Transforming Lives Through Tele-Health:
A Briefing by Practitioners and Patients
On September 19th APT cosponsored a briefing for congressional staffers on the major impact broadband can make on healthcare. Joining APT in sponsoring the briefing were the Communications Workers of America, the Center for Tele-Health at the Medical College of Georgia, and the E-Health and Telemedicine Division of the ISIS Center at Georgetown University.
The focus of the briefing was a series of presentations from a panel on the positive effects of telemedicine over broadband. The panelists, ranging from a beneficiary to the "father of telemedicine," brought a variety of healthcare perspectives together for a common cause. Joy Howell, representing APT's Broadband Changed My Life campaign, moderated. She introduced the panel by noting the recent debates over health care reform and pointed to a study that estimated $800 billion could be saved in health care costs if there was universal broadband,
Dr. Max Stachura from the Center for Tele-Health at the Medical College of Georgia began the discussion by framing the impact of broadband within the exciting changes happening in telemedicine. The treatment of acute conditions, meaning expertise is needed suddenly, is the traditional model for telemedicine. An example is the use of videoconferencing to prescribe emergency treatment to a stroke victim. "It works, lots of hospitals do it," Stachura said.
Telemedicine, through the use of broadband, is now having an effect in other areas of health care. It can "change the dynamics of managing chronic disease," according to Stachura, because it facilitates tools for a consistent and interactive connection between patient and provider. He also observed that as telemedicine technology advances resources can be better shared between rural health care providers. Improving the effectiveness of rural providers also has an economic impact for these communities because it keeps health care dollars local.
Marian Solomon-Gaines was the next panelist. She is the mother of Kimberly, a 16 year old who suffers from chronic asthma. Since Kimberly has been receiving treatment over telemedicine she has saved substantial travel time and been hospitalized less. Kimberly can now participate fully in school activities like the band and the track team because she has more control over her condition. In the words of Solomon-Gaines, "because of telemedicine we have access to medical care here in south west Georgia that we would not have."
Using broadband to manage chronic care was a theme picked up by Betty Levine and Cherrel Christian. The two both work with diabetes patients through telemedicine. The programs they use allow a patient to input their blood sugar levels over the Internet. The data is then used for analytic tools like graphs, and this information can be easily accessed by their care support team. Levine, from Georgetown University, shared research that participating in these kinds of telemedicine program noticeably improves a patients health. Christian applauded the ease with which a variety of health care providers could work on a patients case if the patient used telemedicine to track their progress. She also noted that using broadband increased the options for treating a patient with a disability. For example, deaf patients can communicate more easily with their doctors by using a Video Remote Interpreting service accessible only on broadband.
Ken Kelly spoke about the potential for broadband to improve the health care situation for American children. He noted that there is a shortage of pediatric sub-specialists in the country, particularly in rural areas, and that telemedicine over broadband can ensure that these important doctors see the patients that need them most. Kelly also identified some of the key barriers to effective telemedicine for kids. These include Medicaid reimbursement, access to computers, and a lack of investment and research on the part of the federal government. He concluded, though, that "emerging technology can play a unique role in protecting the health of our children."
The final panelist was also the most experienced, having been involved in tele-health for many decades. Dr. Jay Sanders is the President of the Global Telemedicine Group. He saw broadband as the "umbilical cord of health care" because it can provide the "nutrient of information." The transmission of information in an interactive format can help a wide range of medical areas, including prevention, diagnostics, and clinical care. Dr. Sanders also observed that advanced telemedicine is not just a health care issue. It's also a socio-economic issue because health care improves the competitiveness of rural communities and supports many jobs.
Dr. Sanders concluded by looking forward to the future of telemedicine and broadband. Through broadband health care providers can treat patients in their homes, a treatment option he expects to increase. As he says, "the exam room has to be where the patient is. Thats where you get true physiological examination of the patient." Additionally Dr. Sanders saw the benefits of more continuous medical information for providers, rather than the periodic information gained in the occasional doctors visit. The technology to take basic vital signs through small devices and transmit the data over wireless is available now, he said. With that kind of continuously updating technology conditions like diabetes and heart attacks can be better diagnosed and prevented.
The panelists provided an exciting picture of broadband's current health benefits while also recognizing the need for encouraging further broadband deployment. While there are many real telemedicine benefits made possible by broadband now, people like Dr. Sanders are already looking to a future where universal access to broadband could usher in a new kind of health care that is both more effective and more efficient. APT was proud to bring this important message to Congress, and we are looking forward to the development of policies that will further stimulate broadband and telemedicine.
