IMAGINEAWORLD
where youmeet with your doctor or other
health care professional over the internet or through audio or
video equipment—from your own home. At one time, such an
idea might have seemed to be science fiction, or from some far-
forward future. Today, this is a new reality in health care delivery.
Butler Health System recently received a $137,755 grant under the 2016 Distance
Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program from the Rural Utilities Service of the United
States Department of Agriculture.
“This grant will be used to implement telemedicine initiatives to provide our rural com-
munities convenient and accessible coordination of care,” says Cindy Esser, director of
Emerging Technologies.
Telemedicine can benefit patients in rural communities by improving access to special-
ists, providing timely, convenient care and eliminating distance barriers.
“Much of our region is rural,” Esser says. “This grant can pave the way for opportunities
for additional service lines, like cardiology and neurology patients to receive guidance
and monitoring without having to travel great distances.”
In early 2016, BHS began using video technology for educating and caring for dia-
betes patients. Patients use cellphones or wireless devices to connect with a Diabetes
Educator.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of senior citizens in rural Pennsylva-
nia is projected to increase 58 percent by 2030. In addition, the Department of Health
and Human Services states that compared to a younger population, elderly patients use
more health care services, receive more treatment for chronic conditions, and receive an
increasing number of medical and surgical interventions. Providing faster, more conve-
nient access to specialty care and chronic disease management can be achieved through
telemedicine, resulting in improved patient outcomes and quality of life.
The future
is
now
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