Agricultural News
Study Shows Telemedicine Improves Health Outcomes
Tue, 11 Sep 2012 16:17:53 CDT
Future investments in telemedicine are critical, according to presenters in a legislative study held by the Oklahoma House Public Health Committee.
"We heard from both state agencies and private sector health care providers today about what a critical tool telemedicine has been and could be to improve health outcomes in rural Oklahoma," said state Rep. Joe Dorman (D-Rush Springs), who requested the study. "It was clear that telemedicine needs to be a part of our health care funding, as it can both reduce costs and improve services in both the government services and private sector health care."
Dr. Venkat Rajaram, a interventional cardiologist at Midwest Regional Medical Center, said telemedicine can address health outcomes related to heart disease in rural communities.
"Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the nation and especially in Oklahoma," said Rajaram. "Telemedicine can be the difference between life and death in addressing cardiovascular conditions. Ideally, a blocked artery needs to be opened within 90 minutes. Certain determinations made by specialists in addressing stroke patients need to take place within the first three hours after symptoms have appeared. That is not possible in a lot of rural communities without the help of telemedicine technology."
Kyle Nondorf, Regional Vice President of Rural Network for St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City, said Oklahomans need to be aware of the opportunities telemedicine provides.
"Telemedicine enables health care facilities throughout the state to keep more high quality services local by providing access to specialists that they would otherwise not be able to have," said Nondorf.
Child protection services have also benefited from the use of technology, according to Sherri Snyder, executive director of Children's Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma.
"Child abuse investigation services have a support system through video conferencing across the state so that the professionals who serve the children who are victims of abuse have a high quality system in place for support," said Snyder.
Other presenters included Steven Buck of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Oklahoma Department of Corrections Chief Medical Officer Don Sutmiller and Oklahoma State University professor Dr. Bill Pettit.
"On my very first campaign brochure, I talked about the need for telemedicine in the state. I believe the programs the legislature have passed in the area of telemedicine have been of great benefit to rural communities. I hope that after I leave the Legislature due to term limits in two years, other lawmakers will continue to carry the torch on this issue," said Dorman.
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