Telehealth Grantee Directory

Network Partners:

CareSouth Comprehensive Health Clinics, Family Health Centers, Inc., St James-Santee Family Health Center, Margaret J Weston Community Health Centers, Healthcare Outreach, LLC., Joslin Diabetes Center and Estenda Solutions Inc.

Project Purpose:

The purpose of the HEART Program (Phase II) is to establish and evaluate telehealth technology to address the need to manage diabetes in rural and underserved areas. The HEART Program disease management goals are to:

1. Examine and implement Intelligent Care Manager technologies.
2. Identify extensions to Intelligent Care Manager technology to support care management for other related chronic diseases
3. Identify and implement diabetic retinopathy diagnostic procedures that meet the needs for care delivery in CHCs.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

The outcome of this program will be an expanded use of telehealth technology to improve the quality of diabetes care, increase wellness initiatives and reduce the adverse impact of diabetes for patients served by Community Health Centers (CHCs). Special focus is on the prevention of blindness due to diabetic retinopathy

Service Area:

Nine rural and underserved counties in South Carolina: Charleston, Darlington, Georgetown, Orangeburg, Calhoun, Aiken, Florence, Bamberg, Williamsburg

Services Provided:

Providing services in identifying CHC requirements, conducting diabetic retinopathy diagnostic procedures and implementing diabetes disease management initiatives.

Equipment:

4 IP-based Videoconference systems from Polycom connecting ATI with three (3) community health centers. 1 Topcon and 2 Canon Non-Mydriatic Retinal Fundus Cameras, Comprehensive Diabetes Management Program (CDMP) technology and associated computer workstations and/or servers. home telehealth equipment as appropriate.

Transmission:

T1 serving ATI's main location and DSL, cable modem and Frame relay serving the various community health center sites as well as other facilities.

Network Partners:

Arnold School of Public Health of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC; Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; Family Health Centers, Inc., Orangeburg, SC.

Project Purpose:

A telehealth infrastructure will be developed to address health disparities in rural South Carolina. Partners will assist in conducting health seminars and workshops for rural residents and students at a distance. Telehealth technology will also be employed by Voorhees College to deliver a Healthy Living Course to two off-campus sites.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

A two-credit Healthy Living course to be offered to 50 off-campus adult students and 60 on-campus students (pre- and post- testing); Six health-related seminars and workshops will be conducted at various sites (evaluation of instructor and student satisfaction survey).

Service Area:

South Carolina Counties: Bamberg, Barnwell, Charleston, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland.

Services Provided:

Will provide education and training programs to help eliminate health disparities.

Equipment:

At all three sites (main and two remote) 1 WiredRed videoconferencing instruction/collaboration system (WebCall sound management equipment, two video workstations with pan/scan and whole room cameras); 5 client videoconferencing units for remote participants (webcams and microphone headsets). At the main site: 1 Dell server with WiredRed videoconferencing software.

Transmission:

1 Full T1 line at the main site for static VPN with remote sites. Business grade broadband service at the two remote locations for dedicated VPN with main site. Remote participants utilize existing connectivity for client units (POTS, DSL, Cable)