Virtual Care and Remote Monitoring
Getting to a hospital or clinic isn't always an option. That's why we offer a wide range of virtual care services to support you remotely, wherever you are. These services include virtual visits and remote monitoring, which your provider might recommend after an emergency department or hospital discharge.
Remote Monitoring
Remote monitoring can be managed through simple medical devices (blood pressure cuffs, glucose monitors, etc.) and a smartphone, tablet or computer—and can help your care team keep track of your day-to-day health needs, vital signs and any changes in your health.
Through remote monitoring, your provider may track your:
- Activity levels
- Blood pressure
- Breathing rate
- Glucose levels
- Heart rate
- Weight changes
Virtual care can also include regular telemedicine visits with your physician to manage chronic conditions or non-urgent conditions like colds and rashes.
Below you'll find more information about our virtual care and remote monitoring services.
What are the Benefits of Virtual Care & Remote Monitoring?
Heading to a hospital or clinic for care, especially for multiple visits, can mean a break from routine, time away from home and stress on caregivers. Virtual care services can help patients overcome these barriers and offers many benefits, including:
- Convenience of receiving care from your home
- Daily monitoring from providers, which improves patient safety
- Fewer lab and diagnostic tests
- Lower transportation costs and time traveling, especially for patients in rural areas
- Reduced caregiver stress
Virtual Care and Remote Monitoring Services We Offer
VCU Health brings a variety of virtual care services to support you from the comfort of your home.
If you have a chronic condition, you may be eligible to receive care from home, including help managing your medications. Virtual chronic illness management can support treatment for conditions like:
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Respiratory conditions
Depending on your condition, your physician may conduct daily monitoring of your blood pressure, glucose levels, breathing rate or weight changes. You'll work with your provider to identify what needs to be monitored. From there, your care team will help you connect monitoring devices to an app that links to VCU Health and your provider.
You'll also have regular virtual appointments with your provider to review any changes, go over imaging results and adjust your care plan as needed.
If you're recovering from a hospital stay, VCU Health's continuum integration services transitional telemedicine program provides seamless, virtual care and support for your recovery for 30 days after your hospital discharge. This care means you can rest and recuperate in the comfort of your home with peace of mind that your care team is just a call away.
Your care team includes:
- Nurses
- Physicians
- Social workers
- Physical and Occupational therapists
- Community Paramedics
As you recover at home, you'll meet virtually with your provider and other specialists who will monitor your vital signs, manage your medications and answer any questions you have.
After 30 days, we'll continue to make sure your care is coordinated, so you have a smooth transition from care at home to a clinic.
After a visit to the emergency department, we'll continue to support you by providing Post Emergency Care. This care means providing access to primary care following emergency department visits to reduce hospital admissions, improve chronic disease management and reduce repeat visits to the ED.
Virtual post-emergency care might also include remote oxygen monitoringThis service supports patients with COVID-19 or other acute respiratory illnesses who are at risk of progressing to pneumonia. Providers monitor your oxygen remotely for 14 days, which ensures that if your symptoms get worse, you can receive care quickly.
These virtual clinic visits are often more convenient than in-person visits and allow you to be seen quickly by an emergency medicine physician, get referrals for primary and specialty care follow-ups and refill prescriptions electronically.
Our on-demand virtual urgent care services, available around the clock, offer you comprehensive, care-coordinated healthcare experiences for non-emergency, urgent visits. And you don't need an appointment, which means you don't have to delay your care.
You'll see an emergency medicine provider online via a smartphone, tablet or computer through your VCU Health MyChart account—all from the comfort of your home. After your visit, your care will be logged into your MyChart account, which makes sure your primary care physician is up to date on your condition.
You can be seen virtually for urgent conditions including:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Colds and flu
- Diarrhea
- Infections
- Insect bites
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Rashes
- Respiratory infections
- Skin inflammations
- Sore throats
- Sprains and strains
- Bladder infections
- UTIs
- Vomiting
We provide you with virtual medicine reconciliation services to make sure you have an accurate and up to date list of your medications and know how you use them. This means fewer errors, a lower chance of hospitalization and better health for you. You may even qualify for an in-person home visit if you have had a recent hospitalization at VCU Medical Center. This service is provided by our continuing care network partner, C3Rx Healthcare.
You or a loved one may also benefit from Preference Bridge, a virtual service that offers end-of-life care planning and palliative care coordination. Learn more about our Hospice Care.