Chicago Neuroscience Institute
(847) 888-1811 Elgin, Illinois
(847) 888-1811 Elgin, Illinois
Welcome
During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2019-2020, the Chicago Neuroscience Institute (CNI) developed telehealth services. Telehealth services let you interact with your provider from the convenience of your own home using a mobile device or computer with a webcam which is referred to as “virtual appointments”.
Telehealth Services
Telehealth and Goals
Telemedicine Services at the Institute
Telemedicine Services at the Institute
Telemedicine Services at the Institute
Telemedicine Services at the Institute
Telemedicine Services at the Institute
Telehealth Services
Introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2019-2020, the Chicago Neuroscience Institute (CNI) developed telehealth services. Permanent solutions were adopted to improve the delivery of care to CNI patients. The prefix “tele” means from a distance. Telehealth refers to the use of telecommunication technologies such as computers, the web, and mobile devices to support remote consultation, data interpretation, and health related education. The broad topic of telehealth encompasses telemedicine, which specifically refers to the use of technology to access remote medical experts for diagnostic interpretation of data acquired though specialized onsite testing.
Telehealth services let you interact with your provider from the convenience of your own home using a mobile device or computer with a webcam. Continuation of your health care is important to us, and we encourage you to use telehealth services when appropriate. Telehealth services can be helpful for those who are disabled, sick, immune compromised, or unable to drive. The approach provides CNI staff with an efficient way to become more involved with patient care while monitoring disease and treatment progress. Telehealth services are designed to augment patient care in between scheduled visits, not to replace office visits. Telehealth visit are sometimes referred to as “virtual appointments”.
The goals of Telehealth services at CNI include:
- making services more readily available and convenient for people with limited mobility, time, or transportation options.
- providing access to offsite medical specialists for test (data) interpretation.
- improving communication and coordination of care among members of a health care team and a patient.
- offering support for patient self-management of their health care.
- monitoring disease status and treatment response.
- offering clinical nutrition counseling and recommendations.
Preparing for your Telemedicine visit
The following six primary steps are required to prepare for your virtual visit:
- Accept or request a telehealth/telemedicine appointment.
- Complete and return a CNI Telehealth Consent Form prior to your scheduled visit.
- Receive and review instructions for accessing your scheduled telehealth (virtual) appointment.
- Forward necessary information to your CNI healthcare provider prior to your visit
- Check your technology
- Prepare personally for the Telehealth (virtual) visit
Requesting a Telehealth Appointment:
If you have not been contacted and offered a telehealth appointment, you can contact CNI at 847-888-1811 to scheduled one. This type of visit is not guaranteed and would be based upon your clinical status.
Accepting a Telehealth Appointment:
In many cases, you will be proactively contacted by the Institute giving you the option to convert your appointment to a telehealth visit. Before your visit, you will need to check your technology and personally prepare using the preparation checklist or by accessing email links that a staff member might email you.
Telehealth Forms Required
Prior to participating in a telehealth session you are required to complete and return a signed CNI Telehealth Consent Form. You can complete the form online and/or download the consent form by accessing the link below. The completed printed consent form may be returned to CNI via email, fax, or regular mail.
Telemedicine Services
CNI staff has access to remote medical specialists such as board-certified cardiologists, radiologists neuroradiologists, and a retinal specialist to interpret data acquired with onsite testing. Telemedicine services support a timely diagnosis, reduce wait times for specialty input and eliminate unnecessary travel. Telehealth services can also be used to access our staff dietitian(s)/clinical nutritionist(s) between scheduled visits.
Remote Monitoring
A variety of technologies are available to enable your CNI doctor and/or healthcare team to monitor your health remotely. These technologies include:
- web-based or mobile apps for uploading information, such as blood glucose readings, blood pressure measurements, dietary logs, and physical activity trends to your health care team
- devices that measure, record, and transmit information, such as blood pressure, blood glucose, lung function or electrocardiographic (EKG) data.
- wearable devices that automatically record and transmit information, such as heart rate, blood glucose, gait, posture control, steps, physical activity, or sleep patterns
- Home monitoring devices for older people or people with dementia that detect changes in patterns of movement or activity.
The Potential and Limitations of Telehealth
Telecommunication technology provide unique opportunities for healthcare professionals to become more involved during patient care in between scheduled office visits. While telehealth has the potential to improve the coordination of care, it also runs the risk of fragmenting healthcare. Fragmented care may lead to gaps in care, overuse of medical care or unnecessary or overlapping care.
The potential benefits of telehealth services may be limited by other factors, such as the ability to pay for them. Insurance reimbursement for telehealth varies by state, type of insurance and between insurance carriers. Some people who would benefit the most from improved access to care may be limited because of limited regional internet and/or due to limited access to telecommunication technology.