What is unique about trauma that
makes telemedicine an important tool in care?
Trauma is a disease of TIME. The quicker [yo]u [a]r[e] treated, the better [your] survival.Telemedicine expedites access…to a specialist, no matter where [yo]u [a]r[e]. After trauma, being treated by a trauma surgeon improves your survival.
Are
there few specialists in trauma?
There’s high demand for service and a large deficit in the number of trauma specialists.
How important is location or
distance (like rural Maine) in terms of telemed and trauma?
EMMC is part of Eastern Maine Health Systems . EMMC covers an area larger than Ma., Vt. and NH. Combined. Only [three] 3 Trauma Centers [in the state]. [There's] Lots of time and distance to trauma center. [In fact,] Travel distance to trauma center can be 2-3 hundred miles. Up to 3-4 hrs travel time. We have Excellent air ambulance service LifeFlight of Maine, but weather sometimes does not cooperate..remember it is Maine! Helicopter ride could be $10-14K
How much does being treated by a
trauma surgeon improve your survival?
by aprox 25%
Can you describe how you use telemedicine in your
area?
Our Telemed program covers 15 hospitals over 29K sq miles. We use iPodTouch over Wifi nstead of phone to save the cost of connection. [We] Get a call from small hospital looking for advice, pick inside pocket , tap and connect.
[To see] How it works? Watch the TEDx talk at http://t.co/ybfgWEMR
Log in to http://t.co/iTD34lzM and give me feedback please
How have you overcome HIPPA
requirement?
Use apps which are encrypted, HIPAA compliant. HIPAA needs to be updated to new use of tech
How long did it take to get buy-in
with the other hospitals and to get the whole thing set up?
[Our] Program is about 6-7 years old. Lots of lobbying and convincing, with great results. [Other hospitals] ...saw that their access to specialists was improved and patients were benefiting. [S]mall hospitals love it because [it] gives them better access to us specialists. Bringing us to where provider and patient are, virtual presence!!!
People often bring up
reimbursement as a barrier to using telemedicine...how does that work?
We [are] billing [the] same as regular face to face consults according to new regulations.A participant asked, For those of us who don't live in Ma[ine] is there anything we can do to help you?
[I] suggest [the] best way t[o] help is [to] spread [the] word. Watch TEDx Talk "iPod Teletrauma" at http://t.co/mAIRiNna and share. This could be a game changer, paradigm breaker; [Tele-trauma] needs to become common use to adopt. Follow [our] example and try to think of how to apply [iPod Tele-trauma] in your areaAnother particpant asked, I'm wondering what impact, if any, the Affordable Care Act will have on telemed, tele-trauma, telehealth in general.
A telemed consult is seen as a reg consult. not any different under ACA
Could anyone at the scene of an
accident call your trauma center on iphone for help?
We answer the call of a provider who seeks expert medical advice about a trauma patient. [We have] no direct patient to MD access at this time. Hospital providers call us when [they] need it.
Patient does not call us directly, YET I envision eventually 911 service will be via telemed[icine]. Imagine how much better if 911 op[erators] could see what's going [on].
Are there any publications or stats
about your program out yet?
[I] Submitted pubs. [and I am] presenting at [the] ATA (American Telemedicine Assoc[iation]} in April 2012, S[a]n Jose, Ca.
Our program won "Best Scientific Exhibit" award at the ACS (American College Surgeons) Congress in Chicago 2009.
Can you give us your concluding
thoughts?
The cost of Healthcare is phenomenal, about 2.5 trillion dollars in 2009, 17% GDP!
[We are] Using [a] gadget designed for play, to potentially save lives, saving money along the way. iPod Touch...transport[s] us to where the patient is to provide advice on treatment right away..[via] 2-way camera. [It] Is a “virtual presence” . We can't be there physically, so telemed bring us...[to the] patient and patient..[to] us, instantaneously.
RRR: [the] right patient, at the right place, at the right time. IPod Teletrauma: [allows the] Right specialist,[to the] Right patient, Right away--- with trauma it is vital...literally to have help right away!
Telemed has great potential in any area of heath care. It’s the future, here, now.Dr. Grossmann Zamora provided #hchlitss with links and an offer to:
Feel free to contact me [@zgjr] anytime with questions, concerns or [to] chat about telemed[icine].
Please watch and share TEDx talk Ipodteletrauma at http://t.co/ybfgWEMR
Also visit http://t.co/DQurk63A if [yo]u wish.
Also visit http://t.co/ybfgWEMR, [an ex]cellent site for innovation in Maine
