Knee Replacement and Innovative Home Care: Beverly's Story

"Having access to nurses anytime gave me peace of mind — all without leaving my home."
- Beverly Flanagan.

After years of trouble with her knees, Beverly Flanagan decided to have a custom total knee replacement at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital. The surgery went so smoothly that Beverly, 70, was back home the very next day, supported by Home Care Connect™, a new Trinity Health virtual care service available through Holy Cross Home Care and Hospice.

“It actually feels like old times, when we had a neighborhood doctor who would make house calls,” Beverly said. “From the hospital to my home, it’s all one harmonious health care program. Everyone already knows who I am and what I need.”

Beverly’s surgery was performed at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital by Tariq Nayfeh, MD, PhD, orthopedics, who implanted a custom-created joint to fit her unique anatomy.

“Dr. Nayfeh was very personable, and I appreciated his expertise,” added Beverly. “There was a warmth and a continuity to my whole experience, starting before my surgery and extending through the care I received after I went home.”

One-of-a-Kind Virtual Care

Home Care Connect, launched in fall 2018, continues a legacy of innovation with an “in-the-moment intervention” care model using integrated remote monitoring technology.

Eligible patients like Beverly are monitored around the clock by the Virtual Care Center, staffed by specially-trained nurses. Patients use wireless tools, including a 4G-enabled tablet with voice and text instructions, a scale, a pulse oximeter and a blood pressure monitor, to stream information to the center. The nurses respond in real-time to changes in blood pressure, weight or health symptoms.

Most differentiating from other programs is the ability for patients and Virtual Care Center nurses to connect day or night using two-way video, and even loop in the patient’s physician or loved one.

“The foundation of Home Care Connect is that if patients can be monitored in their homes instead of in the hospital, they will be more comfortable and ultimately have better outcomes,” said Mary Vicsik, RN, BSN, virtual care coordinator, Holy Cross Home Care and Hospice. “If patients have a concern, they can call us 24 hours a day, and we can be connected via video in minutes. The quick intervention can help us address problems while they are small—before they result in an emergency room visit or hospitalization.”

Like an Old-Fashioned House Call

In addition to virtual monitoring, Beverly received home visits from a physical therapist, who focused on safety and exercises to regain strength and movement. “In between the home visits, having access to nurses at any time gave me peace of mind—all without leaving my home,” she said.

Virtual monitoring helps patients like Beverly recover in the comfort of their own environment. “Using technology like this, we feel more comfortable getting patients home more quickly and safely,” said Dr. Nayfeh. “Home Care Connect helps us avoid sending patients to extended care facilities or keeping them in the hospital longer than absolutely necessary.”

Beverly, a retiree, appreciates having easy access to everything she needs near her home, from grocery stores and leisure activities to health care. “It doesn’t get more accessible than the home care I received after my knee surgery. This program brings health care into the neighborhood.”

Since getting back on her feet after surgery, Beverly enjoys once again walking in her local park. She’s also eager to rejoin the Holy Cross Health wellness classes she’s participated in for years, and to reconnect with the friends there she’s made along the way.