Telehealth Grantee Directory

Network Partners:

Formed in 1997, the Northwest Telehealth network is host to 67 participating sites. The TeleER project in existence for several years, was funded to expand participation to both urban trauma facilities in Spokane (Sacred Heart Medical Center and Deaconess Medical Center), a regional air medical transport communications center (Northwest MedStar), and 12 rural hospitals in Washington State.

Project Purpose:

1. To provide 24/7 access to specialists for consultations between urban trauma centers and rural providers.
2. Provide easy-to-use, fixed conferencing equipment in rural emergency departments.
3. Increase utilization by providing access to wound care, pediatric emergency, and physician intensivists.
4. Incorporate availability of shared EMR and imaging with video consultations.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

1. Improved outcomes through timely access to specialists paired with utilization of patient conditions.
2. To improved coordination of care prior to transport.
3. Demonstrate the value of shared electronic medical record data to the clinical consultation process over telehealth.

Service Area:

Serving 67 sites within Washington and Idaho, including 23 counties.
TeleER project sites include 7 HPSA/MUAs.

Services Provided:

Northwest TeleHealth has been operational since 1997 and provides services in mental health, diabetic education, neurology, emergency services, dermatology, wound care, employee assistance programs, telepharmacy, distance learning, practitioner, and patient education, support groups, satellite downlinks.

Equipment:

Polycom video conferencing systems, Polycom MCU, AMD Telemedicine General Exam Cameras, wireless headsets.

Transmission:

Full T1 and broadband connections between telehealth network sites, ISDN and IP off-network.

Network Partners:

Major sites: Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, WA; rural sites-hospitals in Othello, Anacortes, Omak, Chelan, Grand Coulee, Quincy, Davenport, Chewelah, Pullman, and Walla Walla, WA. TelePharmacy program operational since 2004. No direct services to patients. Number of hospital pharmacy orders processed OCT through SEP 06 approximately 60,000.

Project Purpose:

Implement a Telepharmacy system for rural hospitals, including critical access hospitals that do not currently have 24-hour pharmacy coverage. A large urban hospital located in Spokane, Washington, oversees rural hospital pharmacy operations and medication administration under contract with the rural hospitals. INHS provides the videoconference network and electronic medical records.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

Sustainable TelePharmacy model has been established. Rural communities without hospital pharmacy services now have 24/7 coverage by experienced hospital pharmacists. Medical errors are prevented. Access to health care in these communities is improved. Pharmacy practices in rural hospitals are improved.

Service Area:

Sites: Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, WA; rural sites-hospitals in Othello, Anacortes, Omak, Chelan, Grand Coulee, Quincy, Davenport, Chewelah, Pullman, and Walla Walla.
Counties: Adams, Island, Okanogan, Chelan, Grant, Douglas, Lincoln, Stevens, Whitman, and Walla Walla.

Services Provided:

Pharmacy services are the only services this program provides. The services include management and oversight of pharmacy operations, review of medication orders, and authorization of administration of medication. The services are provided to rural hospitals by an urban hospital. No direct to patients services are provided.

Equipment:

At least one of the following per hospital (some have more than one): Polycom videoconferencing systems; Pyxis Automated Dispensing Devices; Pyxis Connect data transmission services.

Transmission:

Fractional T1 lines between all participating sites.

Network Partners:

Project partners: Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Alaska Federal Health Care Network, Nisqually Tribe, Skokomish Tribe, Squaxin Island Tribe, Shoalwater Bay Tribe, Chehalis Tribe, Quinault Tribe. UW Telehealth Network operational since the mid-1990's; NPCCTN Partners to be added 1/07. Anticipated # of patients to be served annually: 100-200. Anticipated # of patient encounters: 50-200 via vtc.

Project Purpose:

Expert physicians and 3 Native faculty from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance partners will provide post-diagnosis cancer care services to Native children and adults, including consultations, support and/or training on follow up care, pain and psychological problems, and end-of-life issues for cancer patients & survivors. The NPCCTN also supports provider/patient education.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

Establishment of collaborative and sustainable network of tele-oncology services to promote better post -diagnosis cancer care for American Indians and Alaska Natives, improve support services for cancer sufferers, survivors and families, and increase awareness of telehealth as a viable tool for efficient delivery of cancer care. Various self-report measures and utilization measures will be implemented.

Service Area:

University of Washington and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (King County), Alaska Federal Health Care Network (Anchorage Borough and beyond)), Nisqually Tribe (Thurston County), Skokomish Tribe (Mason County), Squaxin Island Tribe (Mason County), Shoalwater Bay Tribe (Pacific County), Chehalis Tribe (Gray's Harbor County), Quinault Tribe (Gray's Harbor County).

Services Provided:

UW Telehealth Network services include: telepsychiatry, teleradiology, tele-echocardiography services, and numerous educational services such as conferences supporting the WWAMI program, numerous UW Grand Rounds series, Basic Emergency Nurse Training series, Psychiatry trainings, Regional Heart Center trainings, multidisciplinary case conferences and tumor boards, Geriatric Health series.

Equipment:

Hub sites (UW and SCCA) will use existing video teleconferencing facilities to link with the new tribal sites (each to be equipped with a Polycom VSX 7000) and existing AFHCAN sites.

Transmission:

Full T1 lines between hub sites and tribal sites within Washington; use of Internet2 to connect with AFHCAN bridge, with services to be transported across the AFHCAN network to remote sites.

Network Partners:

Not Applicable.

Project Purpose:

Reduce medication administration errors and cycle time to improve patient safety in an acute care environment. The project will emphasize the use of informatics and advanced information technologies such as bar codes, wireless networks and clinical decision support to accomplish these goals.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

Reduce medication administration errors by 50 percent. Reduce medication administration cycle time by 50 percent. Reduce the cost of medication errors through the reduction of adverse drug reactions by 50 percent. Reduce the time to communicate patient medication status at shift change by 50 percent. Reduce the number of delays between dispensing and administering medications by 50 percent.

Service Area:

Memorial's primary service area is Yakima County, consisting of 4,296 square miles in Central Washington State. Yakima County is a primary medical care population group HPSA, metal health low income HPSA and full county MUA.

Services Provided:

Not Applicable

Equipment:

180 bedside computers with barcode scanners, Siemens Medication Administration Check system and Cisco wired and wireless network.

Transmission:

100/1000 MBS switched Ethernet LAN