1. Telehealth Applications in a Community Health Center
Patrick McShane
Director – Special Programs
Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc.

2. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
BJHCHS
Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. (BJHCHS) is a section 330 Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC),
Patient Centered Medical Home model.
Predominantly serve rural areas of Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton Counties.
Hampton and Jasper counties are designated as Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).

3. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
BJHCHS Healthcare Mission
Providing care for 18,000 patients/year
More than 81,000 patient visits per year
Most are uninsured or underinsured
Additionally care includes: Pediatric; OB/GYN Services; Home Health Care; Nutritional Services; School Based Health Care; Migrant Farm Workers;

4. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Early Telemedicine - BJHCHS and MUSC
1996 BJHCHS and the Medical University of South Carolina received a grant through the Office of Naval Research for Telemedicine
Purpose - address prostate health disparity in BJHCHS’ underserved population
Nurse Practitioner to conduct prostate biopsies in Port Royal
With real time guidance by a senior faculty Urologist at MUSC

5. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Early Technology – Community Engagement
Innovative technology supported by IBM, Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), and Walter Reed Medical Center Telemedicine.
Real time encounters were not common place in 1990s.
The technology was Developed and NP was trained and approved for practice by MUSC Department of Urology
Local healthcare politics brought the program to an early conclusion in the community

6. Public Health\Research Initiative South Carolina Men Ages 20-79
7TH Nationally
Prostate Cancer
Public Health\Research Initiative
South Carolina Men Ages 20-79
Institute for Cancer Prevention
(Designated NCI Cancer Center)
Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc.
(Section 330 Community Health Center)
St. Helena
Center
Port Royal
Center
Ridgeland
Center
Hardeeville
Center
Sheldon
Center
Chelsea
Center
Hampton
Center
Estill
Center

7. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Research – The Disparity of Prostate Cancer
The Institute for Cancer Prevention (IFCP) in New York partnered with BJHCHS - research to identify bio- indicators for prostate cancer
Distance technology enabled full participation with researchers in NY
Conducted community screenings
Provided patient and provider education programs to detect early prostate cancer in African American Men

8. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Utilization of Distance Technology
Video conferencing capability in a variety of setting:
Participation in Practice Based Research Programs (PBRN)
Engage in Educational programs from CDC, NIH, CMS, HRSA, HHS, MUSC, and others
Outreach to rural sites
Telehealth technology fostered adoption of other technologies by staff
Contributed to early entry of Electronic Health Record system – we are now implementing our second generation EHR system

9. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
2014 Applications
Distance Video Conferencing now everyday event
Telehealth in some rural communities remains a challenge because of service providers
Recent Telehealth grant application to support 5 School Based Health Care and 5 Medical Centers

10. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Telehealth can supports our mission now
Our recent application outlined programs that would reach the most rural communities served by BJHCHS:
Expand capacity of School Based Healthcare Program
Extend the capability of limited resources in support of Patient Centered Medical Home program
Extend availability of limited resources to distant rural communities with nutrition services, behavioral health, provider outreach, specialty consultations, and others.

11. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Telehealth Support of Current Mission
We are currently applying for funding to:
Include both provider and patient educations programs for diabetes, hypertension, and weight management
Provide community outreach programs to several venues simultaneously
Enable a dialogue with MUSC and other research institutions
Provide the capability for providers at BJHCHS to reach out to specialists

12. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Telehealth Guidance
MUSC’s Department of Telemedicine –guided us to additional resources at MUSC and in South Carolina
South Carolina AHEC - supports provider and staff CME education
Palmetto Care Connections – understanding of rural community and connectivity challenges
Polycom, Inc. provides technical guidance and grant experience
South Carolina Office USDA – quick and thorough
Support from community leaders

13. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Summary
BJHCHS views Telehealth as an additional tool to support our existing mission
Telehealth can connect to distant locations efficiently enabling a wide range of potential solutions for patient care
Enables specialized staff (I.E. Dieticians, Pharmacists, etc.) to access more patients in distant centers without the burden of travel
Providers and staff can access CME without the burden of travel
Providers can have ability to reach out to specialists
PCMH can be expanded and implemented more efficiently

14. Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc.
Lessons Learned
Cost of connectivity used to be a major restriction to Telehealth – now available at reasonable rates
Funding opportunities are more readily available
Community leaders need to share in the vision of the application
Community Coordinators and Community Health Workers can contribute significantly in support of mission of Telehealth
Telehealth needs a champion beyond the traditional IT department
PCMH can be expanded and implemented more efficiently