Rural telehealth services are getting expanded at Newman Regional Health, thanks to a significant grant from the Patterson Family Foundation.
Newman Regional Health is starting Telehealth for Rural Health Equity: Expanding Specialty Access through Infrastructure Innovation after the Patterson Family Foundation donated $485,000 to the cause. The end results is modernizing telehealth in several operations like the Emergency Department and Outpatient Observation Department. This also positively impacts several outpatient clinics like primary care, cardiology and obstetrics and gynecology as it addresses the highest priorities as identified in the hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment earlier this year like behavioral health, advanced cardiology, endocrinology, infectious disease and high-risk obstetrics. Another benefit is enhancing the tele-hospitalist program to help with inpatient coverage during nights and weekends.
Newman Regional Health is planning several infrastructure upgrades like mobile telehealth carts, updated telehealth rooms, secure electronic medical records and enhanced connectivity.
Newman Regional Health plans to have most of the plan components in place by the end of next year, including the infrastructure, training and outpatient services. It also expects to see positive results in patient satisfaction, clinical team satisfaction and disease management.
CEO Cathy Pimple is tentatively set to have more information on KVOE’s 8:05 am newscast Wednesday.
