HGH Clinic manager Lonnie Hammargren gave hospital board members an update on the roll-out of Humboldt General Hospital's new telemedicine program. The program, in conjunction with Renown Medical Center, makes it possible for people to have access to the expertise of Reno medical specialists without having to leave Winnemucca.
The program is still very new. The hospital had a "soft launch" of the new program in March so all of the equipment that makes a telemedicine visit work for both specialist and patient could be tested to ensure it's working properly.
Seventeen patients were referred to Reno specialists affiliated with Renown Medical Center in the month of April. "Once we have the program established with all of our primary care doctors, I believe we'll see these numbers increase tremendously," said Hammargren.
"The imaging is amazing," said Hammargren, making it possible for a remote specialist to see everything a doctor present in the room could see, and even more. Board members reacted with chuckles when Hammargren said the remote specialist can "look into your ear and see it on a 23 inch screen."
"All reports back from telemedicine have been very positive," Hammargren said. "Renown has offered many compliments to our outstanding staff and their abilities and knowledge in these consults."
Hammargren said the on-site medical assistants who are the specialists' hands during the exam deserve recognition for the specialized additional training they've undertaken and the expertise they've developed. "This program would not have happened without them," he said.
Hammargren shared some projections of the economic benefit to users once the telemedicine program is fully implemented locally. Economic benefit numbers generated from Renown estimate a total cost over $500 for a trip to see a specialist in Reno. That estimate includes lost wages for the one-day trip, transportation costs, costs for child care or senior care, and meals.
Renown estimated that about 345 area patients could benefit from consultation with a specialist through the telemedicine program over the course of one year. They estimated an average of four specialist visits for each instance of diagnosis and treatment recommendation.
If all of those estimates are accepted, the total savings to local patients who use the telemedicine program rather than traveling to Reno to see a specialist could amount to nearly $800,000 a year.
In addition to the cost savings for patients, Hammargren said HGH would benefit because diagnostic testing for telemedicine patients would be done in Winnemucca rather than at medical facilities in Reno. "Lab tests, X-rays, CT and MRI imaging, pharmacy and all other necessary services which we can provide here will mean the hospital will retain $1.48 million in specialty services, said Hammargren. "Retention of services will help the hospital and it will help the community."
More important than either of those benefits is the ability of patients to continue their follow-up care with the primary physician locally, according to Hammargren. "The primary care provider they know and trust will be involved every step of the way."
The specialist will not be doing the treatment, they will make the diagnosis and recommend treatment. That recommendation will go directly to the primary care doctor, Hammargren said.
"It puts treatment back into the hands of your primary care physician who you have a rapport with, who knows your total medical history and understands your situation," said Hammargren.
There will be an efficient information exchange between a person's primary care physician and the specialist," he added. "That exchange of information is now guaranteed and gets put into your doctor's hands that day or the next. Communication is much better; it's not the patient taking information and test results back to their regular doctor - rather, it's the two physicians working together and communicating. Things don't fall through the cracks."
Quality care, safety and comfort of the patient - there's no dollar amount you can put on it for what it's worth and it will improve the quality of care at the hospital immensely," he noted.
Hospital board member Kevin Chatfield wondered whether the program could be expanded for access to specialists outside Renown and from areas besides Reno. Hammargren said it's possible for the future, but setting up the agreements with specialists outside the Renown telemedicine program would be much more difficult and involved. He said Renown did the work of contracting with specialists for the program and putting everything in place so entry into the telemedicine program was much more accessible than it would otherwise have been.
No other source outside Renown has a program that compares to this, according to Hammargern. "They just have more doctors and have the system set up specifically for us to be able to access. Outside of Renown, you'd have to put the whole program together yourself. They have concierge service that calls and remind patients of their upcoming appointment. They recommend which tests to have ready for the specialist before the appointment.They set up the schedules. Renown takes care of ensuring the system is closed and secure. It amazes me a little more every day," concluded Hammargren.
Contact Joyce Sheen at j.sheen@winnemuccapublishing.net.[[In-content Ad]]
