By Myra Varnado, BS, RN, CWON, CFCN
ARISTAMD + CORSTRATA CREATES EASY, CONVENIENT ACCESS FOR WOUND & OSTOMY PATIENTS. Join the presentation on Wound & Ostomy Consults for Primary and Specialty Care Physicians, by Corstrata’s Myra Varnado.
Corstrata brings new options to Primary and Specialty Care Physicians, who may struggle to identify proper resources for their wound and ostomy patients. Although Hospitals may offer significant and effective Wound Center services, for many the opportunity to receive such care is diminished by cost and proximity of access. When this happens, patients go home and struggle to manage their health condition alone.
“It’s not uncommon to be contacted by patients that desperately need specialty nursing services, but who cannot afford to travel to an ambulatory care setting,” says Myra Varnado, Director of Clinical Services for Consumer Markets for Corstrata. “Home Health can sometimes bridge the needs, but in many areas, the nursing shortage is creating a real access problem.”
For this reason, the request from AristaMD to join their network and offer education, support, and guidance to Primary and Specialty Care Providers was particularly appealing. Even when the Physician or Specialty Provider knows the next steps in providing a “Gold Standard” care model for Wound & Ostomy patients, the question is what to do when that plan can not be carried out in a practical manner?
“There are still options”, says Varnado. “But to offer the best outcomes, it’s essential to understand the wound etiology and current condition fully. Many physicians are surprised to find the extent of patient care challenges as well as the advanced products now available on the market for in-home use. As patients manage their care in their own environment with limited clinician support, the Physician and staff have to be confident in the purpose and use of any proposed product or treatment plan.”
AristaMD provides a technology platform that allows Primary and Specialty Care Physicians to seek support in developing the optimal care plan. When time, knowledge, or comfort with the patient's condition is less than optimum, AristaMD offers access to specialty personnel with deep experience. For Corstrata, Wound & Ostomy patients require additional knowledge that can not be easily accessed outside of the walls of hospitals.
“It’s incredible to find that only 15% of Wound & Ostomy Nurses are available to offer knowledge and guidance outside of the walls of the hospital,” says Varnado. “It has been part of the driving story for Corstrata’s growth.” During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, more people elected for Telehealth and Digital Health experiences to limit the in-person risks of care, while AristaMD and Corstrata services began to grow quite aggressively. Varnado offers, “What began as a basic necessity is driving forward with expanded care options and convenience.”
Learn more about Corstrata and its Virtualization Services.