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Thanks to new virtual care options at CHEO, Karen Perreault, Nurse Practitioner, who mostly cares for children and youth with sleep-disordered breathing, is able to deliver what matters to families — keeping their scheduled appointments. Karen is now back to consulting with 50 children and youth per week, the same number she was seeing before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I generally have my first visit with kids and families on CHEO’s new secure Zoom application,” Karen says. “This really helps because the kids get to see me and meet me and then if follow up is required, I can phone or use MyChart two-way communication and they know who I am.”
Last week, 64% of ambulatory care visits to CHEO were virtual.
“I am able to discuss the family’s concerns and even see a child’s tonsils remotely,” Karen says. “And we have a new one-click prescription function in Epic that lets me send a child’s prescription to the pharmacy that is close to home and convenient for the family.”
Everyone’s safety is CHEO’s top priority. Ambulatory care appointments are each carefully considered. Where it is appropriate, CHEO clinicians are keeping appointments by phone, Mychart or Zoom (which has been securely integrated with Epic, CHEO’s digital health-care record).
Where a patient needs to be seen in-person, for an urgent health issue or x-ray for instance, they are. CHEO staff to meet the child, accompanied by one family caregiver, at the main entrance.
Karen Perreault, Nurse Practitioner, consults with Jules and mom, Annie Guimond, using CHEO’s new secure Zoom application.
Everyone is provided with the right mask and protection, and escorted to their appointment so that everyone stays safe. CHEO’s ambulatory care clinics and Emergency Department remain open to provide in-person care to kids and youth who need it.
“Families told us that anything we could do to keep care going during this pandemic was important,” says Mari Teitelbaum, Vice-President Provincial Programs and Chief Innovation Officer. “We are all in this together and I am so proud of how everyone has risen to this challenge. Our Information Services Department reconfigured our digital platform to make much more virtual care available. Families have been understanding and adaptable. And, our doctors, clinicians and staff have learned whole new ways of providing care. All, it seems, virtually overnight.”