Published on September 29, 2020
Telemedicine programming doubled Alive Hospice’s virtual reach with as many as 450 users since the pandemic’s onset, giving continued access to the provider’s medical and non-medical services. As Goessele shared with Hospice News, the program’s growth during COVID-19 served as an indicator of its long-term sustainability.
“What the pandemic has shown us is that having Henry Hooker Alive Connect was the right thing to do,” Goessele said. “It’s put our focus toward how we do more with it now. We talk about a lot about things we’ve learned during the pandemic that should have survivability, and this is definitely one of those things that is really heightened. It’s proven our hypotheses that if you put the right support tools in play along with compassion and care, that it can change the experience. That’s really how we look at technology: How can we help improve and change that experience for the family? Patients and families felt so much closer to their care team even when their care team wasn’t in their home with them.”