Page 14
Austin Medical Times
Telehealth
Continued from page 1 distractions in the environment. Carefully document the patient assessment and environmental conditions as well as any actions taken and recommendations made. For more information on addressing patient distractions, see our article “Telehealth’s Newest Safety Risk: Distracted Patients.” 6. Others present. Document the record with the name and relationship of everyone who is present on the patient’s side of the interaction and the names and roles of everyone present on the provider’s side. The patient’s family members may be present, or the patient may be a minor. For example, document “visit conducted with child sitting on mother’s lap.” Clinical assistants,
students, or a scribe may be present on the provider’s side. An interpreter may assist from a third location by video or telephone. Include documentation of all participants. 7. Assisted assessment. Plan in advance and provide instructions for patient assistance, such as for patients who will obtain and report their own vital signs (including weight, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature). Document the information in the medical record as “patient provided.” If patients also assist in various aspects of physical examination, document the details as “patient assisted.” For more information on patient-assisted assessment, see our article “Strategies for Effective
Patient-Assisted Telehealth Assessments.” Following these seven tips can help you ensure that your telehealth documentation is patient centered, comprehensive, and effective. You can also benefit from familiarizing yourself with the regulatory and payer requirements specific to your practice location(s).
Senior Designer Jamie Farquhar-Rizzo Web Development Lorenzo Morales
Accounting Liz Thachar Office: 512-203-3987 For Advertising advertising@ medicaltimesnews.com Editor editor@medicaltimesnews.com
Continued from page 10
August 2021
Director of Media Sales Richard W DeLaRosa
Distribution Brad Jander
Brain Functions
of neurosurgery and director of restorative neurosurgery; Nicholas Barbaro, M.D., professor and associate chair for education in Dell Med’s Department of Neurosurgery; and Stephen Strakowski, M.D., Dell Med’s vice dean of research and an expert in bipolar disorder and neuroimaging. A professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Millán is known internationally for his work in brain-machine interfaces, including neuroprosthetics, and is a past president of the International Brain-Computer Interface Society. He is also a professor in Dell Med’s Department of Neurology. “Our research program brings together a unique convergence of engineering, neuroscience and clinical perspectives to foster brain plasticity through the use of brain-machine interfaces,” Millán said. “Engineering and neuroscience principles enable users to achieve a seamless connection with their brain-controlled devices, while the integration of clinical principles into brain-machine interfaces promotes rehabilitation and functional recovery.” Hamilton, an assistant professor in the Moody College’s Department
Published by Texas Healthcare Media Group Inc.
of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, maps where speech is processed in the brain. She already studies the brains of adolescents preparing for epilepsy surgery, mapping where speech functions occur. Her expertise will be critical in identifying prime areas for rewiring — and assessing whether the rewiring has been successful. “Speaking, language and communication are critical functions in our everyday lives,” said Hamilton, also an assistant professor in Dell Med’s Department of Neurology. “By mapping out specific aspects of language in the brain, including not only the words that are heard but also the melody of a loved one’s voice, we hope to understand which brain areas should be preserved, as well as which functions may be at risk. By harnessing the power of the brain to rewire itself, we hope to provide better outcomes for our patients.” A pioneer in the field of functional neurosurgery and minimally invasive skull base surgery and a researcher of brain-machine interfaces, Tyler-Kabara, who has trained surgeons for internationally successful brain-computer interface
programs, will perform the surgeries involved in the study. She also serves as chief of pediatric neurosurgery and co-chief of pediatric neurosciences at UT Health Austin, the clinical practice of Dell Med. “This extraordinary gift allows us to bring together the world-class researchers at UT in the field of brain-machine interfaces and apply our existing knowledge to help improve the quality of life for our patients. The opportunity to incorporate state-of-the-art virtual reality, which has already proved beneficial in training patients to use brain-machine interfaces, will enhance patient engagement,” Tyler-Kabara said. “The success of brain-machine interfaces in improving patients’ outcomes requires that we explore new and creative applications like this one.” Preparing for surgery — a controlled, precise brain injury — is not the only application for inducing neuroplasticity. It also promises to help people recover after brain illness or injury.
austinmedtimes.com
Austin Medical Times is Published by Texas Healthcare Media Group, Inc. All content in this publication is copyrighted by Texas Healthcare Media Group, and should not be reproduced in part or at whole without written consent from the Editor. Austin Medical Times reserves the right to edit all submissions and assumes no responsibility for solicited or unsolicited manuscripts. All submissions sent to Austin Medical Times are considered property and are to distribute for publication and copyright purposes. Austin Medical Times is published every month P.O. Box 57430 Webster, TX 77598-7430
