24 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 7 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 25 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 25 “We have seen approximately 500,000 encounters. These encounters include primary care, mental healthcare, specialty medical care, and education.” Rena Brewer, CEO with GPT, said the growth of telehealth in Georgia is making a positive impact toward healthcare access in many rural communities. “Through telehealth, we have the ability to allow patients to see doctors that might be 150 to 200 miles away,” Brewer said. “We see the technology in telehealth becoming a primary factor in keeping residents in rural Georgia healthy.” Across the GPT network, telehealth is used for primary, mental health, and specialty care such as pulmonology. Primary and mental health are the two largest service areas. Tift Regional Health Systems (TRHS), a founding member with GPT, remains one of the highest utilizers of telehealth in the state. “Tift Regional has worked with GPT from the start,” said Brewer, “and they have helped blaze the telehealth trail in Georgia.” Jeff Robbins, TRHS director of neuro-diagnostic and telehealth, has been an advocate for telehealth for more than a decade. “For me, telehealth is an expansion of Tift Regional’s philosophy, in that we treat everyone with respect and dignity,” Robbins said. “It doesn’t matter how they enter the building. If they enter through a video or front of the building, they deserve the same quality of care.” TRHS implemented telehealth to serve patients that might not have the financial resources, reliable transportation, or flexible work schedule that allows them to travel to see a medical specialist. “Telehealth erases time and distance,” Robbins said, “and most importantly it connects a person in need to someone who can help.” TRHS started with behavioral health issues, especially in the area of autism. The outreach has expanded to include pediatric services, stroke evaluation, and pre- and post- operation kidney transplant assessments. In Georgia, one of the largest and fastest growing segments of telehealth is within rural public school systems. In South Georgia, Berrien County Schools started the first telehealth program, which continues to serve as a model for other schools across the state. According to Williams, GPT now works with 27 school systems (107 schools) throughout the state to provide primary care to school-age children. Tift Regional funds and operates school telehealth programs in Berrien, Irwin, and Tift counties. As needed, physicians provide remote wellness visits for both students and teachers, which keeps them in school. Robbins explained that students go to the school nurse, who then activates the telehealth visit with a physician within the GPT network. Schools are set up with telehealth equipment, which includes a high-definition camera and specialized scope. “The nurse uses a scope to look inside the child’s throat or ears or listen to their heart,” Robbins said. “That information is transferred (electronically) to the doctor.” Rena Brewer CEO Georgia Partnership for Telehealth Sherrie Williams Chief Operating Officer Georgia Partnership for Telehealth We see the technology in telehealth becoming a primary factor in keeping residents in rural Georgia healthy. –Rena Brewer 24 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 7 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 25 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 25 The school-based telehealth program provides access to healthcare that may not be available to all children. “In some cases, we are impacting children who do not have a regular doctor,” Robbins said. “Often they go to the emergency room because they have a sore throat or don’t go to the doctor at all. They miss school, sometimes for two or three days.” Robbins said TRHS is in partnership with the schools. “We are trying to create a new culture, where the child goes to the school nurse and then has access to a doctor,” Robbins said. “The doctor then determines if the child can return to the class or needs to go home or seek additional care.” Robbins said the goal is to provide healthcare options that help keep students in school. “It is the school’s responsibility to teach the children,” Robbins said. “And it is Tift Regional’s responsibility to keep children as healthy as we can. In return, this partnership gives each child the best opportunity to succeed in life.” • Worker’s Comp Injury and Illness Treatment • Complete Physical Assessments, including IME, DOT and Respiratory Clearance • Substance Abuse, Hearing and Vision Screenings • Job Function Assessments • Employee Health and Wellness Programs • Ergonomics Consulting Langston Cleveland, MD Certified by the American Board of Medical Examiners 4468 Union Road, Tifton Interstate 75, Exit 60 (a half mile west of the freeway) Semi-truck and trailer parking available 229-353-6320 discoverworksmart.com Keep Your Workforce Healthy A Service of Tift Regional Medical Center Jeff Robbins Director of Neurodiagnostic and Telehealth TRHS Telehealth erases time and distance and most importantly it connects a person in need to someone who can help. –Jeff Robbins