The TelAbility Project Using Telecommunications to Improve
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Transcript The TelAbility Project Using Telecommunications to Improve
Building a
Community of Caring
The WATCH Project
Using Technology to Promote Communication and
Collaboration within the Early Intervention System
Juliellen Simpson-Vos, M.Ed, Joshua J. Alexander, MD
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Medicine
Who Are We?
Joshua Alexander, MD
Director of Pediatric Rehabilitation and TelAbility Program Director
UNC School of Medicine
Juliellen Simpson-Vos, M.Ed
TelAbility/WATCH Project Director
Where did we
come from?
Our TelAbility Center is located in Chapel Hill, NC.
What are we going
to talk about?
History of our telemedicine programs
Services and Outcomes of the WATCH
Project
Successes, Challenges, Lessons
Learned
Definition and Elements of a Successful
Community of Practice
Questions and Resources
What is TelAbility?
An Internet-Based
Telehealth Program For
Young Children with Disabilities
http://www.telability/org
Goal #1
Connect people in different locations to
increase access to specialized
healthcare services for families and
decrease professional isolation
Goal #2
Serve as a resource for parents and
professionals seeking credible and
reliable information on topics related to
children with disabilities
Population Served
Birth – 5 years old
Cerebral Palsy
Spina Bifida
Down Syndrome
Brain Injury
Feeding Difficulties
Developmental
Disabilities
Special Needs
1998
End-user Locations
WATCH
Wake Area
Telehealth Collaborative
Helping Children
with special needs
Building a Community of Practice
“A group of people who share a concern, set of
problems, or passion about a topic and who deepen
their knowledge and expertise in this area by
interaction on an ongoing basis.”
Who does
WATCH Serve?
There are over 1000 children ages birth-3, who meet the eligibility
criteria, to currently receive early intervention services through the
Raleigh CDSA.
There are over 1100 children ages three through five, who meet the
eligibility criteria, to currently receive intervention services through
Wake County Preschool Services.
Inclusive Child
Care Centers
Learning Together
Lucy Daniels Center
Project
Enlightenment
Tammy Lynn Center
White Plains
Children’s Center
Service
Programs
Community Partnerships for
Children
Learning Together
Pediatric Therapy Associates
Carolina Pediatric Dysphagia
Project Enlightenment
Lucy Daniels Center
Developmental Therapy
Associates
State Agencies
The Raleigh Children’s
Developmental
Services Agency (ages
birth-3)
Wake County Preschool
Services (ages 3-5)
WATCH Current
Programming
Website Content /Expertise Directory
Listserv
Newsletters
Videoconferencing
Other Website Features
Expertise Directory
Handouts
Links
Calendar
Books
Articles
Videos
More!
Expertise
Directory
2005 = 60
2008 = 310
[email protected]
2005= 29
2008= (253)
Electronic
Newsletter
Subscribers= 395
Website Updates
Event Listings
Center Descriptions
Article Reviews
Tips and Topics
Project Updates
Videoconferencing
Videoconsults
Videoclinics
Professional Development
Sessions
Point to point meetings
(administrative, family visits, etc.)
Videoconferences
By Type
December 2005-February 2008
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Vide oclinics
Ne tw ork ing
Cons ults
Adm in/m tgs
Prof.De v.
Videoclinics and
consults
44 videoclinics and consults have been
held
Involving 358 families, therapists, and
medical personnel
Satisfaction level average =4.81 out of 5.0
Comfort level average = 4.96 out of 5.0
Professional
Development Sessions
26 Professional Development Session
have been held via videoconference
Involving 943 therapists, EISC, parents,
teachers, EI providers
Satisfaction level average =4.1 out of 5.0
Comfort level average = 4.3 out of 5.0
Professional
Development Data
Continued…
Sessions were held free of charge to
participants
Infant Toddler Certification credit was offered
for all sessions
Sessions are based on WATCH Member
needs, interests and suggestions
Session cover all EI domains (PT, OTR/L,
SLP. Medical, Mental Health, Developmental,
Education)
Networking Data
13 Networking sessions have been held
via videoconference
100 people participated
Satisfaction level average= 4.16 out of 5.0
Comfort level average= 4.5 out of 5.0
Administrative
Videoconferences
11 Administrative meetings have been held
between WATCH Sites and Wake County
Agencies
Involving 113 participants
Satisfaction level average = 3.8 out of 5.0
Comfort level average= 4.45 out of 5.0
WATCH Recap
Since December of 2005…
80 videoconference session have occurred
Involving over 1358 people
The average satisfaction rating for video
conference sessions is 4.4 (out of 5)
The average comfort level for video
conference sessions is 4.6 (out of 5)
Travel Savings
April 2007-February 2008
518 participants have participated in
videoconferences
Miles saved by offering sessions via
videoconference = 31,603
Travel costs saved = $15,959 in gas
(31,603 x .505)
Doesn’t include time out of the office, food,
etc.
WATCH Benefits
for Providers
Responsive to community’s needs and interests
Increases professional development and education
opportunities
Increases collaboration with other locations and
professionals
Reduces professional isolation
Improves communication and care coordination
efforts
Reduces travel time and costs
WATCH Benefits
for Parents
Improves communication and care coordination
efforts
Reduces feelings of isolation from their child or the
professionals caring for their child
Reduces travel time and costs
Allows for long term care coordination
No extra charge to use the technology
Challenges
Lack of technical knowledge and support at sites
Sustainable funds to cover costs of high speed internet
connection
NC won’t reimburse therapists for care offered via
videoconference.
Small monitors of the Tandberg 1500
Buy in/consistent participation from all sites
(turnover, time constraints, etc.)
Establishing a public network/technical support issues
Modems provided by local services providers are often
incompatible with unit software upgrades
Lessons Learned
Technical
Support
Need for a consistent, knowledgeable, easily accessible IT
support person.
First attempts to establish a public network system was
unreliable.
Purchase and installation of a border controller has helped to
stabilize the network.
Lessons
Learned cont.
Programmatic Support
Fully funded Project director position is necessary to coordinate
communication and activities within the project and be point person for IT
problems.
Needs assessments of each site and frequent communication with each
site is vital to success.
The collaborative should consist of sites with specific expertise to help
meet the collective needs of the members.
Professional development opportunities great opportunities for sites to
network, share expertise, and gain knowledge
Reimbursement of therapists through grant funding increases the
likelihood of participation in videoclinics and consults..
Quote from WATCH
Service Agency
Director:
“…Some days things can be very difficult with the day to day
demands of patient care and administration of a practice but
your educational options, along with your organization
communication skills are a very positive exciting thing for a
provider. It is so much easier to participate in these sessions
because:
1.They are on practical topics of interest
2.They are on a Friday, not in the middle of a patient care day.
3.They are well organized and the handouts are sent by you
ahead of the presentations
4. You take care of the registration and curriculum outlines and
the speaker organization
5. The scope of the presentations are well organized for the time
segments allowed
6. They are free, and obviously very appreciated. “
WATCH is only as
successful and useful as
the collaborative members
make it!
Elements of a Successful
Community of Practice
Champion for the Cause
Collaborative Coordinator
Technical Support
Member buy-in
How to Make Useful
to CPD
What is your need?
How would a telemedicine collaborative help
to meet those needs?
Who would you look to be a part of your
collaborative? (agencies, services)
What services could your agency offer the
collaborative?
Who might be your champions?
What do you see as the initial challenges?
“Instead of all competing or working as
separate entities, WATCH allows for us
all to come together for the greater good
of the child and family.”
Future Goals
Using the Tandberg
1500: The System
Camera
Monitor
(on/off switch)
Base with built in microphone
(on/off switch
Two power cables
Remote control (see handout)
To begin…
When the system is not in use it is in
stand by mode. The screens are black.
Wake up the system by picking up or
pressing any key on the remote control.
When “ON” you will see the Welcome
Screen which presents the main menu
and camera image.
Making a Call
Use the menu to control the system.
You will primarily use the Make a Call option.
You can enter the number in manually or
select the book icon to get a number from
your phone book.
Select Place Video Call.
This system has multipoint capabilities which
means you can call up to 3 other locations at
once.
Choose Add Video Call and more dial fields
will appear.
Answering a Call
1.
2.
You can receive calls anytime, even in
Standby mode.
Your unit is currently in auto answer
mode so it will automatically
connect/answer to an incoming call.
To answer a call:
Press OK or the green key on remote
control
Press the red key to reject the call
To End a Call
1.
2.
Press End Call from the Main menu or red key on
the remote control.
Press the red key on the remote control again or
OK to confirm that you want to end the call.
To End a Multipoint Call
1.
Press the red key on the remote control.
2.
A list of participants appears allowing you to end
each call separately. Select a participant and press
OK or the red key.
3.
Press End All Calls if you want to end the whole
conference.
Let’s give it a try…
Phone Book
The phone book stores up to 200
contacts.
Includes last number dialed.
All WATCH sites are listed in the phone
book.
Etiquette Guide
Videoconferencing Tips
Appoint chairperson, stick with agenda
Frame camera appropriately
Avoid very intense colors, complex patterns
Introduce attendees
Be aware of microphone placement (careful
with paper movement, dangling jewelry!)
Avoid distracting body movements
Etiquette Guide
Do’s and Don’ts
Do pre-plan
Do speak clearly
Do move and gesture naturally
Do maintain eye contact
Don’t make distracting sounds or movements
Don’t cover the microphone
Don’t interrupt other speakers
Don’t carry on side conversations
Mute Button Tips
Use during multipoint conferences
Use when your location is not talking
Use when shuffling papers, sneezing or
coughing, or when making other
distracting noises
Use during side conversations
Resources
TelAbility website
http://www.telability.org
The Children’s Partnership Brief: The Role of Telemedicine
http://home.graffiti.net/tcpaccessible/
telemedicine.html
American Telemedicine Association website
http://www.atmeda.org
Information Exchange
http://tie.telemed.org/default.asp
Cultivating Communities of Practice (Hardcover)
by Etienne Wenger (Author), Richard McDermott (Author), William M.
Snyder (Author)
Questions for us?
Joshua Alexander
[email protected]
Juliellen Simpson-Vos
[email protected]
(919) 843.0427
http://www.telability/org