To put these time savings in perspective, a May 2001 study commissioned by the American Hospital Association found that for each hour of home health patient care, an average of 48 minutes of documentation time is typically required. VNAHHS clinicians have historically spent 18 hours of paperwork for each home healthcare case. Cutting the amount of time spent on paperwork by 50% can save an average nine hours of work per case.

If each clinician at VNAHHS currently using the handheld solution completed only one report and one time and attendance form per patient visit, there would be an average of 10,000 transmissions submitted to VNAHHS every month. Think of the reduction in data entry and paperwork those 10,000 transmissions represent! Even better, this number will double by the end of this year, since not all forms are currently implemented and not all clinicians are using the system, yet.

The reduction in paper costs alone is staggering. Last year VNA spent $60,000 on paper forms. VNAHHS expects to cut its paper costs by 80% or more next year, depending on the width of the circle of automation it can afford to implement. The broader the circle of devices, the less the company spends on paper and redundant systems for overhead necessary to accommodate both paper and electronic procedures.

In addition to paperwork, nurses spend a lot of time traveling between cases. The handheld solution means nurses no longer have to drive to the home office every morning and evening to pick up and turn in paperwork, because they can upload it at home from a PC or modem. This potentially frees them to fit in another patient visit during the day, or to achieve a better work/life balance.

The future of home health
VNAHHS expects the majority of its full time clinicians to be using the handheld system by November 2001. The company plans to convert to a total digital patient charting solution within two years.

VNA is also planning to expand the functionality of its Palm handhelds by adding other third party applications. ActiveECG, an inexpensive, handheld cardiac monitor that works with existing Palm OS handheld computers, is one example. ActiveECG, created by The Active Corporation, provides the features needed to monitor and recognize cardiac rhythms: real-time display, heart rate display, multiple strip recordings, pacemaker detection, defibrillation protection, leads off detection, low battery indication, extensive self-testing, and long battery life. By adding ActiveECG to its home health services, clinicians can provide cardiologists with day-to-day information so that complications can be more easily identified and pinpointed according to medication or other causes.

VNAHHS is also developing a program for one of the most expensive types of home healthcare cases --wound care. Using digital cameras in conjunction with the Palm Powered handhelds, clinicians will be able to send weekly images and information about a wound to a wound care specialist who can provide advice on the best treatment.