Telehealth Services for Healthcare Providers
We partner with healthcare providers locally, regionally and from around the world to support the care they provide to their patients using telehealth technologies.
Generally, telehealth programs include a combination of the following:
- Consultations: We can provide inpatient and/or outpatient telemedicine consultations. These consultations may support an existing inpatient or outpatient pediatric service, such as the NICU or PICU.
- Specialty clinics: We can provide regularly scheduled specialty clinics with Cincinnati Children’s specialists. These clinics are intended to meet the outpatient needs for a partnering organization by providing access to a specific subspecialty that is not available locally for their patients.
- Provider telehealth: Provider telehealth is offered to allow providers from different specialties and geographies to review patient cases and discuss diagnosis and treatment options, while improving patient care and learning from one another. Often, these provider-to-provider conferences are through contractual partnerships with sites that have sufficient patient volume to support a multidisciplinary case conference several times annually. On-site training and education are typically included in our partnerships with the goal of improving care and changing pediatric outcomes.
- Diagnostics: Our providers can review and offer interpretation of digital images of diagnostic studies that are captured and securely sent from a non-Cincinnati Children’s site. Current diagnostic offerings using telehealth include routine pediatric studies, echocardiography, electroencephalogram, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screenings, and specialized studies such as brain, heart, and fetal imaging.
- Remote Patient Monitoring Program: This program allows patients with chronic health conditions to use technology to self-report health information to their care team. The goal is to improve the outcomes and experiences for patients.
- Patient transfers of care for complex patients. This service allows providers to use video for newly referred cases, or for patients who are about to travel home. Transitioning care between distant providers focuses on patient experience, safety and quality.
- Project ECHO (Extension of Community Health Outcomes): Launched in spring 2018, this program allows for a case-based learning community between specialists and community pediatricians. This enables providers to learn from one another and improve outcomes.
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Equipment Needed for Telehealth Encounters
The type of video equipment and devices needed for telehealth encounters depends on the service being provided.
Often a computer, tablet or smart phone can be used to connect patients and providers.
However, in some instances, additional equipment is needed when the remote provider needs to be able to see images or sounds from the physical exam. All telemedicine software we use allows for the encounter to be encrypted and HIPAA compliant.