Seniors often have complex medical needs and due to the underfunded and overtaxed health care system, providers often have to employ some creativity to get them the care they need and react to problems before they become worse.

One way to monitor health conditions at home is through telemedicine. Telemedicine is an application of clinical medicine where medical information is transferred usually via telephone or the Internet for the purpose of consulting, and sometimes remote medical procedures or examinations. One telemedicine application involves regular dial-in health checks to monitor various conditions:

At 9 o’clock each morning, Ann Schoenbeck is run through an array of medical tests that track her weight, blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs. She then answers several questions about her health.

She does all this by herself in the living room of her West Allis apartment.

The results of the tests and the answers to the questions are sent to Aurora Health Care, where a registered nurse checks for any signs that Schoenbeck’s recovery from heart surgery is faltering.

“If there is something they don’t like,” Schoenbeck said, “they will call.”

Telemedicine can lead to fewer home health care visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations in some instances.

Another practice to help monitor health problems and catch them before they get worse is house calls. Physicians in New Jersey have revived this old practice, and even though it’s criticized by some there is a demand for the service:

The doctor can perform many tests in patients’ homes that used to require hospital visits — EKGs to check heart function, X-rays, blood tests and ultrasound studies. He also can bring in help from the hospital or medical school — podiatrists, therapists, social workers, dentists and specialists.

The service, which is restricted to disabled or elderly patients who are confined to their homes, came about as a convergence of patients’ needs and a university professor’s idea of how to meet them.

It is imperative that health care costs be reduced and many senior healthcare issues can be monitored at home with some effort and creativity and, though not without obstacles, these practices have been shown to reduce hospitalizations by catching problems and changes early.