Brief course description: GNUR 6559 Section 002   Introduction to Telehealth

Telehealth is the use of technology in healthcare and healthcare delivery. Telehealth has been shown to increase access to care, improve patient care outcomes, reduce costs, better utilize healthcare resources, and be highly satisfying to patients and healthcare consumers. Healthcare and healthcare delivery are being transformed by telehealth. Telehealth is also changing nursing practice as innovative models of practice are being developed using telehealth. Nurses are in prime position to integrate these technologies into care. For nurses to fully participate in this transformation they must have the education and skills to use this new tool in their everyday practice. Nurses knowledgeable in telehealth can provide a supply of nurse leaders who are trained and proficient in telehealth technologies to meet the needs of healthcare in the US.

This course explores telehealth technologies and the application to nursing practice.  Focus is placed on translating telehealth technologies into practice through learning about and utilizing real time videoconferencing, home monitoring technologies, and store and forward technologies. Credentialing, reimbursement, regulatory, and policy issues related to implementation of telehealth will also be emphasized. Students will examine model telehealth programs showing increased access to care and improved healthcare outcomes.  The interface between technology and practice will be highlighted as students experience, participate, and utilize telemedicine in a variety of practice settings, applying this knowledge into practice.

The purpose of this course is to teach basic knowledge of telehealth and telehealth technologies while exploring issues surrounding nursing telehealth practice.  This course will provide hands on telehealth and telepresenter experience so that the student can utilize this knowledge to integrate telehealth creatively into nursing practice. Telepresenter certification through the Martinsville STAR center will also be awarded upon successful completion of the online modules and the lab portion of this course.

Overall course learning goals:

To gain knowledge of telehealth and telehealth technologies, issues surrounding nursing telehealth practice, and to utilize this knowledge to integrate telehealth creatively into nursing practice.

Course Objectives:                At the end of this course the student will be able to:

1. Discuss basic telehealth technology and terminology: describe current technologies and service delivery systems.

2. Describe clinical applications, standards, and guidelines in telehealth and analyze the impact of model telehealth programs on patient care outcomes.

3. Identify the issues surrounding credentialing and licensure of healthcare providers using telehealth. Recognize current status of reimbursements, legal, regulatory and policy issues related to implementation of telehealth.

4. Examine the nurse’ role in using telehealth creatively to address provision of care to the fullest extent of our practice as we enter the era of the Affordable Care Act. 

5. Demonstrate utilization of telehealth technologies to explore the nursing role as telepresenter, to provide nursing care, patient education, and patient monitoring, thus gaining the skills and knowledge to integrate telehealth knowledge into practice

This course uses a hybrid design. Students will meet once at the beginning of the semester (Wednesday August 27^th or negotiated with you if you have a class at that time) and once at the end of the course (TBD) attending the simulation lab class, and will engage in UVACOLLAB discussions and activities throughout the semester.

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions!

Patty Schweickert FNP-BC, DNP

Adjunct Faculty

UVA SON

pas9c@virginia.edu

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