Testimonials

Lynn Villagran, MSW, has worked with the Council on Aging, Silicon Valley (COA), for the past 13 years. The COA started using the Health Buddy® to care for patients in November, 2001; Ms. Villagran supervises the care of approximately 45 patients who are in senior wellness, heart failure, and diabetes programs.

Ms. Villagran has first-hand knowledge of the importance of daily health monitoring: "Last year, while checking the iCare Desktop™, I noticed that one client had three red flags--for pain, depression, and hopelessness. I called to find out what the reasons for the red flags were; the phone rang 10 times and when the client finally answered, she sounded extremely anxious and short of breath. I identified myself as being a care provider with the Council on Aging and asked the patient if she needed to go to the hospital. The COA previously did random monitoring of patients by telephone; Ms. Villagran states that a major problem with this was that they "found out about adverse activity only after the fact, whereas with the Health Buddy, we have more immediate feedback and can intervene more quickly to improve the quality of care." Ms. Villagran related a story about one client who had become seriously ill but delayed calling paramedics: "In a case like this, there's no way of knowing what would have happened under the random monitoring system--she could have gone into the shower and been unable to communicate. The Health Buddy's daily communication might have prolonged or saved her life." Ms. Villagran adds that she credits the Health Hero platform for keeping the patient at home for an additional year after this event. "I instructed her to activate the PERS unit and go to the hospital without delay. I then called the manager of the client's apartment and asked him if the patient had called for paramedics--by the time I did, they were on their way up to help the client. She was hospitalized for three weeks after that for heart failure complications, and then returned home, still using her Health Buddy daily. In a case like this, there's no way of knowing what would have happened under the random monitoring system--she could have gone into the shower and been unable to communicate. The Health Buddy's daily communication might have prolonged or saved her life." Ms. Villagran adds that she credits the platform for keeping her at home for an additional year after this event.

"Family members are happy to see the Health Buddy offered to clients"

For the COA, Ms. Villagran feels that the most important aspect of the platform is that it engages the patient as an active participant in their own care. This involvement is part of the COA's mission, and with the Health Hero platform, Ms. Villagran and the care managers at the COA are able to provide affordable, high-quality, self-directed services to their clients. She feels that the Health Buddy helps patients to "maintain a sense of autonomy," and adds that "family members are happy to see the Health Buddy offered to clients-the families get very excited to be using new technology."

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