TriageLogic is proud to announce that its CEO, Charu Raheja, has been named one of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s “Women of Influence 2022.” Below are excerpts from that article, her thoughts on why TriageLogic has been so successful when it comes to patient health, and the excitement she has for the technology and innovation yet to come.
Evolving Nurse Triage
Charu has been a big proponent for nurse triage for a long time – fourteen years, in fact. Her investment in TriageLogic has translated into consultations that have covered over 25 million lives. And Charu recognizes how important nurse triage is for improving health outcomes.
“I had a stroke from an arteriovenous malformation,” she says, but admits that she “ignored the symptoms and took days to seek care. When I finally contacted a medical professional, they were surprised about how long it took me to get care. I had brain surgery and it took me almost a year before I was able to work again.”
Improving Health Outcomes
For many patients, the idea of going to the doctor may not be their first priority, especially if they don’t realize the severity of their symptoms. Telehealth triage nurses can help make that distinction and improve health outcomes by identifying those warning signs earlier.
They perform this symptom-checking by using Schmitt-Thompson protocols, or by reviewing patient vitals through the use of remote patient monitoring (RPM). Charu adds that RPM might have made a difference in the case of her father: “When my father passed away from a massive heart attack in 2009 because he did not call a health care provider to evaluate his symptoms, our mission became that much more important to me.”
Leading Through Healthcare Technology
When it comes to leading a successful nurse triage, Charu says it all boils down to engaging your staff through innovation. She notes how creative her team is, and that they’re “always thinking about new solutions to improve the health care system and make it accessible to everyone.” This is why TriageLogic has evolved from triage protocols, software, and an outsourced call center to other areas of healthcare technology, like:
Answering Service Operator (ASO) Protocols. These allow ASOs to better qualify patients when they initially call so that triage nurses call them back in the appropriate amount of time.
Secure Texting. This is a HIPAA-compliant texting service that allows nurses to communicate with doctors and get immediate answers to patient concerns, without ever needing to install an app or software.
Protocol Editor. This allows healthcare providers the ability to modify the protocols they use for patient dispositions, based on the specific needs of their practice. It’s the only one on the market that allows a customizable path to care with the proper change management. It does this by maintaining a log of protocol iterations, so that providers can add on to what they were already using, or revert back to previous versions.
Remote Patient Monitoring. Our registered nurses have a system for reviewing patient vitals like blood pressure, glucose, weight, and pulse ox to identify signs of potential health complications. If found, nurses contact those patients and encourage them to see their respective providers. Our nurses also implement protocols that are specific to both RPM devices and the chronic diseases being managed.
On Confidence and the Future of Nurse Triage
Charu’s greatest joy “has always been to see people become more confident in using their creativity to improve our communities,” which is why she’s so proud of the accomplishments of her team. It’s also why she’s honored to be recognized by JBJ, and looks forward to the innovations that are in store for TriageLogic in the years to come — especially with the expansion of telehealth.
If your team is looking for assistance with its own nurse triage when it comes to protocols, software, outsourced call coverage, or the tools mentioned above, we want to hear from you. Contact us today to discuss our available programs.
About TriageLogic
TriageLogic is a URAC-accredited, physician-led provider of top-quality nurse telehealth technology, remote patient monitoring, and medical call center solutions. Founded in 2007, the TriageLogic Group now serves more than 9,000 physicians and covers over 25 million lives nationwide.
