Media Contact: Julie Sheedy
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New Technology at Loretto to Reduce Cardiac Hospital Readmissions
Syracuse, NY (July 18, 2019) – Loretto has implemented a new advanced technology for cardiac patients in its TeliStat™ Restorative Care Unit (RCU). The ReDS lung fluid management system enables registered nurses to monitor fluid levels noninvasively. Loretto is the first and only provider in Central New York to offer this cutting-edge technology.
Hugo Robles, RN (left) and David Cirino, patient (right)
The Facts:
- Many of the signs of cardiac stress rely on the human eye and appear when the condition has already elevated to a medical emergency.
- The ReDS lung fluid measurement system is a non-invasive way to identify issues faster than the human eye to mitigate potential risks and get interventions in place before it develops into a medical emergency.
- Residents wear a vest with a miniature radar system that employs low-power electromagnetic energy to measure lung fluid in approximately 90 seconds.
“Heart failure is one of the main reasons our residents are readmitted to hospitals,” said Joelle Margrey, Vice President of Clinical Skilled Nursing at Loretto. “The ReDS system is especially helpful for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), a condition in which fluid increases in the area surrounding the heart and causes it to pump inefficiently.”
Patients with shortness of breath can also benefit from the use of this technology, to see if a build-up of fluid is causing their symptoms.
Loretto works closely with St. Joseph’s Health, Crouse Hospital, and Upstate University Hospital to maximize the effectiveness of its RCU and reduce hospital readmissions. Some of the local hospitals have visited Loretto to see how this new technology works.
The 25-bed Telistat RCU opened at the Loretto Health and Rehabilitation Center in Syracuse last spring. The unit uses innovative technology to monitor multiple health risks in real-time via portable monitors and gives cardiac patients the opportunity to complete rehab at a lower cost with a lower risk of rehospitalization. Patients benefit from a patient-to-RN ratio of 6-to-1, with additional support coming from Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). The TRCU at Loretto is the only unit of its kind in Central New York.