Telehealth Grantee Directory

Network Partners:

Medical College of Georgia, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Grady Health System, GA. Dept., of Human Resources, Wayne Wellness, Toombs Wellness, Ware Wellness, Coffee Wellness, Bulloch Wellness, Bulloch HD, Coffee HD, Appling HD, Tattnall District Office, Brantley HD, Charlton HD, Wayne HD, Ware HD, DAISY Clinic, Southeast Health District

Project Purpose:

The project will expand telehealth network capability with the addition of interactive videoconferencing in four remote, rural health department sites. These sites will join 14 existing area telehealth sites that already provide staff development and continuing education. The sites will provide weekly nutritional counseling services for clients with nutritional deficiencies.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

The network will be expanded to include four new sites. 645 clients will receive nutritional services via telehealth per year. Clients' nutritional risk status will improve in 25 percent of those receiving nutritional counseling. The network will decrease travel and administrative costs associated with staff educational and administrative activities.

Service Area:

The counties funded through the grant include Atkinson, Candler, Clinch, and Evans. They are part of a public health district whose service area is comprised of sixteen rural counties in Southeast Georgia. The area is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts and is made up of predominately medically underserved communities.

Services Provided:

The new additional to the network will provide distance learning for public health staff. Clients that are identified as having or being at high risk for nutritional deficiencies will receive nutritional counseling via telehealth.

Equipment:

All new sites will be equipped with Polycom VSX 7400 videoconferencing units. Cisco 1721 routers and LAN switches will be installed at each location.

Transmission:

All network connections are TI dedicated private line data circuits.

Network Partners:

Medical College of Georgia, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Grady Health System, Ga. Dept., Of Human Resources, Wayne Wellness, Toombs Wellness, Ware Wellness, Coffee Wellness, Bulloch Wellness, Bulloch HD, Coffee HD, Appling HD, Tattnall District Office, Brantley HD, Charlton HD, Wayne Hd, DAISY Clinic, Southeast Health District

Project Purpose:

To impact health care provision through improved access, quality, and availability. The project provided a critical service link for children with special health care needs and has now embarked on similar service provision for clients with HIV/AIDS. The project focused on expanding health care provision for underserved clients as well as distance learning for staff.

Outcomes Expected/Project Accomplishments:

• Improved perinatal health outcomes
• Decrease in travel costs
• Increase in number of specialty health care services provided locally
• Increase in utilization of telehealth equipment by rural public health staff
• Establishment of coordinated telehealth service for public and private telehealth systems
• Program sustainability post OAT funding

Service Area:

The service area is comprised of 16 rural public health counties in Southeast Georgia. The area is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts that is made of predominantly medically underserved towns.

Services Provided:

Children with Special Needs clinics provided through the program include genetics, asthma/allergy, sickle cell. Primary care for HIV/AIDS clients are provided at all agency Wellness Centers. The perinatal clinic provides level II ultrasound & genetics counseling as part of highrisk obstetrical care.

Equipment:

Polycom iPower 970 videoconferencing units are located in two sites, Polycom 680 in two sites, Polycom iPower 9000 in 12 sites and Polycom VSX 7400 in four3 sites.

Transmission:

All wide area network (WAN) connections are T1 dedicated private line data circuits.