Telehealth Service Testimonials

Stories from VNA Telehealth Service Clients

For Jean, who was forgetting to take her medicines, VNA's Telehealth service provides a helpful reminder to take the right pills at the right time. She remembers her mother having complications from taking the wrong amounts of pills, and wanted VNA to oversee her medicines so she could avoid the same issue.

“I have heart problems,” Jean explained. “The Telehealth machine gives me clear instructions on what to do so it can take my vital signs and send them into VNA, who sends the information to my primary doctor.”

Jean said she is able to set the machine at a time that is convenient for her, and each day at that hour it directs her to weigh herself, check her blood pressure with the provided cuff, and also reviews other signs.

“The machine asks if you slept well the night before, if you are tired, if you have fallen recently, and other questions. You just have to press a yes or no button for each question,” she said.

After she is finished, a staff member at VNA telephones her to review her vital signs, noting if her blood pressure is up or if they think she should make an appointment with her doctor. Depending on the severity of the situation, they may call 911.

“The machine is a good idea. I know it's very helpful to the doctors because they have used the information,” Jean said. “It's convenient and keeps track of things, like my blood pressure which goes up and down a lot.”

Jean also noted that she appreciates the calls from VNA's staff, and thinks that they are dependable.

“If they say the are going to be here, they are,” Jean added. “They are friendly and cooperative.”

~ Client of VNA Telehealth Services



VNA's Telehealth service seems “like a mini check-up” to Kenneth, who has heart problems.

The Telehealth machine in Kenneth's home alerts him at a convenient set time each morning, which he has chosen. It instructs him to check his weight, blood pressure, pulse and other signs, and asks him questions, such as, “Are your legs swollen?” which he answers with the touch of a yes or no button. The information is sent to VNA, and a staff member phones him to discuss the findings.

“It's a terrific service,” Kenneth said. “VNA gets the information and lets my doctor know if there is a problem. They keep after the doctors and make sure they are following protocol. ”

Kenneth finds the VNA staff to be friendly and excellent with follow through. He said the daily telephone calls put his mind at ease, knowing that everything is OK, and that someone is there to help if not.

“The staff really seem to know what they are doing, and if they say they are going to do something, they will,” he noted. “If something is wrong they would tell me to make an appointment with my doctor; once, they even called 911 and took me to the hospital.”

He has also utilized other services that VNA provides, including physical therapy, nursing and bathing assistance.

“The physical therapist was especially helpful,” he added. “You could tell she likes what she does; it just showed. She gave me encouragement and really spent time with me.”

Kenneth's wife is also impressed with VNA's staff and service. She may have hip replacement surgery in the future and told him that she'd like to utilize their services as well.

“She feels that they have given me good service,” he said.

~ Client of VNA Telehealth Service


Toni thinks of VNA's Telehealth machine as like another person helping to care for her husband, William, who suffers from a heart condition.

“I feel very comfortable with the machine, and it's simple to use,” she said. “If the VNA staff has questions they call us and ask if things are OK, such as 'Is he breathing well?'” Then they let me know if I need to do something, like call his cardiologist.”

The Telehealth machine is connected to their telephone, and is set to give instructions on taking William's vital signs at 9 a.m. “without fail, every morning,” Toni said. It's important that William's blood pressure and weight are checked daily at the same time, due to his condition. The information is sent through the machine to VNA staff, who then make a call to them to go over the results.

“I am so impressed with the whole thing,” Toni added. “It gives me a feeling of security; I would miss it if it were gone. It also reassures me that I am doing OK. You need to know that when you are a caregiver.”

But the system is also flexible. Toni said that on Sundays she and her husband normally attend church, so she has let VNA know that they may not be able to answer the phone on that day of the week.

“They know that it is a part of our regular schedule, so I don't have to call them every time,” she explained.

Toni also appreciates the support she and William receive from VNA's staff. Her daughter lives nearby, but works full-time, so VNA's service means a lot to her.

“We have the same nurse most of the time, but no matter who visits, they do the best they can for you,” she added. “They are caring and professional.”

For someone considering the Telehealth service, Tony said she can't imagine that anyone would want to refuse this sort of help.

“This is something that helps both of us, and it doesn't intrude on our lifestyle at all,” she explained. “I think it takes special people to do this work; it doesn't seem like an easy job. But, it just comes through that they are here to help you.”

~ Client of VNA Telehealth Service


Keeping her vital signs in check is important to Alice, who utilizes VNA's Telehealth machine to do just that, every day.

The machine is set at the same time each morning to give Alice a wake-up call and provide instructions on checking her weight, blood pressure, and more. This critical information is sent to VNA staff, who then phone Alice to review it. If they are concerned for her health, the staff can suggest she make an appointment with her doctor, and they can also call for emergency assistance, depending on the situation.

“It's a good machine to use and it works well,” Alice said. “It tells me to get on the scale, sit on a chair, put on the blood pressure cuff, and other things to check my vital signs. All I have to do is press a button.”

Alice likes using the Telehealth machine because she can rely on it to keep her vital signs in check and keep track of things on a regular basis.

“It's a helpful service,” she noted. “If anything goes wrong VNA can call someone to help if I need to go to the hospital or see my doctor. They can even call an ambulance.”

She also enjoys VNA's staff and the service they provide.

“The people there are friendly and really help me out a lot,” Alice added. “They are also very courteous.”

~ Client of VNA Telehealth Service