Last week in Healthcare IT News, this article described grants for the following states and healthcare institutions that will fund telemedicine projects in rural areas. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture's $6 million in grants will fund 10 telemedicine projects in the Delta Region. The grants will help deliver health services to areas currently lacking adequate care and deliver services to 25 counties with persistent poverty." This news follows the recent announcement of the VHA to implement telehealth for veterans .
Grants are distributed as follows:
Alabama
The Tombigbee Health Care Authority
Arkansas
Arkansas State University, Mountain Home
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Illinois
Connect SI Foundation
Kentucky
Murray State University
Mississippi
Delta Health Alliance
City of Mound Bayou
Louisiana
Building Healthy Communities
Franklin Parish Hospital, Service District No. 1
Ochsner Clinic Foundation
What I find especially interesting about this news item is that it wasn't too long ago that telemedicine and telehealth was only a prospective opportunity on the horizon. I have heard (through the grapevine) that there is also special funding for broadband internet to rural areas and it seems that a telemedicine platform may rely on its availability.
The article (at the link above) describes methods that will be used to provide care or support services for these rural communities. More information can be found in the article, however a sample of the projects are listed below:
Mobile Health Van Program (MHVP)
Link hospitals in rural and impoverished counties.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) in Arkansas where there is high incidence of teen pregnancies.
Equipment and support for the Delta Telecommunications Centers (DTC) project to address long-term care needs.
Simulation and Medical Learning Lab Project that will provide distance learning equipment and support.
From a nursing perspective, the longer an individual can remain in their home environment, assuming a solid support group, the more they remain independent. Perhaps telemedicine will be the incentive that encourages people to become more proactive in their health. It will be interesting to learn about health outcomes resulting from telemedicine. There are many positive results of its use in Europe. I am hopeful we will discover the same here at home.
Last week in Healthcare IT News, this article described grants for the following states and healthcare institutions that will fund telemedicine projects in rural areas. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture's $6 million in grants will fund 10 telemedicine projects in the Delta Region. The grants will help deliver health services to areas currently lacking adequate care and deliver services to 25 counties with persistent poverty." This news follows the recent announcement of the VHA to implement telehealth for veterans .
Grants are distributed as follows:
Alabama
Arkansas
Illinois
Kentucky
Mississippi
Louisiana
What I find especially interesting about this news item is that it wasn't too long ago that telemedicine and telehealth was only a prospective opportunity on the horizon. I have heard (through the grapevine) that there is also special funding for broadband internet to rural areas and it seems that a telemedicine platform may rely on its availability.
The article (at the link above) describes methods that will be used to provide care or support services for these rural communities. More information can be found in the article, however a sample of the projects are listed below:
From a nursing perspective, the longer an individual can remain in their home environment, assuming a solid support group, the more they remain independent. Perhaps telemedicine will be the incentive that encourages people to become more proactive in their health. It will be interesting to learn about health outcomes resulting from telemedicine. There are many positive results of its use in Europe. I am hopeful we will discover the same here at home.