Avera Rural Health Institute
3900 West Avera Drive, Suite 201
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
www.avera.org

Mary DeVany
Ph: 605-322-6038
Fax: 605-322-6006
Email: mary.devany@mckennan.org

Network Partners: Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, Mitchell, SD (3 sites — Wessington Springs, Platte, Parkston); Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, Aberdeen, SD (4 sites—1 specialty clinic, 3 SD sites in Eureka, Miller, Britton); Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD (2 sites—1 hospital in O’Neill, NE, 1 local clinic); Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD (5 receiving sites—Sioux Center, IA, Pipestone, MN, Scotland SD; 2 mental health centers in Luverne, MN and Pierre, SD; various specialty physician providers).

Project Purpose: Develop a telehealth disease management program focusing in the areas of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Diabetes, Asthma/Allergy, Mental Health and Dermatology; expand currently available telehealth specialty services to additional regional sites indicating a need, specifically in the area of pediatrics (cardiology, neurology and infectious disease); expand availability of Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training; continue the expansion of distance education events to interested regional facilities; establish a network-wide telehealth “standard of practice”.

Outcomes Expected: 1. Disease Management – a) CHF: compare admission/readmissions, improve patient education, improved quality of life (SF36); b) Diabetes: increase participation in appropriate diabetes management measures, compare hospitalizations, decrease hemoglobin A1C levels; c) Asthma/Allergy: compare emergency room visits, improve quality of life; d) Dermatology: increase access, improve provider efficiency; e) Mental Health: improve access; f) Pediatrics: (cardiology, neurology, infectious disease) – reduce patient travel, increase access and decrease diagnostic turn-around time, and g) Certified Nurses Assistant Training: increase access to state-required CNA training opportunities.

Service Area: Includes 32 counties in: South Dakota (26), Iowa (1), Minnesota (2), and Nebraska (3) of which 21 counties are Primary Care HPSAs and 30 counties are Mental Health HPSAs.

Services Provided: This network has been operational since December of 1993 and has provided a variety of services over the years. This project will focus on Disease Management (CHF, Diabetes, Asthma/Allergy, Dermatology, Mental Health); Pediatrics (Cardiology, Neurology, Infectious Disease), Certified Nurses Assistant training.

Equipment: The interactive video portion utilizes various Polycom videoconferencing models, including iPower 9000, iPower 600, ViaVideos and various Viewstation models. The home telehealth equipment being used is the American Telecare Inc., model 1010.

Transmission: Most sites utilize either a converged or a fractional T1. In addition, some sites will continue to utilize ISDN lines. The video bridge allows for both network options and provides “cross-networks” connectivity. The telehomehealth piece may also incorporate POTS lines.

University of South Dakota
Department of Nursing
414 E. Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
www.usd.edu/nursing

June Larson, RN, MS
Kathy Manning RN, BSN
Ph: 605-677-6224
Fax: 605-677-5886
Email: kmanning@usd.edu

Network Partners: Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (ELGSS).

Project Purpose: Provide a workforce supply of Registered Nurses for rural Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society long-term care centers realizing a critical shortage of RNs. This Partnership will create a supportive, connected learning environment to deliver a nursing education program to the student. The
student has the opportunity to “attend college” and earn an Associate of Nursing degree in nursing in a part-time format while employed by the partnering provider organization.

Outcomes Expected:

• ELGSS employee/students will graduate from the program each year and pass the NCLEX-RN at, or above the national pass rate.
• Program satisfaction will be positive, as evidenced by employer and graduate surveys.

Service Area: 6 states in Plains States Region (SD, ND, MN, IA, NE, and KS) in communities with a population of 10,000 or less.

Services Provided: Deliver pre-licensure nursing education to employees of the ELGSS

Equipment: Interactive, satellite-based Distance Learning Network (DLN), and Dakota DigitalNetwork (DDN), VTel LC-5000 videoconferencing system, WebCT software, and Internet.

Transmission: T1, web-based, satellite (DLN) which utilizes Echostar 61.5 Mhz, and DDN that operates at a line speed of 768 bytes per second.