HJBR Mar-Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge  I  MAR / APR 2019 49 Stewart T. Gordon, MD, FAAP Chief Medical Officer, Medical Affairs Louisiana Healthcare Connections health innovators are rising to the fore across the state and across the spectrumof care. The TexLa Telehealth Resource Cen- ter, one of 14 regional telehealth resource centers (TRCs) in the nation, lists nearly 80 specialty providers of telehealth services in Louisiana. These specialty providers in- clude Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural hospitals, large health sys- tems, correctional facilities, school-based health centers (SBHCs) and more, many of which provide care to Medicaid enrollees. One unique telehealth innovator is the Bienville Parish School District, who worked with the Bienville Family Clinic to create a telehealth-enabled network that connects all six schools in the parish to a physician at the clinic. Through the clin- ic, the Hospital Service District provided funding for registered nurses to facilitate the telehealth technology at each campus, a cloud-based infrastructure, and tele- health equipment, with each of the state’s five Medicaid managed care organizations agreeing to pay for the encounters. As a result of the program, student and teacher absences were reduced, and parents have consistently given 100 percent satisfaction scores to the program. In northwest Louisiana, LSU Health Shreveport is using telehealth to increase access to quality care in rural communi- ties. Patients go to their local community hospital where they receive one-on-one education about what to expect in the exam room. Through the use of a televi- sion, camera, and other specialized equip- ment, the treating physician can see and speak with the patient, regardless of dis- tance. For patients, the technology means increased access to care, reduced travel time for those in rural areas, and improved cost efficiency—and the services are ap- proved for Medicaid reimbursement. Across the state, the ranks of telehealth innovators continue to grow. In fact, in January, the USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program awarded $1 million in grant funding to healthcare providers in 15 rural parishes. The parishes have high rates of vulnerable populations and healthcare provider shortages, and the funds are designated to help connect pa- tients with behavioral health and specialty care services at remote sites using live vid- eo teleconferencing. In a press release announcing the grant awards, U.S. Congressman Ralph Abra- ham, MD, noted, “Telemedicine is another tool that modern technology has added to the health care equation. Patients in rural areas can’t always make it to a specialist. Telemedicine allows us to bring the doctor to them to make sure they get the treat- ment they need.” The Future Is Bright Telehealth presents our state with the opportunity to improve access to care, particularly among rural residents, while reducing overall costs of care. In recog- nition of this, state leaders have worked diligently to remove barriers to telehealth delivery with legislation designed to pro- tect both the provider and the patient, and statewide, physicians and health systems have increased and expanded their tele- health offerings. The technology that supports telehealth will continue to evolve, and the need for greater discussion of policies, reimburse- ments, and implementation will contin- ue to grow. As healthcare professionals in Louisiana, we must adopt a leadership role in helping to drive the development of telehealth strategies for our state. n