VA Healthcare Network Success
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Network 2 Planetree Program
113 Holland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208
30 November 2006
Mrs. Amy Gordon-Fisher
CEO, Med Calm
Dear Mrs. Gordon-Fisher,
As per our conversation earlier this week, here is a list of the clinical areas in Network 2 that are currently utilizing Med Calm for patient care:
- Albany Stratton VAMC-
- Behavioral Health (secured unit)
- Batavia VA Facility-
- Nursing Home Care Unit
- Bath VAMC-
- Nursing Home Care Unit (Dementia Unit)
- Behavioral Health (Domiciliary)
- Buffalo VAMC-
- Behavioral Health (secured unit)
- Nursing Home Care Unit
- Dental Clinic
- Canandaigua VAMC-
- Behavioral Health (secured unit)
- Nursing Home Care Unit (Gero-Psych Unit)
- Syracuse VAMC-
- Behavioral Health (secured unit)
- Palliative Care Unit
- Nursing Home Care Unit
As you are aware, Network 2 first trialed your product as part of an initiative to improve our Behavioral Health Inpatient SHEP Scores. Our scores were very poor in this area. Through a lot of planning and hard work, we raised these scores to “Best Practice” within VHA, in one FY. We found Med Calm to be a very useful tool in that project. We were selected by Picker for a poster presentation on Quality Care Improvements for this initiative, at last years’ National Symposium in Washington, DC. Once other Carelines learned of our success and the tools used, they started requesting Med Calm units for various areas. That is why we now have your product in a variety of patient care areas.
Furthermore, once VHA’s budget has been resolved for this FY, we will be ordering several more units. AVAMC needs one for their Palliative Care Unit, Canandaigua (a facility with a large Behavioral Health Patient base) is requesting several more to use in Outpatient Clinics, with clinicians, as part of the patients overall therapeutic plan of care for relaxation , anger management and sleep induction techniques).
Canandaigua has found your product to be very effective in relaxation and as an adjunct therapy for pain reduction and sleep induction. Their Women’s Health Coordinator has documented anecdotal data that shows several patients have requested and successfully used Med Calm instead of sleep medication. This has many positive effects: restful sleep with no drug “hang over” in the morning, the patient care is centered specifically on and driven by the patients needs (within acceptable medical protocol, of course) empowering and teaching the patient that there are viable options and choices in their health care besides drugs, there are pleasant ways to relax and deal with life’s problems, it lessens the possibility of adverse drug reactions as no drugs are involved with this product and it is a fiscally prudent move. One Medcalm Unit, purchased once, then utilized by multiple patients, versus additional medications, saves time and money, while providing one more effective tool to caregivers.
Should you need any further information on the utilization of your products in Network 2, please feel free to contact me anytime. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Neal K. Relyea, RN
Planetree Coordinator, Network 2
Patient Education Coordinator, AVAMC
Health and Wellness Chair, AVAMC
(518) 626-5480