Long-term care and assisted living residents are among the highest-risk groups for one of health care’s most persistent threats: sepsis. Because skilled nursing residents often have underlying health issues, early recognition and intervention are critical.
But that can be challenging — especially during evenings and weekends, when on-site clinical coverage is sometimes more limited.
Telemedicine is one way to improve these outcomes.
Why sepsis demands a new approach
Despite promising treatment advances, sepsis remains widespread, contributing to more than 750,000 hospitalizations and over 215,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.1 The cost? An estimated $16.7 billion in direct medical costs in the U.S. alone.
Many long-term care and assisted living residents live with multiple chronic conditions and weakened immune systems that can mask classic sepsis symptoms, leaving them at greater risk for developing severe sepsis. When compared with seniors living independently, residents experience2:
- Seven times higher rates of severe sepsis
- Nearly double ICU admission rates — 40% compared to 21%
- More than double the mortality rate — 37% compared to 15%
The challenge is determining what sort of help clinicians need so that they can more effectively reverse these trends.
A big part of the answer: telemedicine.
How telemedicine bridges that gap
Over the past decade, the industry has seen firsthand how telemedicine can transform sepsis care and improve the quality of life for patients in long-term care settings, with Sound Physicians (Sound) leading the way. Their telemedicine clinicians are available the moment concerns arise, so residents don’t have to wait for the next scheduled visit or risk an emergency transfer.
These Sound telemedicine consultations help fill any gaps in care during evenings and weekends. Through a virtual assessment, clinicians can note even subtle changes with residents that may indicate sepsis — such as a shift in mental status, a low-grade fever or early skin breakdown — and recommend the next steps.
Not only does this serve the health and well-being of residents, but it also helps ease the on-call load for medical directors.
For the patient, telemedicine offers an additional opportunity for collaboration — with nurses, physicians and family members coming together in a shared virtual space to set goals and make informed decisions around treatment. And administrators and medical directors get peace of mind with after-hours access to care, without the additional expense of on-call, in-person staffing.
Why early intervention drives better outcomes — and a look ahead to what’s next
Perhaps the most effective way to manage a resident’s sepsis is to catch it early.
Telemedicine provides prompt access to care and helps ensure better compliance with treatment protocols. Studies show that when telemedicine is integrated into their care, residents see more timely administration of antibiotics and fluids, along with more appropriate antibiotic use.
Beyond the obvious upside of early detection on treatment, a resident’s quality of life also benefits. Treatment that begins in the person’s home facility instead of the hospital — including labs, cultures and starting antibiotics — helps reduce the patient’s stress as well as the risks associated with a hospital stay.
While sepsis remains a formidable challenge, technology — in particular, the ability to provide care via telemedicine — is reshaping the way we respond. With earlier detection through telemedicine, along with supportive, collaborative care and treatment provided to patients in their place of residence versus the hospital, Sound gives long-term care residents a better chance for recovery.
And what comes next? A stronger foundation for high-quality care at long-term care facilities.
This Views is sponsored by Sound Long-Term Care Management. To learn more, visit soundphysicians.com/aco.
