The Arizona Telemedicine Program Blog

Imagine delivering a baby at 24 weeks gestation, or three months early. You deliver at the hospital closest to your house or the one that your OB/GYN recommends.  Exploring the quality of care outcomes in that facility are not at the forefront of your mind. Wanting a healthy baby, or even a baby that simply survives, free of life-altering complications, becomes your goal. Quickly after this baby is born, he is whisked away to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and it may be hours or sometimes even days before you see him again. The clinicians in that unit are trying their very best and they are providing excellent care: or are they? How do you know? Without questioning the intent or skill of clinicians, the data show that the quality of NICU care varies from unit to unit, and one complication in particular can vary widely: necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). For this condition, there is a core of evidence-based prevention interventions that are essential to reduce the risk of contracting NEC. Perhaps most importantly among these tactics is giving baby the mom’s own milk, using a feeding protocol, limiting antibiotic and antacid exposure, and considering strategies for timely recognition. NEC-Zero is a prevention bundle for NEC and our team has made a concerted effort to share it freely so any unit in any location can deliver excellent care to any baby. However, improving quality is a difficult task, and it requires a committed team to implement the best evidence in the NICU.

Telemedicine involves monitoring patients, exchanging medical information and analyzing the results of various clinical exams. These exams are examined and handed digitally, giving invaluable support to traditional medicine. Telemedicine is already used worldwide, in a very safe and legal manner, complying with medical legislation and standards. With the utilization of data technologies that add quality and speed within the exchange of information, doctors can make decisions with greater agility and precision. Through telemedicine, specialists can access exams from anywhere within their practice jurisdiction, using platforms such as computers and mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets. This article provides an overview of 6 essential telemedicine books that are useful to help those interested in telemedicine improve their understanding of the field.

The long-awaited promise of telemedicine may finally be realized as a response to Covid-19.

For decades, advocates hailed telemedicine as the way forward to improve access and reduce cost, while maintaining high-quality care. There have been steady gains in investment and growth across the country, and an increasing number of studies suggest that for certain services, namely chronic care management and mental health services, telemedicine may be superior to in-person care. Specifically, studies showed better health outcomes through improved medication adherence, integration of medical tests, and reduced hospital readmissions. However, even with these positive steps, it would be a stretch to claim that telemedicine had transformed the US healthcare system and, in large part, that is because of legal barriers that were in place prior to Covid-19.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The CARES Act provided $200 million to the FCC to support healthcare providers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 2, 2020 the FCC announced its COVID-19 Telehealth Program which provides funding of up to $1 million per applicant to “purchase telecommunications, information services, and connected devices to provide connected care services in response to the coronavirus pandemic.” As of April 29, 2020, the FCC has already awarded 30 applicants from 15 states funding totaling $13,700,581.  The average amount awarded is $456,686, with individual funding awards ranging from $26,180 to the maximum of $1,000,000.  Per the FCC order, “this funding opportunity will remain available until the funding is expended or the COVID-19 pandemic has ended,” and “applicants that have exhausted initially awarded funding may request additional support.”