Heute 310

Gestern 897

Insgesamt 39396966

Freitag, 29.03.2024
eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001

New Mexico is considered one of the friendlier states when it comes to telemedicine — state statutes encourage the use of video cameras and other technology to diagnose or treat patients remotely, and Medicaid expansion means more people have access to the services and hospitals are able to see more patients. But one thing is throwing a wrench in the growth of telemedicine here: Internet connectivity.

"There are a wide variety of setups for telemedicine. In New Mexico, you can have all the tech you want, but if you don't have enough Internet access, it doesn't mean anything. … In places like the Native American reservations and other rural areas, there isn't quite enough internet connectivity [to fully deliver telemedicine services]," Don Graf, director of telemedicine for United Healthcare, said. "It's one of the biggest obstacles [for the industry] in New Mexico."

The state is unique in the hurdles it presents for the telemedicine field — but not for a lack of equipment or training. Bluetooth stethoscopes, video clients and physicians willing to consult with and treat patients via the Internet are readily available with minimal costs involved. The challenge is in the delivery of those services.

United Healthcare's involvement in telemedicine has gradually increased over the last several years — it most recently contracted with Direct Derm to offer "teledermatology" services to patients in New Mexico and helped set up telemedicine services at Lovelace Health Center's Roswell location earlier this year. "For every patient that is using telemedicine that isn’t taking an ambulance or traveling, those costs are significantly less," Graf said.

However, adequate broadband is required for delivery of telemedicine services, and such Internet connectivity isn't available in many rural and frontier areas of the state. Though an average of 10 percent of the state's households do not have access to adequate broadband service, that percentage is significantly higher in areas such as Rio Arriba County— roughly 70 percent of the population there does not have access to broadband service, according to the state.

According to Graf, even at Lovelace's Roswell location, issues with Internet connectivity and firewalls had to be tackled before the system launched in January.

With the telemedicine industry projected to grow exponentially over the next five years, Graf said addressing broadband access issues will be necessary. He cited the "last mile of broadband access" as a major factor in the expansion of the telemedicine industry.

"It’s frustrating because we get close, but we don’t get there all the way. … Internet access goes along the highway, but not beyond it," he said. "The gap [in health care access] is only going to be made up through telemedicine. … We're going to have to try to break down access barriers through policy and government regulatory changes."

---

Autor(en)/Author(s): Sal Christ

Quelle/Source: Albuquerque Business First, 19.03.2015

Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:

Zum Seitenanfang