The Village of Harmony Hill Brings Virtual Clinical Experts to Resident Bedside with "My Care Line"
- Steve Jurrens
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The Village of Harmony Hill has officially launched My Care Line, a virtual healthcare initiative that brings clinical expertise directly to the residents’ bedside during evenings, weekends, and holidays. This partnership with Sanford Health and Good Samaritan Society is a pilot program designed to modernize senior care by prioritizing “care in place”.
A Safety Net for the “After-Hours” Gap
The service addresses the critical window when traditional clinics are closed—Monday through Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and 24 hours a day on weekends. For on-floor staff, it provides an immediate clinical second opinion.
“We always have a nurse on call... but the difference is we don’t have a nurse here 24 hours a day,” explained Fancy Espland, Assisted Living Nurse Supervisor. “Waking one of us up at 2:00 in the morning and waking me up is different than calling a nurse who is sitting there waiting for a phone call. They are sitting at a computer with the chart pulled up, and they can readily access that and answer questions”.
Administrator Krista Beauchamp, an RN herself, noted that the speed of the service is a major relief for the team: “They are able to call this nurse that is dedicated solely to the My Care Line and able to help triage different situations".
High-Tech Triage: The TytoCare Advantage
The program goes far beyond a simple phone consultation. If a situation requires closer review, the staff uses the TytoCare device, which functions like a portable clinic.
The TytoCare machine is equipped with:
· A Stethoscope: Allows providers to listen to heart and lung sounds remotely.
· An Otoscope: Enables a clear view inside the ears.
· An Assessment Camera: Vital for high-resolution wound checks or evaluating skin tears after a fall.
· A Tongue Blade: To allow providers to look at a resident’s throat virtually.
Nurse Espland shared a practical example of the technology in action: “Head wounds bleed, and that can be scary. But if you have a nurse that can look at that over a webcam and say, ‘Okay, let’s apply pressure... I’m right here with you,’ that’s reassuring”. She added that if the nurse deems the situation stable after a virtual exam, “then they don’t have to go to the hospital”.
Seamless Coordination with Primary Doctors
A common concern with virtual health is care fragmentation, but Beauchamp quickly clarified that My Care Line is a bridge, not a replacement. “It’s not a replacement for their primary care physician. It’s just a supplement for the residents and the staff for after-hours care”.
Because the virtual nurses use the Epic EHR, every visit is documented in real time. “They do a documentation note in EPIC... and then they do a progress note that is either faxed or mailed or sent to the physician,” Beauchamp explained. “So it is communicated... we have access to that right away”.
Looking Toward a Digital Future
The implementation of My Care Line is part of a larger “digital transformation” at The Village. The leadership is already exploring how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could further enhance resident safety, particularly by predicting falls.
“There are different systems within AI that can say, ‘Okay, the resident’s behavior maybe at night has changed. Maybe they’re getting up to go to the bathroom more frequently,” Beauchamp said. “They can give you reports that say this is someone you need to look at because this may be a predictor for falls”.
Despite the high-tech upgrades, the mission remains rooted in the compassionate legacy of the Sisters of the Mother of God Monastery. The campus continues to thrive as an intergenerational hub, where residents often spend time with children from the on-site learning center.
For families interested in exploring the continuum of care—including independent living, assisted living, and memory care—The Village offers tours and detailed consultations. Information is available at www.villagewatertown.org or by calling the Village directly at 605-878-4700.
