Ever since the isolation the COVID-19 pandemic imposed on the world, people have been looking to technology to create connections. In this article, we explore how technology can play a role in providing support for vulnerable clients in the community.
Technology plays a significant role in enhancing care for vulnerable people within a community. Some of the key functions of modern technology include providing telehealth, virtual therapy sessions, wellness checks by phone and video, cohesion among providers, and connection with physicians.
And this is just the start. Our world continues to find ways to reach the vulnerable via modern tech.
How Does Technology Help Provide Support for Vulnerable Clients in the Community
Will robots someday visit patient homes and provide comprehensive patient care? Who knows. But what we do know is that technology is making a big difference for vulnerable patients. Healthcare should be available to all people, and where there are barriers, technology can help us overcome those gaps.
Below, you’ll find several different ways technology is having an impact. Who should read this? Anybody involved in community health – fire departments, EMS services, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. For anyone looking to provide support for vulnerable clients in the community, there is something to gain by harnessing the power of technology.
Here are several ways technology makes a measurable difference in reaching vulnerable people:
- Telehealth Programs that Reduce the Burdon of Travel
- Online Therapy Programs to Aid Those Who Don’t Have Access
- Virtual Home Wellness Checks to Ensure Safety for Vulnerable Patients
- Virtual Monitoring of Vital Signs and Health Assessment
- Prescreening and Paperwork to Ensure a Smoother Visit
- Digital Platforms that Connect Providers in a Community
Now, we’ll explore each of these programs.
Telehealth Programs that Reduce the Burdon of Travel
The first technological program to be aware of is telehealth. Telehealth can help vulnerable patients by giving them access to a physician without the burden of travel. Here are a few ways that telehealth has helped the vulnerable.
First, it’s a great option for people who may have trouble driving to appointments. Many patients are burdened by transportation. Some may no longer drive for various reasons, or they may live in a rural setting, making long drives to an appointment inconvenient. Whatever the reason, telehealth removes the patient’s burden of travel and allows a trained physician to evaluate them via video and voice chat.
If you’re curious, take a moment to see how digital tools are impacting community health.
Second, it’s an awesome resource for those who don’t have a strong social network in their area, giving them a place to reach out to. There’s a severe epidemic, and it’s called loneliness. While telehealth can’t stand in for family, it can at least give at-risk people a lifeline to turn to when they’re feeling overwhelmed (telehealth can also serve mental health patients and those in rehab).
Third, telehealth allows for easy follow-up appointments with vulnerable patients. A thousand things can get in the way of anyone’s doctor’s appointment—the weather, a broken vehicle, a lack of organization—and these things are even greater for a vulnerable patient. Telehealth makes appointments easier to keep and easier to reschedule.
Note: One of the great things about telehealth today is that sometimes a trained provider (such as a community paramedic), can act as a go-between for the physician and the patient, visiting the patient in their home and helping the doctor perform a comprehensive assessment – this approach combines the best of both worlds!
Online Therapy Programs to Aid Those Who Don’t Have Access
Community health continues to fight against the deadly effects of unchecked mental illness. There are a lot of components that go into creating a strong community program to help those with psychiatric struggles, and one of them involves the use of technology.
Therapy is often a difficult step. In some cases, they simply don’t have the money, time, or emotional state to accept in-person therapy. Pair this with the fact that in-person therapy has a lot of limitations (indeed, many rural areas have no access to a therapist at all), and many vulnerable people are left with no support.
Technology-assisted virtual therapy sessions have brought the power of professional psychiatric care to anyone with an internet connection, allowing an increasing number of people to receive the mental health care they need. Even for those who live in an area with plenty of in-person therapists, the virtual setting is more comfortable for some people and presents a lower barrier to climb.
Not only does virtual healthcare help those struggling with mental illness, but it can also help those working to rehab from substance abuse.
Overall, this care wouldn’t be possible without modern technology, and those communities that aren’t utilizing this feature should probably start. For those in charge of community programs, partnering with reputable virtual mental health providers also gives you an easy person to refer patients to (should the need arise).
Now, let’s talk about virtual check-ins.
Virtual Home Wellness Checks to Ensure Support for Vulnerable Clients in the Community
One visit to the doctor’s office doesn’t fix all your problems (sadly). Often, taking care of
ourselves is similar to taking care of our vehicles, requiring regular maintenance and periodic check-ins.
The problem is that doctor’s visits are nuanced and inconvenient even for the most privileged. Can you imagine how difficult it is for someone in a vulnerable position to maintain care? Technology allows for easier follow-ups.
With traditional medicine (where everything is in-person), the initiative is on the patient to ensure that they make their appointments. However, for those who are vulnerable, this often proves too much, and so wellness checks go ignored.
With the power of technology, it’s easier to balance initiative. Yes, the patient still needs to be ready and available for a video call, but now the healthcare provider can initiate the phone call or send a reminder. In this way, technology can help the vulnerable stay on track with their care and ensure that they have access to help when they need it.
As you might imagine, there is one more step to making health check-ins easy. Let’s discuss it.
Virtual Monitoring of Vital Signs and Health Assessment
While virtual appointments are certainly growing in popularity, there are other ways for vulnerable people to remain in contact with health and wellness professionals. One way is to fill out some information on a regular basis.
For example, a patient might have a weekly form in which they answer a few questions about their health (mental, physical, etc.). This information is sent to their professional providers, who then determine whether to pursue further contact with the patient based on their answers.
This is an easy way for people to stay connected and eliminates the need for lengthy appointments. While these “check-ins” don’t eliminate the need for face-to-face encounters, they do augment some of the need for care.
Prescreening and Paperwork to Ensure a Smoother Visit
What happens when people go into a doctor’s office? Paperwork. And lots of it. Now, many people are moving toward an online pre-check system, allowing people to check in before they arrive at their appointment.
These digital tools ensure that patients don’t have to spend an extended amount of time in the waiting rooms and can help providers ensure that they have the resources they need in advance. They can also ensure that people are not plagued by missing documents (or spending time trying to remember numbers, dates, and passcodes). Finally, it reduces the stress of feeling rushed at the office, leading to a more accurate collection of patient information.
Digital Platforms that Connect Providers in a Community
One of the most exciting technologies is the one that connects everything. For all the programs to succeed, community providers need a way to communicate with their patients and partners.
Cloud-based tools have emerged as a secure, practical way to handle this demand. With secure communication platforms, providers can review patient information, safely share it with authorized providers, and ensure that the right care is being administered at the right time.
It would be a mistake for an organization to try to implement a widespread community program to reach vulnerable patients without the technological infrastructure to manage it. If you’re curious, take some time to review Julota’s software services for community care.
Conclusion: The Exciting Ways Technology Helps Support for Vulnerable Clients in the Community
Technology is closing the divide between vulnerable people and the care they need. Nowadays, technology allows us to collect patient information virtually, schedule telehealth visits for mental and physical ailments, and ensure that good follow-up care happens in a timely fashion.
Platforms such as Julota have also created a strong network among community providers, ensuring that everyone works as a team and that nobody is left in the dark. If you’re curious, contact Julota for a simple demonstration of how their software tools can help your programs reach out to the vulnerable people in your community.