The long-awaited ET3 program is finally here! After delays caused by the pandemic, the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) program went into effect on January 1, 2021. To support this initiative, swyMed and Logitech are working together to provide the mHealth technology (mobile real-time audio-visual communications) that makes the ET3 program possible. Read more
As video communications infrastructures and telemedicine technology constantly improve, the opportunities to expand telemedicine into new fields are multiplying rapidly. One such area, mobile health (mHealth), refers to the application of telemedicine technologies in areas beyond the four walls of a hospital or clinic—in other words, medicine on-the-go. For instance, EMS telemedicine (Emergency Medical Services) integrates telemedicine into ambulances so that paramedics can contact a specialist at the hospital for an initial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment plan—even before arriving at the emergency department (ED). This capability offers the potential to save crucial minutes for patients like stroke victims, for whom the drug of choice—tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)—must be administered within a certain time frame to be effective and life-saving. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis of over 6,600 patients treated with tPA found a strong correlation between EMS telemedicine availability in the ambulance and decreased times from symptom onset to treatment. However, the technology can only be useful if the operator can wield it effectively; how do paramedics value and use mHealth? Read more
At Cleveland Clinic, recovering stroke and epilepsy patients can use the TV in the room to watch a movie—or see their physicians for a follow-up visit via video conferencing. Last July, the facility opened a neurology step-down unit that had been newly-equipped with telemedicine capabilities. The director of Cleveland Clinic’s cerebrovascular center, Muhammad Shazam Hussain, MD, was interviewed recently about introducing telemedicine in hospitals, outside of emergency rooms. Read more
Over the last five years, several telestroke programs have flourished around the country, but only one has successfully garnered Medicaid coverage: New Mexico’s Access to Critical Cerebral Emergency Support Services (ACCESS) model. Now, in a bid for telestroke reimbursement, an advisory committee is suggesting that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) use the ACCESS program as a model for building a nationwide telestroke network backed by Medicare. Read more
Today, swyMed and Life Image, the world’s largest global network for sharing clinical and imaging data that is powered by industry leading interoperability standards, announced a strategic partnership to enhance telestroke capabilities. This collaboration will integrate relevant clinical and imaging data into the telemedicine encounter, thus improving physicians’ ability to collaborate and coordinate patient care. In addition, since Life Image already supports more than 140 stroke centers across the U.S., the partnership will strengthen swyMed’s ability to connect with these neurologists and primary stroke centers. Read more
A diagnosis of a brain tumor often brings fear and lengthy travel to a far-away specialist for a second opinion. The fear is understandable, but a teleneurology program is making strides in bringing brain tumor diagnoses and treatment options to the patient, rather than bringing the patient to the doctor. The Penn Brain Tumor Center has launched their Brain Tumor Second Opinion Program to help patients and caregivers understand the diagnosis and choose among treatment plans without traveling long distances. Read more
The majority of American college students feel overwhelmed, depressed, and/or anxious, according to the latest American College Health Association survey. Unfortunately, many schools lack easy access to needed mental health care—if they have any at all. And this doesn’t even take into account the students’ hesitation to seek help due to the stigma often associated with mental illnesses. With the growth of telemedicine, telepsychiatry and telemental health present a viable solution that could overcome many of these challenges. Read more
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed into law a bipartisan budget deal that impacts Medicare’s telemedicine coverage more than any past legislation, as described by one senator. After a brief government shutdown, Congress approved a two-year budget deal including parts of the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act, the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act, and the Increasing Telehealth Access to Medicare Act. Read more
Telemedicine is already in use to help patients with stroke treatment or debilitating chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease; now, a study is exploring whether the platform can work for patients with multiple sclerosis. The University of California Riverside was awarded a $100,000 grant from biotech firm Genentech to set up a one-year pilot program in order to determine whether an MS telemedicine visit can replace office visits for patients who have difficulties with travel. Read more
A professor at Emory University is finding great success in using telemedicine for movement disorders. Recently, Jaime Hatcher-Martin, MD, PhD, a movement disorders specialist at Emory University Hospital, was asked about her experiences with telemedicine. Having founded Emory’s movement disorders telemedicine clinic, Hatcher-Martin is ready to offer guidance to clinicians who are interested in telemedicine. Read more
