For the past decade, Baystate Franklin Medical Center patients who suffered a stroke have been able to speak with a Springfield-based neurologist directly using telemedicine.
This week, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission recognized Baystate Health, Baystate Franklin Medical Center and Baystate Mary Lane Hospital for their use of telemedicine to provide efficient, effective care and access for patients in rural communities.
Telemedicine is a service in which doctors at Baystate Health can see and speak directly with patients in Greenfield using video technology. A nurse, known as a telepresenter is present with the patient at Baystate Franklin.
The Greenfield hospital has been able to expand its telemedicine service to other patient consultations and provide more training for doctors and nurses through the Community Hospital Acceleration, Revitalization, and Transformation (CHART) Investment Program, a four-year community hospital program aimed at enhancing the delivery of efficient, effective care.
Baystate Franklin received $476,400 in January 2014 to support expansion of telemedicine to select inpatient and outpatient specialties to reduce transfers to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and other tertiary care centers, thereby reducing costs, connecting local providers to health information exchanges, and supporting an evaluation of post-acute services and capabilities in the region, state health officials said.
A year later, Baystate hospitals received another $900,000 to expand telemedicine services further.
The hospital used the funds to provide training for doctors and nurses to use the technology and a second telemedicine cart for consultations.
Between April 15 and Sept. 15, 2014, Baystate Franklin had 76 inpatient “telehealth encounters” in neurology, critical care, infectious disease and geriatrics, with the most in neurology.
“It’s allowed patients to get a consultation they wouldn’t be able to get. It’s preventing them from being transferred to Springfield,” said Dr. Rakesh ‘Kishi’ Talati, medical director of the Baystate Franklin emergency department.
Talati said it enhances efforts to bring more Springfield specialists to Greenfield.
“It can offer specialists that do come here flexibility. It’s a way to keep care local by providing patient access,” Talati said.
The impetus behind telemedicine is to support patient access to specialists.
“Even a place the size of Greenfield can’t support two to three sub-specialists of each type. The only option would be to travel,” said Dr. Thomas Higgins, chief medical officer.
Baystate Franklin first began using telemedicine for stroke patients. At first, it used a control room in Springfield, but with new advances doctors can use the system through their laptops.
“It allows you to deliver care in a way you couldn’t before,” said Higgins.
Baystate has received good feedback from patients, Talati said.
“Patients have loved it. They felt it was equivalent to a one-on-one consultation,” Talati said. “They say they like it more because a nurse is there, too. It is equal to or above a regular consultation.”
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Kathleen McKiernan
Quelle/Source: The Recorder, 08.05.2015