ChristianaCare has developed a virtual telehealth service that provides daily monitoring of employees for COVID-19 symptoms, testing, and care for employees who test positive.
The Employee COVID-19 Symptom Monitoring and Testing Program is designed to increase safety and ease anxiety in the workplace. Employees will have access to a registered nurse to discuss their symptoms and the opportunity for a tele-visit with a provider.
The program relies on ChristianaCare’s COVID-19 Virtual Practice and its CareVio care management program for daily bi-directional, secure text messaging.
Currently, 12 employers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Louisiana and Arizona are using the ChristianaCare Employee COVID-19 program. All told, the program is monitoring nearly 5,000 people.
Prior to the start of work each day, employees receive a text message in English or Spanish with a few screening questions related to coronavirus symptoms. If employees indicate they have no symptoms, they receive an “All Clear” text that it is safe to report to work. If they indicate they have developed symptoms, they will receive a message that they are “Not Cleared” and should not report to work. A registered nurse from the CareVio team will reach out for further evaluation.
If the nurse identifies positive coronavirus symptoms, employees are urged to see a provider in ChristianaCare’s COVID-19 Virtual Practice through a tele-visit or visit their own primary care provider. If employees choose the COVID-19 Virtual Practice, they may be sent for a test. If the test is positive and they have symptoms of coronavirus, CareVio will monitor them several times each day to make sure they are improving. If symptoms progress, CareVio will arrange for another tele-visit with the COVID-19 Virtual Practice.
The COVID-19 Virtual Practice began mid-March 2020 within ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health. Through June 1, the practice has conducted more than 2,536 virtual visits with more than 2,070 patients.
