Monument Health offers home monitoring to COVID-19 patients

Monument Health offers home monitoring to COVID-19 patients

Rapid City, S.D. (July 6, 2020) – Monument Health has launched the COVID Care Companion program to provide a more robust and effective care platform for those who test positive for COVID-19 and can recover at home.

COVID Care Companion is an interactive, secure tool that enables personalized care through the MyChart website, MyChart mobile app or by personalized phone call. Patients who test positive for COVID-19 or who have recently been discharged from the hospital with a positive test result will be offered tools to participate in the home monitoring program.

Once a patient is enrolled, they will need a pulse oximeter and thermometer to check symptoms daily and log those into the MyChart system. If a patient does not have access to MyChart or is unable to fill out the online questionnaire, a nurse will call them daily to monitor their symptoms.

Patients are asked to monitor shortness of breath, cough, weakness, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, anxiety or depression, fever, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell. Patients will also be asked to log and upload their temperature, pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation.

Monument Health nurses check the charts daily and will contact a patient who has any new or worsening symptoms, like a fever of 100.3 or higher or a blood oxygen level of 92 percent or lower. Patients are enrolled in the COVID Care Companion program for 14 days. If patients need monitoring beyond that time, the program can be extended.

###

About Monument Health
Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health (formerly Regional Health) is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 33 medical specialties and serves 20 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 4,500 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is comprised of 5 hospitals, 8 specialty and surgical centers and more than 40 medical clinics and health care service centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Stephany Chalberg
Public Relations Manager
Strategic Marketing and Communications
Monument Health
605-755-9086
schalberg@monument.health