Telehealth Grantee Directory

Network Partners:

The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. NetWellness has been in operation since 1994. The number of web hits from September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006 was 61,437,835 (average: 5,119,819/month), with a steady increase from 4.8 million for September, 2005 to 6.6 million in August, 2006.

Project Purpose:

Develop a website that incorporates easy to understand information on hundreds of health topics, current health news and an Ask an Expert feature where users can get individual responses on health topics from faculty experts at the three universities. Over 450 academic medical and research professionals write articles on many of the health topics and through the site's Ask an Expert feature.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

The intended outcomes are increased knowledge of the healthcare consumer, improved physician/patient communication and ultimately reduced healthcare costs. User surveys, continuous feedback from a form available on every NetWellness page, continuous analysis of use and other site data are used to evaluate its effectiveness.

Service Area:

Nationwide.

Services Provided:

NetWellness provides health information via the web. This includes access to a portfolio of health resources such as an encyclopedia, directories, manuals, reviewed web links, and original content on health topics written by university faculty. A key component is our Ask an Expert feature through which users can get individual responses on hundreds of diseases, conditions, and wellness topics.

Equipment:

Standard web and database servers.

Transmission:

Internet.

Network Partners:

Originating sites: Dale-Roy School, Ashland, OH; Ida Sue School, Wooster, OH. Physician sites: Children's Hospital Physician Associates-Ashland, OH; Children's Hospital Physician Associates-Wooster, OH; Pediatric Consultants, Ashland, OH; Cleveland Clinic, Wooster, OH. Akron Children's Hospital to evaluate network. Network to start February 2007.

Project Purpose:

Develop a telehealth network to improve care for acute illnesses among children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in Ashland and Wayne Counties, two rural counties in northeast Ohio. Telehealth services will be provided by the child's own primary care pediatrician while the child attends school.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

(1) Reduce the number of emergency department visits and reduce the number of inpatient hospital days for CSHCN. (2) Reduce school absences due to illness and reduce parent absences from work due to child illnesses. (3) Improve continuity of care with the child's primary care provider for care of acute illnesses.

Service Area:

Dale-Roy School, Children's Hospital Physician Associates-Ashland, and Pediatric Consultants will serve Ashland County. Ida Sue School, Children's Hospital Physician Associates-Wooster, and Cleveland Clinic-Wooster will serve Wooster County. Akron Children's Hospital provides services to both Ashland and Wooster Counties.

Services Provided:

Children's Hospital Physician Associates-Ashland, Children's Hospital Physician Associates-Wooster, Cleveland Clinic-Wooster, and Pediatric Consultants will provide pediatric primary care services.

Equipment:

School sites: Workstation with 17" display, video camera, Dr. Camscope otoscope, electronic stethoscope. Physician sites: Workstation with 17" display, video camera. Tel-e-atrics software.

Transmission:

Broadband LAN between schools and physician sites. Vendor used: Tel-e-atrics.

Network Partners:

Not Applicable.

Project Purpose:

The aims and goals of Pursuing Perfection have been to make fundamental, transformational changes in the way health care is delivered through supporting efforts of grantee organizations in provision of care that is knowledge based, systems-minded and patient centered. This project will allow us to spread the learnings and improvements outside the Medical Center, and allow patients and families to access information and have a more active role in their care.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

Our outcomes/goals for the project include:

1. Improving care for individual patients or population of patients both in clinical, (patient centric measures), such as mortality, morbidity complication rates, or improving care processes such as reducing delays, and reducing adverse events.
2. Goal 2 is aimed at spreading the learnings to transform care. The outcomes for goal 2 will be measured (a) by number of site visits made to CCHMC, (b) Number of national presentations by experts in improvement from CCHMC, and (c) number of personnel from CCHMC who play a leadership role on national quality organizations.

Service Area:

CCHMC's immediate service area includes 29 counties from southwest Ohio, southeast Indiana, and northern Kentucky. We also serve as a regional, national and international referral center for the specialties provided in pediatric care at the Medical Center.

Services Provided:

Current services provided at CCHMC include primary through quaternary pediatric services. This project will allow us to implement additional patient portals for the chronically ill.

Equipment:

Equipment used at this point for patient portals include our Web-based servers for patients and families to access through home-based, high-speed connections. The equipment to be installed through the MIND center is still being researched at this time.

Transmission:

Transmission at this time is limited to our Web-based servers. Additional options will be explored to increase availability, access, and speed.

Network Partners:

Columbus Children's Hospital, Ohio Supercomputer Center, University of Cincinnati Genome Research Institute, Ohio State University (Medical Center and Department of Family Medicine), Owens Community College, Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Ohio University, Walsh University, University of Findlay, and Mt. Union College.

Project Purpose:

The Medical Collaboration Network will interconnect Ohio's colleges and medical schools with Ohio's hospitals through the Third Frontier Network and remove barriers to the collaboration among the researchers, educators, students, and physicians at these sites by the implementation of gigabit networks and sharing of information, including high-quality video conferencing.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

Experience with the improved ability to collaborate created by high-quality video conferencing. Shared access will be created to facilities for drug discovery research. An understanding of the relationship between telemedicine use and Medicaid costs. A multi-institutional continuing medical education program. Identification of telemedicine equipment for neonatology.

Service Area:

Project will serve the entire State of Ohio through the Third Frontier Network.

Services Provided:

Neonatology, administrative conferencing, distance education, research support, and technology evaluation.

Equipment:

H.323 videoconferencing equipment with H.264 Codec; HD video conferencing equipment; neontalogy peripherals; gigabit switches.

Transmission:

Gigabit Ethernet.

Network Partners:

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
• The Medical University of Ohio
• Columbus Children's Research Institute

Project Purpose:

Develop software to support network system for pediatric cancer research. System will securely transfer and transform protected pediatric patient information for correlative studies involving related genetic and proteomic data. The effort will employ advanced computing technologies for information transformation, correlation and meta-data analysis. Ultimately, the project provides a set of proven technologies for future safe, secure and compliant participation for community and service hospitals in efforts requiring transport of protected health information.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

• System for Clinical Information Transfer (SCIT) and Clinical Bioinformatics Integrated Visualization (CBIV) system for transforming and normalizing pediatric patient information for cancer research (measure)
• Software product validation tests (tool)

Service Area:

Primary areas are Franklin, Hamilton and Lucas counties in Ohio serving pediatric patients nationally. Areas will extend incrementally to additional sites in Ohio and nationwide.

Services Provided:

Collaboration clinical information transfer capabilities and tools (2005)

Equipment:

Linux server systems. Aggregated database will be housed at OSC.

Transmission:

OC3 from Columbus to Cincinnati (future gigabit connectivity via TFN fiber-optic)
DS3 from Columbus to Toledo (future gigabit connectivity via TFN fiber-optic)

Network Partners:

Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (one site); Shawnee Mental Health Center, Inc. (four sites); Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Inc. (four sites); Washington County Community Mental Health Services (two sites); Woodland Centers, Inc. (three sites), Hocking Valley Community Residential Center (one site), private child psychiatry practice (two sites). Formed in 1998.

Project Purpose:

To create a telepsychiatric and distance learning network by linking twelve new sites to an existing 4-site network. A telepsychiatric program for children will be created in year one and expanded to serve adults in years two and three. Distance learning programs will be expanded and more readily accessed throughout the 10-county region.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

Outcomes include: expanding existing videoconferencing network from four to sixteen sites, Internet access for all sites using one ISP, videoconferencing technology used for routine med/somatic visits, adult psychiatric caseload doubled by grant's end, reduce "no show" rates by 15 percent, greater access to distance learning. Satisfaction questionnaire and Ohio Scales will measure telepsychiatry outcomes.

Service Area:

Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Inc.: Athens/Hocking/Vinton/Washington Co.; Woodland Centers, Inc.: Gallia/Jackson/Meigs Co.; Shawnee Mental Health Center, Inc.: Adams/Lawrence/Scioto Co.; Washington County Community Mental Health Services: Washington Co.; Hocking Valley Community Residential Center: Fairfield/Pike Co. in addition to above counties.

Services Provided:

The major focus is telepsychiatry for children in year one, moving onto the adult population in years two and three. The second service priority is expanded distance learning capacity for regional behavioral health care providers. Construction of the network began in 1998; expanded in 2003.

Equipment:

At 15 sites: Polycom VSX 7000, Router - Cisco 1760, Switch - Cisco 2950, PC. At OU-COM (Athens): Main Router - Cisco 3745. At 3 sites: Polycom VSX 5000. At 3 sites: Polycom VSX 3000.

Transmission:

T1 lines to 14 sites; fiber optic transmission to one site; Time Warner business class cable connection to one site.