VlVA – Video linked visits for assessment
Sheffield investigators
Dr Peter Cudd
Jennifer Read
Dr Vita Lanfranchi
Natalie Jones
Partners
Occupational Therapy
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Funder
The University of Sheffield, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IIKE)
Project Outputs
User attitudes towards virtual home assessment technologies
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03091902.2022.2089250
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0308022620921111 Remote Home Visit: Exploring the feasibility, acceptability and potential benefits of using digital technology to undertake occupational therapy home assessments
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03080226211000265 Remote home visits: Exploring the concept and applications of remote home visits within health and social care settings
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0308022620979517
Occupational therapists need to be involved in developing and evaluating technological solutions to support remote working
Blog
YouTube Video about VIVA
About the project
Our prototype live video link system facilitates hospital therapists to conduct home assessments to speed patient discharge.
Patients not being able to go home when they are otherwise ready to be discharged majorly impacts NHS hospital services – as seen in news headlines. It also slows the patients return to their home. Part of the blockage is due to hospital therapists not being able to leave their hospital duties to visit the patients home to make sure they will be able to manage activities of daily living. By allowing therapists to remotely supervise and document assessments that employ a person in the community to visit their patient's home, discharge can be more timely.
Measurements such as step or chair heights, or door widths can be prompted by the therapist as needed. Loose carpets can be observed. Often assistive technologies (eg grab rails) have to be installed to facilitate the independence the patient requires to be back in their home. These and other pertinent observations can be documented and the needs be suggested for discharge.
Another benefit of the system is that the patient, while still in hospital, can be part of the process of the remote visit to their home, offering reassurance to the patient.