Implementing Telehepatology Practices (ondemand)-Improving Telehepatology Practices

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This webinar, moderated by Dr. Maya Balakrishnan, explores the practical implementation of telehepatology, focusing on real-world applications across different liver diseases and care settings. It features three expert speakers presenting disease-specific telehealth models.<br /><br />Dr. Simona Jacob describes the Veterans Affairs (VA) telehepatology program for cirrhosis care, highlighting longstanding use of telehealth technologies including remote patient monitoring (RPM) integrated with nursing support, video visits, and telementoring (VA Scan ECHO). She emphasizes the critical role of telehealth nurses in monitoring symptoms, managing medications, and coordinating patient care across rural populations, despite technical and engagement challenges.<br /><br />Dr. Jennifer Price discusses telehealth approaches to hepatitis C elimination at UCSF through the Project ECHO model, a tele-mentoring hub-and-spoke system that trains community providers to manage hepatitis C locally, increasing treatment capacity. She also shares a mobile care van initiative delivering on-site screening and telehealth-facilitated treatment to underserved communities, underlining the importance of tailoring telehealth programs to patient needs and maintaining engagement via dedicated coordinators.<br /><br />Dr. Sonal Kumar presents a multidisciplinary telehealth clinic model for managing MAFLD (metabolic-associated fatty liver disease) at Cornell. This hybrid model coordinates hepatology, endocrinology, cardiology, nutrition, and bariatric surgery, using telehealth for follow-up and dietician visits while leveraging in-person visits for initial assessments and complex cases. The model enhances access, care coordination, and patient engagement while addressing growing MAFLD burden.<br /><br />Panel discussion stresses starting telehealth programs by adapting existing models, securing stakeholder buy-in, and emphasizing a dedicated coordinator as crucial for success. Metrics to evaluate programs include clinical outcomes, access, patient engagement, no-show rates, and business return on investment. Overall, telehepatology enables scalable, high-quality, patient-centered liver disease care tailored to specific conditions and settings.

Keywords

telehepatology

liver diseases

remote patient monitoring

telehealth nurses

veterans affairs telehealth

hepatitis C elimination

Project ECHO

mobile care van

MAFLD management

multidisciplinary telehealth clinic