insurance plans, Employment and Community First Choices (ECF), the closed Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) main waiver, and private pay.
There are several related videos on YouTube. Here’s a short video from a few years ago featuring a Tennessean if you’re interested.