Filed under: News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: AcuteCare Telemedicine, telemedicine, neurology, teleneurology, Technology, stroke, James Kiely, telestroke, stroke care, stroke prevention, acute stroke care, atlanta healthcare, physicians, telehealth, modern medicine, mhealth, american telemedicine association, Atlanta healthcare news, brain health, healthcare news, University of Florida, Warrington College of Business Administration, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Gator 100, UF, CEI, WCBA, entrepreneurship, Gator Nation
When the University Of Florida (UF) sought to recognize and celebrate the achievements of university alumni, they reached out to their Warrington College of Business Administration (WCBA) and the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI). The collaboration produced the Gator 100, an annual program
designed to recognize and rank the fastest growing, Gator alumni-owned or led businesses from around the world each year. Candidates are nominated from all graduates of the University of Florida. “CEI is excited to honor top Gator alumni entrepreneurs from schools and colleges across the UF campus,” said Nola Miyasaki, Director of Gator StartUps. “The Gator100 exemplifies one of CEI’s core values of contributing to a vibrant culture of entrepreneurship across our campus and the Gator Nation.”
To qualify for inclusion in the Gator 100, candidate companies must be in operation for five years or more and have verifiable revenues in excess of $100,000. A University of Florida alumnus or group of alumni must have owned 50% or more of the company; must have served as the Company’s CEO, President or Managing Partner. In addition, the alumnus must have founded the company and been active as a member of the most senior management team. “The Gator100 is an important initiative that recognizes entrepreneurial excellence,” explains Dr. Michael Morris, the Academic Director of the entrepreneurship program at UF. “It is open to any and all companies founded or run by Gator alumni, and recognizes those who are achieving growth, innovating, and making a difference in their communities.”
At the Gator 100’s inaugural event this month, Dr. James M. Kiely, a graduate of University of Florida’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS), accepted University recognition for his partnership in AcuteCare Telemedicine (ACT), the leading practice-based provider of Telemedicine services for stroke and 
emergency neurological care. Founded in 2009, ACT allows hospitals to access highly-respected expert Neurologists and Telemedicine technologies twenty four hours a day through the application of the latest telecommunication technology. ACT ranked as the 16th fastest growing Gator-led business.
Dr. Kiely is a partner in Atlanta Neurology, P.C. and Medical Director of the Neurophysiology Departments at Northside Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta. He is a member of the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia and a past Chair of their Professional Advisory Board. After graduating with Honors from the University of Florida, he received a M.D. from Emory University and earned a Ph.D. from the Emory Department of Pharmacology for a thesis on nervous system control of blood pressure. He completed a Neurology residency at the University of Virginia, with fellowship training in Epilepsy and Intensive Monitoring. During this tenure, he was the recipient of national awards for epilepsy research. Dr. Kiely is Board-certified in Neurology with added qualifications in Clinical Neurophysiology. He was recently named one of America’s Top Doctors by US News and World Report.
Congratulations to AcuteCare Telemedicine on being selected to the 2015 Gator 100!
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: acute stroke, acute stroke care, AcuteCare Telemedicine, American Heart Association, american telemedicine association, Atlanta healthcare news, atlanta neurology, brain health, Cerebrovascular Diseases, Georgia Partnership for Telehealth, healthcare industry, healthcare news, Keith Sanders, neurology, physicians, stroke, stroke care, stroke prevention, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology
It is even a busier time than usual for medical professionals who are focused and dedicated to fighting cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The American Heart Association (AHA) will be sponsoring The International Stroke Conference, “Connecting the World to Stroke Science,” on February 11-15 at the Music City Center in Downtown Nashville. It is the world’s largest meeting of medical professionals dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease and will attract more than 4,000 cerebrovascular experts from around the world including neurological specialist from AcuteCare Telemedicine (ACT). The leading practice-based provider of telemedicine services for hospitals seeking around-the-clock stroke and other urgent neurological care will be an exhibitor at this premier AHA event.
On March 25, 2015 the Georgia Partnership for Telehealth will be conducting their 6th Annual Spring Conference in Savannah, GA. The conference is a great opportunity for Primary Care Providers, specialty physicians, advanced practice nurse practitioners, Physician Assistants, Registered Nurses and medical facilities administrators to learn how the most up-to-date telecommunications technologies are impacting the delivery of stroke care and other healthcare services. Attendees will experience telemedicine in an applied framework, build network relationships and gain exposure to the latest in telehealth hardware and software technology. The conference will include a Grant Writing Workshop and will feature presentations from foremost experts in teleneurology.
Dr. Keith A. Sanders will be presenting a talk at the conference entitled “Outcome Analysis Demonstrates the Value of Telestroke”. Dr. Sanders is Director and Founder of the Stroke Center of St. Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta and former Chairman of the Ethics Resource Committee and a partner in Atlanta Neurology, P.C. and AcuteCare Telemedicine (ACA). “As medical practitioners, it is incumbent upon us to not only apply the latest techniques and technologies to the treatment of our patients but to share our experiences and knowledge with the greater medical care community on how state-of-the-art telestroke technology is advancing cardiovascular care and saving lives,” says Dr. Sanders. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to share my experiences on improving and expanding access to quality, advanced cardiovascular care to patients no matter where they live.”
The GPT Spring Conference will begin on March 25, 2015 and run through March 27, at the Hyatt Regency-Savannah at 2 West Bay Street, Savannah GA 31401. Online registration is now open. An array of exhibitor opportunities is now available. Additional information is available by contacting Samantha Haas at samantha.wainright@gatelehealth.org.
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: acute stroke, acute stroke care, AcuteCare Telemedicine, american telemedicine association, atlanta healthcare, Atlanta healthcare news, brain health, Dr. Matthews Gwynn, healthcare, healthcare industry, healthcare news, James Kiely, Keith Sanders, Lisa Johnston, matthews gwynn, mhealth, modern medicine, neurologist, stroke, stroke care, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology, telestroke
Thomas Hospital has been serving the communities of Baldwin County and Mobile Alabama for more than 50 years. A 150 bed hospital with a staff of more than 1300 dedicated medical professionals, Thomas Hospital has established a tradition for earning accolades for excellent service. In 2014 it was named among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience and a 2014 America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics by Women’s Choice Award. For four consecutive years the facility has been named among the Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals by Thomson Reuters and was named a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. With such an exemplary track record it is no surprise that it would seek to improve its neurological care services through the use of the latest communication technology.
In a time when medical specialist are in short supply and increasing financial pressures are common place among the nations smaller to mid-sized hospitals, many are turning to telemedicine to assure their patients have access to the finest quality care available. In an effort to complement their existing neurological care department, Thomas Hospital is partnering with AcuteCare Telemedicine and the Alabama Partnership for Telemedicine to provide virtual, 24 hour, seven days per week treatment for stroke and other neurological maladies. The service is scheduled to go into effect in early January, 2015 and will assist the dedicated caregivers at Thomas Hospital in providing the finest around the clock neurological treatment to the patients in their community.
AcuteCare Telemedicine (ACT) is the leading practice-based provider of Telemedicine services for hospitals seeking around-the-clock stroke and other urgent Neurological care. As the demand for Neurologists increases and new regulations impact hospitals, there is a growing shortage of experienced physicians available to provide continuous coverage. ACT offers cost-effective solutions that deliver complete on-call coverage to improve patient outcomes. “Attracting and recruiting medical specialists is an ongoing challenge for smaller, regional hospitals who must balance the needs of their patients with the financial realities of healthcare in this demanding economy,” says Dr. Matthews Gwynn, Director and Founder of the Stroke Center of Northside Hospital and AcuteCare Telemedicine CEO. “We look forward to expanding our family of client partnerships throughout the region with the addition of Thomas Hospital.” Alabama Partnership for Telehealth will be providing the technical assistance and infrastructure for the project.
Alabama Partnership for TeleHealth (APT) is a charitable nonprofit corporation with a focus on increasing access to healthcare through the innovative use of technology. APT’s goal is to serve the citizens of Alabama by promoting and supporting new and existing telehealth programs across the state.
Thomas Hospital is an associate of Infirmary Health, Alabama’s largest non-government healthcare team, and is devoted to patient care through three acute-care hospitals, three rehabilitation hospitals, three outpatient facilities and 22 medical clinics which serve an 11-county area along the Gulf Coast of the state.
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Telemedicine | Tags: AcuteCare Telemedicine, american telemedicine association, Atlanta healthcare news, atlanta hospitals, atlanta medicine, atlanta neurology, brain health, Casa Para Ninos Aleluya, doctors, Georgia Partnership for Telehealth, Guatemala City, James Kiely, mhealth, modern medicine, neurology, orphanage, patients, physicians, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology
It has been a little more than a year since Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth (GPT), the Louisiana State University Health Science Center (LSU) and Casa Para Ninos Aleluya (CASA) launched its first international telemedicine program. The mission of the collaboration is to deliver much needed primary and specialized medical care to the children of the CASA orphanage through the use of telemedicine technology. The orphanage is home to over 400 abused, orphaned and mistreated children and is located just outside of Guatemala City. The medical needs of hundreds of the children at CASA are met daily through a few nurses that manage a clinic on-site.
Shortly after the Program got underway, Dr. James M. Kiely, a partner in Atlanta Neurology, P.C., AcuteCare Telemedicine (ACT) and Medical Director of the Neurophysiology Departments at Northside Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta was given the opportunity to demonstrate telemedicine capabilities at the orphanage and volunteered his time and talents to render virtual care to the youth of CASA.
Dr. Kiely remotely treated a 19 year old CASA patient with a history of intractable epilepsy. The young patient was on numerous medications but continued to experience recurring seizures. By using a high definition audio-visual connection provided by GPT, Dr. Kiely was able to interview the patient’s parents and examine the patient remotely. The imaging results, hemiparesis, and description of seizures allowed him to determine that the likely type and cause was attributed to porencephaly, the failure for one hemisphere of the brain to develop. Kiely was able to recommend appropriate medications to on-site doctors and to suggest additional steps to take if the patients epilepsy remained intractable. The process worked flawlessly and marked the beginning of a new relationship between the missions and medical providers across the region.
At a recent GPT Telehealth Summit this year in Florida, Dr. Kiely was brought up to date on the patient he first treated more than a year ago at the orphanage in Guatemala. A family member of the patient has recently received his Master’s Degree. He is now serving an internship with the Georgia Partnership for Telehealth who continue to provide ongoing support to the children of the Guatemala region through donated physician time. He had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Kiely and informed him that the young patient, his sister, is doing well.
Dr. James M. Kiely says, “I am so invigorated when I’m able help a patient and to make a meaningful difference in their future. Whether here at home, or around the world, it is extremely rewarding.”
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: acute care, acute stroke, acute stroke care, AcuteCare Telemedicine, atlanta neurology, brain health, healthcare delivery, healthcare distribution, healthcare industry, healthcare news, mhealth, modern medicine, neurologist, neurology, patient encounters, patients, physicians, retail clinics, stroke care, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology, virtual healthcare
Walgreens has announced that it is teaming up with MDLive to offer virtual healthcare visits through their pharmacy mobile app. Walgreens customers have been able to connect with pharmacist and Walgreens staff via the app for several years, but a new expanded telemedical service will soon be offered to Walgreens customers in their California and Michigan retail outlets. Customers, or patients, will be able to consult with physicians virtually about routine acute conditions. Walgreens’ management plans to expand the new service to their retail centers in other states.
Telemedicine has found considerable success and acceptance as a tool to connect patients located in rural areas with medical specialist in urban medical centers, bringing much needed neurological and other medical specialties to patients previously denied convenient access to advanced, specialized care. Time sensitive virtual treatment for stroke and other neurological ailments are now readily available to patients regardless of where they live, saving valuable time, improving patient outcomes and saving lives.
But the expansion of telecommunication technology to broader telehealth applications is just beginning to be introduced to consumers through retail outlets and the workplace and is likely to disrupt the normal delineation of services in the medical care industry.
Walgreens is being joined by competitors CVS and Target in an aggressive entry into virtual, in-store healthcare clinics through partnerships with a growing number of emerging or established healthcare providers. Kaiser Permanente, a leading clinical healthcare provider, is now experiencing nearly half of their patient encounters virtually, in their Northern California clinics, which has grown from 4.1 million visits in 2008 to approximately 10.5 million at the end of 2013. Permanente Medical Group CEO, Robert Pearl is predicting that Kaiser’s virtual clinic visits will exceed in-person encounters by 2016.
Typically consumers use retail clinics for services such as vaccines, strep throat tests and treatments for other common maladies but the new entrants into the retail telehealth market are predicting that patients will also use the new virtual clinics for pediatric care, well-woman care, family planning and chronic-illness management.
Investors in the expanded retail telehealth market are banking on consumer/patients to continue to respond positively to the convenience and cost savings offered by telemedicine in order to successfully navigate through the start-up to profitability curve. It has been predicted for nearly a decade that advances in telecommunication technology would lead to a vastly different and innovative medical care delivery model. It would appear that the predictions are well on the way to becoming reality.
Filed under: Industry Standards, News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: acute care, acute stroke, acute stroke care, american telemedicine association, atlanta healthcare, atlanta neurology, bedside manner, brain health, consumer empowerment, doctor, healthcare industry, healthcare news, medical, mhealth, modern medicine, neurologist, neurology, patients, physicians, stroke, stroke care, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology, telestroke, virtual medicine
A little more than a decade ago, telestroke and teleneurology were words that where not even part of our language but today are synonymous with the delivery of remote life-saving treatment for stroke and other neurological maladies. Telemedicine has provided vast improvements in medical care for our nation’s troops and veterans who are deployed in remote areas across the country and around the world, and is now poised to expand to a much larger telehealth initiative which promises to bring virtual, routine medical care to the home, workplace and public facilities of millions of patients throughout the country. With this expansion, telehealth will not only change the method of delivery of healthcare but proposes to alter the dynamics of the traditional caregiver/patient relationship. Yesterday’s patients are today and tomorrows consumers.
A new study from consulting company Oliver Wyman titled “The Patient to Consumer Revolution,” is revealing how empowered-consumers and outside industry innovators are influencing important changes to a centuries-old healthcare delivery model. “Empowering the consumer is what’s toppled many markets,” says Tom Main, partner at Oliver Wyman and co-author of the report. Companies like Walgreen’s, CVS, Google and Apple are beginning to enter what was traditionally an industry driven market. These new influencers are consumer experienced and able to successfully initiate telemedical products and services to a more aware and influential consumer.
In order to adjust to the new reality of virtual care delivery; hospitals, physicians and healthcare professionals across the care giving spectrum will need to alter not only their hard technology skills but learn new methods of personal interaction with their patients. Practitioners accustomed to performing good bedside manners will need to add “laptop manners” to their set of skills.
Relating to patients in person requires a much different approach than interacting with them virtually. Randy Parker, CEO of MDLIVE, a Florida-based telehealth provider says, “There’s a whole comfort level and professionalism involved (in telehealth) that many doctors don’t get, there’s even a dress code, and a way you present yourself” in a video encounter.” The new skills are not yet taught in medical school and few practitioners have yet had the opportunity to develop and fine-tune them in practice.
Peter Antall, medical director of the Online Care Group, says “Online doctors face two unique challenges that they don’t encounter in the exam room. First, they should have a familiarization with the technology they’re using, in case the patient on the other end of the encounter isn’t tech-savvy and needs help. Second, they have to learn “how to evaluate patients without the ability to examine by touch. Developing these skills requires a physician to be open minded and willing to learn and grow.”
It could be safe to say that very few healthcare professionals envisioned the disruptive effects the arrival of the internet, social media, wearable devices and mobile technology would have on the delivery of healthcare in the 21st century.
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: acute stroke care, atlanta healthcare, atlanta neurology, brain health, care, doctor, Ebola, infectious diseases, mhealth, modern medicine, neurologist, neurology, stroke care, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology, telestroke
As news outlets report the increased number of healthcare workers becoming infected with Ebola while treating patients with the deadly disease, concern for the welfare of healthcare workers around the globe is mounting. Ebola is an extremely infectious and deadly virus which is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids. Doctor and nurses who treat patients are highly prone to becoming infected while administering treatment to Ebola patients. More than 320 health workers who have treated Ebola patients have died of the disease and several others have been infected and survived.
Telemedicine is becoming a very effective weapon in treating Ebola patients while protecting care givers from being infected. From the evaluation of a potentially infected person to the routine communication of treatment, telemedicine can be a remote vehicle used to administer treatment while the patient is in isolation. Medical staff or specialists located anywhere around the globe can be consulted and participate in providing the best and latest care. Many healthcare providers will be spared the time, expense and inconvenience of relocating to areas where the disease poses the greatest risk. Telemedical technology can be useful to containment efforts at points of entry such as airports, emergency rooms, border crossings, schools and military installations.
In the military and Veterans Administration the benefits of telemedicine to the treatment of infectious diseases is not new. Telemedicine has been used to care for U.S. troops dispersed throughout the world and to veterans at home for nearly a decade. According to the Association of Military Surgeons, infectious disease tele-consults ranked second in the total number of online consults, and a study of the infectious disease tele-consultation service found the service to be providing beneficial and relevant recommendations for treatment in a timely fashion.
Telemedicine has become very successful in the private sector as well; improving access to specialized care to rural communities throughout the United States and remote areas of the world. Advanced treatments for stoke and other neurological diseases are now readily available remotely to patients, who were once too far removed from urban medical centers to benefit from time-sensitive treatment, improving recovery prospects and saving lives.
Defenders against contagious diseases can learn important lessons from these successful experiences and gain vital insights as to how telemedicine can improve care for patients and healthcare workers alike.
Filed under: Brain Health, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: acute stroke, acute stroke care, AcuteCare Telemedicine, american telemedicine association, ATA, Atlanta healthcare news, atlanta medicine, atlanta neurology, brain health, care, Georgia, healthcare, healthcare industry, healthcare news, matthews gwynn, mhealth, modern medicine, neurologist, physicians, stroke, stroke care, Technology, telehealth, teleneurology, telestroke, tPA
Before the introduction of telemedicine, small to medium sized rural hospitals often played the role of stabilize and transport centers, a brief stop-over for patients needing specialized treatment and care. Patients would receive treatment to stabilize their condition, were packed-up and then transported to urban healthcare centers where specialist were standing-by to administer much needed specialized treatment.
The process often results in delay for patients receiving important, often life-saving, treatment, inconvenience and increased costs. “Attracting and recruiting medical specialists is an ongoing challenge for smaller, regional hospitals who must balance the needs of their patients with the financial realities of healthcare in this demanding economy,” says Dr. Matthews Gwynn, Director and Founder of the Stroke Center of Northside Hospital and AcuteCare Telemedicine CEO. The merging of telemedicine with neurology is changing the “stabilize, pack and ship” role of smaller hospitals and is bringing life-saving neurological and advanced stroke care to their patients within their own communities.
AcuteCare Telemedicine (ACT), the leading practice-based provider of Telemedicine services for hospitals seeking around-the-clock stroke and other urgent Neurological care is continuing to expand their portfolio of client hospitals with the recent addition of Dodge County Hospital. Located in Eastman, GA, the 94 bed healthcare facility is a Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) affiliate that is dedicated to meeting the challenges of a changing healthcare environment.
Dodge County Hospital is a prime example of how telemedicine is helping smaller regional medical facilities achieve their mission of delivering the highest quality healthcare services to their patients and their communities. “Having the ability to consult with a neurologist remotely for treatment of stroke and other neurological maladies is allowing these hospitals to meet the needs of the patients in the communities they serve,” says Dr. Gwynn.
ACT partners with InTouch Health (InTouch), a leading developer and provider of remote presence devices and software, to bring remote telemedical care to its client hospitals. InTouch and ACT closely collaborate with their hospitals to easily integrate and improve the efficiency of the new remote service workflow processes as well as improve clinical performance and cost containment. The client hospitals dedicated staff of medical professionals receive important, on-site training in the operation of the telecommunication robots and its software and form critical consultative relationships with ACT neurologist to ensure the highest quality patient care.
Smaller hospitals all across America are finding the cost of telemedicine an affordable solution to ensuring improved accessibility of critical care and specialized treatment for their patients no matter where they live
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Stroke Prevention & Care, Telemedicine | Tags: ACT, acute care, acute stroke, acute stroke care, AcuteCare Telemedicine, Alabama Rural Health, american telemedicine association, ATA, Atlanta, Atlanta healthcare news, brain health, hospitals, James Kiely, neurology, specialist, stroke, stroke care, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology, telestroke, transforming delivery of healthcare
The third-annual Alabama Rural Health & Telehealth Summit is scheduled for October 15 through October 17, 2014 at the Embassy Suites in Birmingham, AL. The Summit is sponsored by the Alabama Partnership for Telehealth (APT) and is the only statewide gathering of telehealth advocates in Alabama. This year’s theme is “Transforming the Delivery of Healthcare” and will feature a diverse and experienced group of presenters who will discuss the value of telehealth technology and how it is revolutionizing the delivery of healthcare across rural and urban America.
The Summit is open to primary and specialty care physicians, advanced practice nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, medical care facilities administrators and anyone who is interested in learning more about healthcare reform through the application of modern telecommunication technology. More than a dozen topics and forums will be available for attendees over the three day summit, featuring the foremost experts in telemedical services and technology. The Summit is a great opportunity to learn more about state, regional and international Telemedicine initiatives.
On Thursday, October 16, James Kiely, PhD, MD, Chief Information Officer, AcuteCare Telemedicine, will moderate and present a session titled “The Reality of Telestroke: Real People, Real Results.” Dr. Kiely will be joined in the presentation by Cecilia Land, Division Director, Rehab Services, Southeast Alabama Medical Center, and Steven L. Skeen, BSN, CNO, Mizell Memorial Hospital.
Dr. James Kiely is board certified in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology and is the medical director of the neurophysiology labs at both Northside and St. Joseph’s Hospitals, and a partner at Atlanta Neurology in Atlanta. He was recently named one of America’s Top Doctors by US News and World Report, as well as being named a “Top Doctor” in Atlanta by Atlanta Magazine for the past five years. Dr. Kiely also serves as the Chief Information Officer for AcuteCare Telemedicine, LLC, an Atlanta-based corporation advancing the opportunity for healthcare institutions to gain access to expert neurologists and telemedicine technologies for 24/7/365 emergent neurological care.
Registration is available online for all those who wish to attend. The Embassy Suites Birmingham-Hoover is located at 2660 John Hawkins Parkway, Birmingham, AL 35244. For additional information on the Summit, contact Samantha Haas, Alabama Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc.
Filed under: Brain Health, News, Telemedicine | Tags: ACT, acute care, AcuteCare Telemedicine, american telemedicine association, atlanta healthcare, atlanta neurology, brain health, chronic disease, JAMA, modern medicine, neurologist, neurology, Parkinson's disease, Technology, telehealth, telemedicine, teleneurology
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Rochester Medical Center have found that in-person and virtual care patients rated their experiences about the same, although “in-person” patients reported slightly higher satisfaction than patients who’d been treated online. Delivering healthcare using telemedicine conferencing tools can be just as effective as in-person appointments for patients with Parkinson’s disease, according to the study recently published online in JAMA Neurology.
“If this proof-of-concept study is affirmed, the findings open the door to a new era where anyone anywhere can receive the care he or she needs,” said study leader Ray Dorsey, M.D., M.B.A., an associate professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center.
Telemedicine is showing to be particularly valuable to patients in rural and underserved areas of the country where access to chronic disease specialists is limited. Having access to neurologists is vital to the ongoing management of Parkinson’s disease. “Right now half the people in the world with Parkinson’s disease are suffering needlessly because they aren’t receiving care from a neurologist. So rather than asking older individuals with a disabling condition to come to an urban medical center to receive care, we’re saying let’s bring the care directly to the patients,” said Dorsey.
The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) is also working to facilitate virtual Parkinson’s disease care by demonstrating that telemedicine can be very effective in delivering care to not only the Parkinson’s community but also to patients suffering from chronic heart disease and Multiple Sclerosis. The goal of NPF is to identify, from a broad patient advocacy perspective, how federal and state policies can be updated to better support telemedicine as an option for those who need specialized care. For patients suffering from chronic illnesses, telemedicine has the potential to be a very valuable service in terms of quality of life and better management of symptoms.
Amy Comstock Rick, Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) CEO, believes telemedicine could make a tremendous difference in the lives of people with Parkinson’s. “Seeing a neurologist or movement disorder specialist makes a world of difference for someone living with Parkinson’s,” she said. “Unfortunately, this may mean driving for hours and hours to see one, if there even is a specialist in their state. We’re exploring issues around telemedicine policy to determine where we can have a real impact on behalf of the Parkinson’s community,” she said.
AcuteCare Telemedicine Blog 