Enabling this provides you with more accurate distances to providers and locations
Pediatric specialty telemedicine encounters
Videoconferencing technology lets physicians and patients interact face to face in a fast, convenient and affordable way without the need for travel. Our specialty telemedicine service allows a patient and medical provider to interact in real time. This means a Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital provider is able to see and evaluate patients from a vast array of locations using secure video technology. Patient or parents can always request an in-person visit if they are uncomfortable with a telemedicine visit.
Specialty Encounters in a Hospital or Clinic
Patients and medical providers are most often located at different health care facilities during these visits. Usually there are medical personnel with the patient who are able to assist with the examination.
At times, more equipment may be needed, such as our telemedicine mobile cart to send information to the medical provider. The mobile cart is a fully equipped station that can transfer and store medical images and patient data between medical practitioners.
- A telemedicine cart is brought into the patient’s room prior to consultation. Nursing staff will set up the cart and any necessary attachments for the exam.
- Nursing staff members are present during the consultation and will answer the incoming video call.
- The physician will be visible on the monitor and will complete the patient consultation, sometimes with the help of a nurse who may assist in the patient examination using peripherals or the medical attachments affixed to the telemedicine cart.
Encounters at Home
Depending on the type of service and insurance coverage, some of our pediatric specialty telemedicine programs can be done in a patient's home using a smart phone, tablet or PC. The child's care team will determine whether this is an option and if so, work to schedule it.
Our Specialty Programs
Our specialty telemedicine teams with a variety of providers to deliver services through affiliations between Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, patients and outside institutions. We currently offer the following pediatric specialty telemedicine programs:
- Critical Care: Our critical care intensivists use telemedicine to discuss the need for transfer/inpatient admission with the emergency department physicians. Emergency department physicians also introduce a child’s parents to an accepting intensivist, which has been shown to significantly improve the patient/family experience.
- Dermatology: Using telemedicine, patients are able to access our dermatologist without having to travel.
- Nephrology: Our nephrologists offer consultations for children who are in remote hospitals or clinics.
- Neurology: Our neurologists offer consultations for children who are in remote hospitals.
- Neurosurgery: Some after-surgery visits are offered conveniently in the home.
- Orthopedics: Some after-surgery visits are offered conveniently in the home.
- Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery: Before surgery: Meet our plastic surgeons via video. After surgery: Some after-surgery visits are offered conveniently in the home.
- Psychiatry: Our psychiatrists offer video consultations for patients who are in the hospital.
- Pulmonology: Using telemedicine, patients are able to access our pulmonologists without having to travel.
- Sleep Medicine: Our sleep medicine specialists offer remote consultations.
Request a Service
If you are interested in any of our current telemedicine services, please connect with the individual pediatric specialty. To discuss general questions or get started with telemedicine, contact the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital operations team at 616.391.7848.
We offer telemedicine expertise and can assist you in developing successful programs for your patients. Our expertise includes workflow mapping, telemedicine program evaluation and state-of-the-art technologies.
Using Telemedicine
Contact the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital operations team to discuss using our telemedicine services.