NEWS — JULY 2007
Telemedicine Competitors, Devices & Programs
Federal Legislation To Improve Rural Health Care:
Members of the House Rural Health Care Coalition introduced a bill to reauthorize a rural outreach and network grant program that originated in Montana and was expanded through the United States. Known as the Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act of 2007, the legislation would increase Medicare payments for rural health clinics and also establish grant funding of $20.0 million to $30.0 million annually to encourage rural care providers to incorporate health information technologies. Other provisions call for:
One example of a funded program enables American Indians and hospitals in Montana to provide medical care for diabetes and other health needs via telemedicine networks. Rural physicians can also use the technology to obtain continuing education credits without leaving their practices.
For more information, visit the National Rural Health Association's web site.
PhoneDoctorX Employs Teleconferencing Technologies:
Over the next few months, St. Luke's Health System (Kansas City MO) plans to extend telemedicine technology from cardiology, pulmonology, and psychiatry departments on the main campus to two other locations: Wright Memorial (Kansas City MO) and Hedrick Medical Center (Chillicothe MO). Telemedicine services will be provided by Neurological Consultants of Kansas City Inc. (Kansas City MO) in anticipation of an increasing need that isn't sufficient to support a full-time employee on site. In 2006, St. Luke's physicians served 454 patients using telehealth and telemedicine technologies, which resulted in reduced patient travel and other expenses. For the first quarter of 2007, St. Luke's cost-savings were approximately $40,000. For more information, visit St. Luke's web site.
British Research Examines New Emergency Care Model:
A new form of community-based services is being explored by British researchers. Health care professionals known as Emergency Care Practitioners are likely to bridge the gap between hospital health workers and paramedic in a program developed by Loughborough University (Leicestershire, United Kingdom). The goal is to take emergency and urgent care from hospitals into local communities and move ambulance services beyond the current "treat and transport" model. If successful, standard ambulances will be upgraded with different equipment that better accommodates the kinds of extensive care that are performed in hospital environments. The Emergency Care Practitioner program is using grocery delivery and roadside assistance services to understand some of the basic components.
In the future, researchers anticipate that vehicles and response teams may use portable, modular equipment that can be taken into patients' homes. Remote monitoring using telehealth technologies is also likely to be incorporated for after-treatment care. British statistics suggest that between 30% and 40% of patients don't actually need emergency room visits for treatment. For more information, visit the Loughborough University web site.
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