‘We needed to find a different way to protect our patients and staff’

TeleMonitoring at UHN was the brainchild of Nurse Practitioner Marijana Zubrinic, pictured here with Jimmy Qiu, Manager of Engineering, at Techna. (Photo: UHN)

Looking to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for patients and staff, Toronto Rehab’s Specialized Dementia Unit (SDU) has tapped UHN’s remote monitoring services to support patients who might have the coronavirus.

The SDU specializes in assessing and treating older adults who are experiencing behavioural challenges related to dementia. The physical space is designed to allow patients to safely roam freely, and when patients are confused or seeking exit from the locked unit, staff redirect them with a helping hand and gentle touch.

But when patients who were suspected of being COVID-positive had to isolate in their rooms awaiting test results, the team faced the challenge of ensuring these patients stayed put, while maintaining their own physical distance, when possible.

“We needed to find a different way to protect our patients and staff, while still delivering optimum patient care,” says Robin Shan, Program Services Manager.

By tapping into UHN’s Patient TeleMonitoring Program – a shared service that has become critical to the organization’s COVID-19 response – the SDU has been successful in keeping some patients isolated, while ensuring continuity of care.