Telehealth Helps Close Health Care Disparity Gap in Rural Areas
As medical director of the telehealth program at
Health care disparities among rural populations have been documented. The limited availability of physicians and specialty services in rural areas partially accounts for the disparities. People living in rural areas received lower-quality health care and had worse outcomes compared with residents of more populated areas on a number of scores, according to the Chartbook on
But academic medical centers are finding that telehealth is an effective means to reach medically underserved rural populations that may have higher infant mortality rates, higher poverty rates, and a larger population of older adults. Using broadband networks, high resolution imaging, and mobile devices, physicians have been able to improve care for rural residents with tangible results.
ANGELS in
In
UAMS specialists use videoconferencing equipment, computers, servers, broadband connections, and other technology to treat women suffering from complications such as diabetes, obesity, sickle cell disease, and hypertension. Through ANGELS, physicians conduct obstetrical consultations, perform ultrasounds to detect any fetal anomalies, and provide genetic counseling in real time.
With a network of nearly 500 rural sites, the ANGELS program has grown beyond the specialty of maternal fetal medicine to include asthma care, pediatric cardiology, mental health services, and stroke care.
"Every person in
Nationwide, other health facilities are relying increasingly on telehealth to serve medically vulnerable populations. Currently, an estimated 61 percent of health care institutions use some form of telehealth, and between 40 and 50 percent of all hospitals in
Telehealth in action
In the predominantly rural
The ECHO model was developed at the
"In the
"Before we started the UW ECHO program, virtually none of these patients were being treated," Scott said. "Transportation is a huge expense, and there's a time burden on patients to travel to a specialist. That's a big hassle just to see a doctor for 15 to 20 minutes."
To push the ECHO and ANGELS programs forward, the governors of
Virtual-care clinics
Remote patient monitoring is another form of telehealth that is evolving. Advances in technology now enable real-time collection and transfer of large amounts of data about patients' activities and well-being, said Shipman. "Real-time and asynchronous tools enable health care providers to monitor patient adherence to treatment protocols and improve connection to other members of the health care team."
The University of
"The virtual-care initiative is one of many projects under the
Saxon noted that while staff from the
Telehealth services continue to expand in rural communities across the country. For people living in remote areas, this means convenient and timely access to health care. For hospitals, technology tools are helping to improve patient outcomes and reduce staffing costs. While mobile apps and remote monitoring systems can present new challenges, such as generating large quantities of data to sort through, they also hold the promise of helping physicians reduce health care disparities in rural America.
[Category: Medical]
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