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Dakota Network of Community Health Centers
| Topics |
Health information technology
Networking and collaboration
Technology
Telehealth
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| States served |
North Dakota
South Dakota
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| Description |
The Community Health Centers in South and North Dakota represent the fabric that holds the fragile rural/frontier health care safety net together. The Dakota Network Partners/Collaborators identified the following issues: 'distance and dollars' as their biggest barriers to improving the health status of their patients; organizational capacity of their community based organizations; expanding the scope of their practices; and recruiting and retaining dedicated and skilled providers. A vision was born to create a Dakota Network WAN (Wide Area Network) that could span the thousands of miles and connect these organizations, representing 32 primary care access points and the SD/ND PCA Offices.
In May, 2006, the Dakota Network received an ORHP Rural Health Network Development Grant. The three year work plan focuses on the deployment of a Centralized Practice Management Software and Electronic Health Records.
This program has an Electronic Health Information Management Network with fully interactive video conferencing in place and it is being utilized to the benefit of the Dakota Network Collaborating Organizations and the patients served.
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| Services offered |
The Dak Net WAN has the ability to initiate and manage 24 interactive video conference calls simultaneously. With the current Mumps outbreak, we recently connected 24 CHC Sites/Providers to hear from Infectious Disease Specialists regarding the epidemiological forecasts of the current outbreak, case reporting algorythyms, and MMR stockpile locations. They are interactive video conference calls spanning thousands of miles across both North Dakota and South Dakota.
A Diabetes Management "Grand Rounds" recently was videocast to 24 CHC sites. Rural/Frontier providers had the ability to participate and learn and not travel hundreds of miles to attend.
Behavioral Health Consults are being provided at a number of sites via video conference.
Bio-Metric Peripherals are available at some sites in South Dakota, coupled with the high-end software, make Medical Specialty referrals a reality without a long drive. Those referrals include: cardiology, pulmonology, radiology, dermatology, ENT, etc.
Dak Net "Peer Review" is conducted via Video Conference. |
| Source |
Tom Olson, Director, Dakota Network of Community Health Centers
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| Contact person |
Tom Olson, MPH, Director
Dakota Network of Community Health Centers
605-332-7692
tmolson@dakotanetwork.org
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| Date added |
May 30, 2006 |
Summaries of success stories are provided by RAC for your convenience. Please contact the success story contact person directly for the most complete and current information.
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