Tennessee Telemedicine Project Aims To Increase Access to Perinatal Care in Rural Areas, Reduce Costs
A Tennessee medical video network launched on Monday will allow physicians treating pregnant women in 11 rural counties to consult with obstetrics specialists in Knoxville and Chattanooga when major problems arise, the AP/Tennessean reports. Using the network, perinatologists from Regional Obstetrical Consultants will connect with patients using high-speed secure Internet connections, specialized computer video equipment and digital medical devices.
The project, funded with a $1.8 million grant from the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, expands a network that has been operated in the state for about three years by Community Health Network and includes 55 sites that last year linked about 1,200 rural state residents with medical specialists in fields such as diabetes or eye care. Andrea White, a spokesperson for the network, said the new initiative is modeled on an Arkansas program that has helped reduce spending on medical care. She said that the telemedicine initiative eventually should cover other areas of medical care.
Counties included in the program are: Athens, Cookeville, Crossville, Jellico, Livingston, McMinnville, Morristown, Newport, Sevierville, Tullahoma and Winchester. The Tullahoma and Newport video connections will be operational by mid-February, while the others will be added over the next 12 to 18 months (Poovey, AP/Tennessean, 1/27).
