Healthcare providers from outside the state of Kansas are taking note of the University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth. On Feb. 18, representatives from a joint telemedicine initiative of St. Anthony’s Medical Center and Saint Louis University traveled across the state to learn about our program, which has been providing clinical connections to remote telemedicine sites throughout Kansas since 1991.
The University of Kansas Medical Center and the two Missouri institutions have much in common. St. Anthony’s Medical Center, the third largest medical center in St. Louis, is a 767-bed hospital with more than 800 staff members. Saint Louis University Hospital is the teaching hospital for the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and enjoys an academic teaching reputation for innovation. It is one of the top academic research institutions in the country. All three organizations share a deep dedication to community outreach and a commitment to greater rural access of healthcare services.
The two St. Louis hospitals are developing a joint telemedicine system to improve time management and access to providers. After contacting KUCTT, eight representatives of clinical, administrative and information technology interests from St. Anthony’s Medical Center joined KUCTT director Ryan Spaulding, PhD, and Gretchen Patch, manager of clinical projects for KUCTT, to discuss the organizational structure, operational issues and clinic scheduling protocols.
Time was also spent observing interactive video conferences led by Gary Doolittle, MD, professor of hematology/oncology and medical director for KUCTT and the Midwest Cancer Alliance and Steve Owens, MD, a cardiologist with Mid-America Cardiology at KU Medical Center.
Dr. Doolittle conducted his weekly oncology televideo consultations with a patient at Horton (Kan.) Community Hospital. After his consultation, Dr. Doolittle, who has been with KUCTT since its inception, answered questions and shared experiences gained in his many years with the program.
Dr. Owens conducted his bimonthly clinic with a remote site at Horton Community Hospital. He explained that his televideo conferences are generally follow-up consultations with patients that have been seen in person for their initial visits at the KU Medical Center or in Dr. Owens’ periodic trips to Horton.
"Having the chance to see the center in operation was a tremendous help to our group," said John McGuire, executive vice president – corporate finance, at St. Anthony’s Medical Center. "We are in the early stages of planning and the experience will be very valuable in shaping the direction of our project development. It was very informative to see your operation and get to sit in on the consults."
Mr. McGuire was particularly interested in the decentralized way KUCTT extends telemedicine to private offices, utilizing the existing office computers rather than building dedicated suites. "Your emphasis on decentralization will probably change the way we are planning on approaching this portion of the project."
To learn more about this visit, please contact Gordon Alloway, Project Director.
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The University of Kansas Medical Center