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Focus on Telehealth
| Topics |
Telehealth
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| States served |
Kentucky
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| Description |
A home-focused technology project in northeastern Kentucky is leading to improved patient outcomes. With the touch of a button, patients can log into a hand-sized machine in their home. The hand-sized monitor provides messages and the patients respond to a series of health-related questions. The appliance plugs directly into a telephone line. Instantly, the information is sent from the patient’s home to a data center. Using a shared electronic medical record, local physicians and home health care nurses can view the results. This allows patients to be an active part of their care team.
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| Services offered |
For the most part, such intense self-monitoring has improved the health outcomes for Caskey and other Morgan County, Ky., residents who are participating in an innovative home-health technology project. With support from a state grant, the University of Kentucky (UK) Center for Excellence in Rural Health, Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), Kentucky Homeplace and other partners have implemented telehealth into the homes of approximately 40 patients who face mobility or communication issues.
The in-home units – accompanied by devices such as scales, glucometers and blood-pressure cuffs – enable home health personnel to monitor patient care via a Web-based electronic patient and data management system. Lay workers from Kentucky Homeplace, a rural-based patient assistance program, train patients to use the technology and assist home health staff members in tracking data. Most importantly, the project – now in its second year – allows physicians, nurses and pharmacists to have timelier access to outpatient information, resulting in a heightened level of care.
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| Results |
The enhanced response to patient needs already has reduced their rate of hospital readmissions, said Rhonda Dixon, director of the Morgan County ARH Home Health Agency.
Because of the intriguing prospects, the use of technology in patient self-testing has become increasingly prevalent nationally.
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| Source |
Rural Health Update, Summer 2007
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| Contact person |
David A. Gross
Director of Research, Marketing and Community Engagement
University of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Rural Health
606-439-3557
dagros3@email.uky.edu |
| Date added |
September 18, 2007 |
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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