8 JAN - FEB, 2021IN MY OPINIONHOW PALOMAR HEALTH TOOK THE ONLINE ROUTE TO PREPARE PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS FOR SURGERIES IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMICBy Brian Cohen, MHA, Director of Orthopedic and Spine Services, Palomar HealthStarting on March 11, 2020, Palomar Health canceled all in-person community classes, including pre-operative education classes intended to prepare patients for surgery, due to the pandemic. Although these classes had shown significant benefits to patients, Palomar felt confident that it could rely on its Online CarePath to prepare patients and their caregivers for surgery. The Online CarePath played a critical role in keeping patients informed and engaged during the shutdown, as well as ensuring patients were ready for surgery as soon as their surgeon felt it was safe.Palomar Health is a California Healthcare District that operates two acute care hospitals in San Diego County, California. As a participant in several risk-bearing arrangements that aim to increase quality and decrease the cost of care, Palomar offered free weekly two-hour in-person education classes to patients and their caregivers once they were scheduled for Total Joint or Spinal Fusion surgery.Pre-operative patient education is demonstrated to improve patient's post-operative pain and anxiety as well as reduce the length of stay for patients entering a surgical episode. However, it can be difficult for some patients to attend the in-person class, particularly for patients coming from out of the area and for patients who have difficulty ambulating outside the home. Patients who did attend the Total Joint or Spine Fusion class were provided a large amount of information in a two-hour period, testing the limits of their learning retention. In response to these barriers, Palomar initiated an online education tool, referred to as Online CarePath, in September 2018. Originally conceived of as a complement to in-person education, the Online CarePath has proven to be invaluable since the coronavirus pandemic forced Palomar to cancel in-person pre-surgery classes.Navigating the Patient JourneyDeveloped using Wellbe Inc.'s online technology, the Online CarePath features content from the in-person pre-operative class that navigates the patient from pre-admission through post-operative surveillance at home. In contrast to the in-person class that feeds patients' information all at one time, the Online CarePath pushes the education content out in small doses,
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