1. Palmetto care connections
Kathy Schwarting, MHA
Executive Director
phone
fax
cell

2. Change
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change!”
Charles Darwin

3. HIGH DEFINITION HEALTHCARE
What is it
HIGH DEFINITION HEALTHCARE
TELEHEALTH IS THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH-RELATED SERVICES AND INFORMATION VIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES

4. PALMETTO CARE CONNECTIONS
Partnership with GPT through a federally funded SETRC grant approximately 3 years ago
Expanded on efforts/collaborations of MUSC with FCC funded PSPN
SCORH and LCHCN brought founding members to the table

5. Mission/vision/purpose
Mission: Facilitate healthcare access across SC through the utilization of innovative technology to promote the provision of qualified medical professionals of various disciplines
Vision: Improving the health of South Carolinians through telemedicine

6. Mission/vision/purpose
To expand existing telemedicine/telehealth
applications and develop new telemedicine/telehealth applications that work to improve health care access to all South Carolinians

7. Priorities Build a sustainable Statewide Telehealth Network
Work with rural communities/providers to ensure they have access to quality health care
Serve as a Clearinghouse for Telehealth/Telemedicine information
Navigate the steps of Telemedicine for providers
Advocate for Telemedicine reimbursement by all payors

8. Board of directors Rick Foster, MD SCHA Jimmy McElligott, MD MUSC
Graham Adams, Ph.D. SCORH
Roger Poston, Ed.D. MUSC/PSPN
Ken Hiatt, CEO Allendale County Hospital (Chairman)
Sam Stone, MD, Physician, RHC

9. Telehealth Advisory Council
SCHA SCDHHS
SCORH BCBSSC
SCDMH USC SOM
MUSC AHEC
PSPN SCHOOL BASE RHC
CAH RHC
SCPHCA

10. COMMITTEES EDUCATION:
Resurvey – 2013 Telemedicine Survey in partnership with SC Rural Research Center – last survey in 2008
Working on all-inclusive Telemedicine/Telehealth Inventory List
Quarterly Newsletter

11. LEGISLATIVE
Committee chaired by Dr. Foster worked with AAFP and SCMA to get language adopted in last year’s legislative cycle that would mandate all insurance payors to reimburse for telemedicine services. Legislation was not passed but we made some progress

12. legislative
Committee worked on a Bill that would have mandated a 12 month Pilot Project whereby employees of State Health Plan could receive covered telemedicine services beginning Jan Bill passed in Senate, held up in House and did not pass

13. LEGISLATIVE
BCBSSC began funding telemedicine for stroke, OB and psych on August 1, 2013
Legislative appropriation for Telemedicine to MUSC
Funding Proviso for OB/Telemedicine for counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell & Hampton

14. Current projects
Working with a couple of rural hospitals on grant applications for telemedicine projects
Working with MUSC to install telemedicine equipment in primary care settings across state for nutritional counseling and other services as identified by PCPs

15. Current projects
2013 Telemedicine Survey/Analyze results and develop strategies to meet needs of providers
Telemedicine Inventory List
Update Website and develop linkages
Develop Strategic Plan for implementation of Statewide Telehealth Model with Medical Schools as Anchors
Expand PSPN providers which will allow for connectivity between referring and consulting provider

16. CURRENT PROJECTS
Meet with health care providers to assess clinical needs/determine equipment needs/connectivity needs
Work with partners/vendors to develop universal telehealth cart that can be used for multiple platforms
Grant Development
Review evaluations of 2013 Telehealth Summit
Develop/Distribute Telehealth Newsletter

17. marketing Website www.palmettocareconnections.org
2nd Annual Summit October 10, 2013
Newsletter
Visits to health care sites

18. sustainability Membership model/template to be implemented in 2014
Grant applications
Contract with partners
Potential to contract with MUSC for appropriations

19. Successful programs in sc
SCHOOLS
REACH MUSC
SCDMH Telepsychiatry
USC HIV TRAINING CENTER
GHS Telestroke
Roper Telehomecare

20. Building a Healthcare Superhighway
Palmetto State Providers Network (PSPN)
Initially Funded in $9.5-million
FCC Rural Health Pilot Program & Universal Services Administrative Company (USAC)
Dedicated Broadband Connections for Healthcare Delivery & Education
Originally Connected 57 Locations Across South Carolina – Over 100 Today

21. PSPN Vision
Provide a statewide medical grade broadband network that is secure and affordable for public and private healthcare providers and suppliers
Bridge the digital gap between rural and urban healthcare providers and key supporting facilities
Enable high-value IT/telemedicine applications that can dramatically reduce overall healthcare costs

22. Key PSPN Features Any-to-any connection, similar to Internet
Flat rate for connections anywhere on network
A single, PSPN Ethernet connection serves multiple purposes
Internet
Private broadband
EMR
Telemedicine, video, etc
PSPN provides high bandwidth, private broadband for superior security and performance vs Internet
HD video conferencing
Bandwidth Options:
5Mb – 10 Gb

23. Locations Served in South Carolina

24. FCC’s New Healthcare Connect Fund
Effective July 1, 2013
FCC will pay 65% of PSPN fee for existing and new PSPN locations
Multi-year funding commitments available for PSPN
Eligible Public or not-for-profit
All existing PSPN locations now funded
Hospitals, Rural health clinics, community mental health centers , local health departments, post secondary educational institutions/teaching hospitals/medical schools
Off-site admin and data centers now eligible.

25. PSPN Is South Carolina’s Consortium
PSPN is an existing, approved consortium
Easy transition from Pilot Program to Healthcare Connect Fund
Urban HCPs may participate in the funding if they belong to a consortium that has a majority rural HCPs
New locations outside existing consortium (PSPN) or new consortiums cannot apply for funding until 2014

26. Change
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance.”
English Philosopher – Alan Watts

27. CONTACT Kathy Schwarting, MHA Executive Director
Palmetto Care Connections
1880 Main Highway
Bamberg, SC
phone
fax
cell