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University
of Alabama - Emerging Health Technologies (OEHT) BioTrac
University
of South Alabama (USA)
Carl W. Taylor
307 N. University Blvd., HSB 2200
Mobile, AL 36688
Ph: 251-461-1810
Fax:
251-461-1809
http://www.usouthal.edu/emergingtech
Email: cwtaylor@usouthal.edu
Network
Partners:
University of South Alabama Health System
Alabama Department of Public Health
Grace Busse Health Center, Pine Apple, Alabama
Alabama State Medicaid Agency
Public
Education Employees Health Insurance Plan (PEEHIP)
Project
Purpose:
The
BioTrac program is directed to providing services
to rural patients suffering from chronic illnesses.
Using a home telephone and monitoring tools, the patient
is able to provide their physician with vital medical
data. Through the Internet, the physician is able
to assess the patient’s data, alerting the provider
of any abnormal data which may result in an emergency
room visit or hospitalization. Through this project
we are able to think outside of the traditional
telemedicine box” and to seek to identify new
tools that expand our telereach” whether
it is the hospital,
physician’s office, or the home.
Outcomes
Expected:
Outcome
measurements have become a major focus of the OEHT
telemedicine program. For the Home Monitoring project,
patients and providers use an evaluation tool to measure
their perceived outcomes of the study. Such outcomes
include the patient’s hospital/ER admission
status, self reported
data and a provider’s input of the study. This
data is input into a statistical software program
and measurements showing comparisons of before/after
data are provided. It is anticipated that fewer hospitalizations
and emergency room visits will be experienced when
compared to previous admissions of the enrolled patients,
thereby reducing overall costs of healthcare.
Service
Area:
Primary
service area includes rural Alabama; however, using
a home telephone and the Internet,
patients and providers can be located in most any
location.
Services
Provided:
Services
provided include home health monitoring of patients
suffering with chronic diseases
such as diabetes, chronic heart failure and asthma.
Equipment:
BioTrac
program uses CyberNet Medical with A and D peripherals
with a database housed at USA.
Transmission:
Home
based program uses Plain Old Telephone System (POTS)
with Internet access on the provider
side.
Emerging
Health Technologies (OEHT) TeleTrauma
University of South Alabama
University
of South Alabama (USA)
Carl W. Taylor
307 N. University Blvd., HSB 2200
Mobile, AL 36688
Ph: 251-461-1810
Fax: 251-461-1809
http://www.usouthal.edu/emergingtech
Email: cwtaylor@usouthal.edu
Network
Partners:
University of South Alabama Health System
Monroe
County Hospital, Monroeville, Alabama
J
Paul Jones Hospital, Camden, Alabama
Project
Purpose:
The
project purpose for TeleTrauma is for our urban Level
I trauma facility and our trauma
surgeons to provide guidance and oversight to rural
emergency room physicians during a trauma event in
which a victim is transported to the rural facility.
The trauma surgeon or other members
of a support team guides and directs the remote physician
in decision making and procedures needed during the
time sensitive event. The University physician will
act as a mentor and teacher in guiding the rural providers
in the appropriate triage and/or treatment needed
to stabilize the
victim.
Outcomes
Expected:
With
the TeleTrauma project, Trauma surgeons and other
sub-specialties will be able to address the common
problem of professional emergency room staffing shortage
in rural areas. With triage assistance provided as
well, it is anticipated that an overall improvement
in rural emergency room treatment will occur for trauma
events. Hospital admissions, length of stay, as well
as overall patient improvement and satisfaction will
be key factors in determining outcomes
of this project.
Service
Area:
Service
areas include two rural hospitals located in Southwest
Alabama (approximately 75 miles Northeast of Mobile),
one located in Central South Alabama (approximately
110 miles Northeast of Mobile) and the University
of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, Alabama.
Additionally, two trauma surgeon’s homes are
equipped to allow them access to cases.
Services
Provided:
Services
provided include oversight of rural trauma cases between
acting facilities.
Equipment:
Traditional
telemedicine equipment includes a Tandberg 2500 series
in rural hospital setting and a Tandberg 6000 in the
urban emergency room. Two trauma surgeon homes are
equipped with
Tandberg 550 series.
Transmission:
ISDN transmission with PRI.
Emerging
Health Technologies (OEHT) Traditional Telemedicine
University of South Alabama
University
of South Alabama
307 N. University Blvd., HSB 2200
Mobile, AL 36688
Carl W. Taylor
Ph: 251-461-1810
Fax: 251-461-1809
http://www.usouthal.edu/emergingtech
Email: cwtaylor@usouthal.edu
Network
Partners:
University
of South Alabama Health System
Alabama’s Children’s Rehabilitative Services
Alabama Department of Public Health
Southwest Alabama Abuse Network (SWAN)
Six
Rural Hospitals
Project
Purpose:
The
core heart and mission of our program is extending
medical education to rural care delivery sites and
to provide a network to support the medical and educational
activities of our partners. Each of the projects we
review has a common theme in improving healthcare
and through telemedicine we are able to achieve this
goal. Using traditional means of transmitting telemedicine
images has afforded remote locations with services
which otherwise would not be available. Through traditional
telemedicine venues, we are able support and provide
additional tools and services to the most remote locations
in Alabama.
Outcomes
Expected:
Outcome
measurement is a major focus of the OEHT telemedicine
program. Being able to provide sound data of achieved
outcomes is paramount in improving future programs.
Participants are pleased with results seen.
Service
Area:
Primary
service areas include six (6) rural hospitals located
in rural Alabama, two (2) urban clinics, one (1)
Public Health Clinic, one (1) state Public Health
Department, and five (5) urban hospital sites.
Services
Provided:
Services
provided include, but are not limited to, traditional
telemedicine services for Children’s Rehabilitative
Services of Alabama, Children’s Sexual Abuse
examinations, Peer Review through the SWANN network,
HIV patient examinations, occasional neonatology consults,
Homeland Security/Disaster Training (under other CDC
HRSA funding), and videoconferencing
services.
Equipment:
Includes
traditional telemedicine equipment using legacy apparatus
such as Health Station 2000, RX Rovers, Polycom Bridge,
and patient exam units utilizing AMD peripherals.
OEHT conducted one of
the first national In Touch Robot Companion”
demonstrations.
Transmission:
IP
and ISDN transmission with PRI access to statewide
video. Desktop platform utilizing DSL
platform or better.
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