GPT Connection
Connecting Healthcare to All of Georgia
July 2010
GPT Conference 2010
TeleHealth:The New Generation of Healthcare...No
Inside this issue:
Limits!
Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc. held our first annual conference in March at the Ritz-Carlton, Reynolds Plan- ATA 3
tation at Lake Oconee. An action packed agenda included speakers from the areas of mental health, pediatrics, home
health, primary care, telehealth in military services, nursing homes and schools as well as state and federal initiatives.
The following awards were presented: Champion of the Year, Jimmy Lewis, Hometown Health; Partners of the Year: WCHS Splash Day 4
Ethica Health & Retirement Communities, Wesley Woods Fuqua Center, Archbold Medical Center Wound Care,
Ogeechee CSB, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta., Coordinators of the Year: Amy Beach, Coffee Regional, and
Robin Mathis, Chatuge Regional.
Crossing State Lines 4
With many thanks to all of our sponsors and partners, we are proud to announce the success of this initial endeavor,.
Upcoming plans for 2011 and 2012 conferences are in the works so save the date now for March 16-18, 2011!
IT News from Jerad 4
Johnson
“Doctor of the Day” 5
Paula Guy, GPT; Lucy Rogers, Ethica Health; GPT Board Members
Dr. Jim Story and Dr. David Flannery; GiGi Goble, GPT
Partners for 5
TeleHealth
Teletrauma Success 6
Right: Dr. Debra Lister and Amy Beach, Coffee Regional; Mona
Moore, GPT.
Editor: GiGi Goble, Marketing Director
Left: Paula Guy, Dr. Jim Story, Jimmy Lewis, Hometown Health,
Dr. David Flannery, Dr. Debra Lister
Right: Marty Nall, GPT, Dr. Jim Story, Dr.
Mona Hanna, Ogeechee CSB, Victoria
Richbourg, Ogeechee CSB, Paula Guy, Les
Evans, GPT
Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc.· 914 Memorial Drive· Waycross, GA 31501 866.754.4325
Page 2 GPT Connection
Left: Harriet Loehne, Archbold Center for Wound Mgmt., Wanna Logue, Archbold
Medical Center, Paula Guy, Drs. Jim Story, Debra Lister, and David Flannery
Right: Paula Guy, Eve Byrd, Wesley Woods Fuqua Center, Drs.
Jim Story, David Flannery and Debra Lister
Left: Paula Guy, Dr. David Flannery, Dr. Jordan Greenbaum and Mary Joyce
Bacon, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Drs. Jim Story and Debra Lister
MOVING Ahead: New Office Location Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony
GPT celebrated our new office location at 914 Memorial
Drive in Waycross, GA with a ribbon cutting ceremony
with the Waycross/Ware County Chamber of Commerce
on May 12, 2010. We were honored to be able to share
our new location along with our latest program and tech-
nology advancements with many local businesses as well as
the local school system.
GPT Recommended by Georgia Governor’s Office for BTOP Grant
GPT received a “Highly Recommended” priority along with a letter of recommendation for the State of Georgia Office of
the Governor for the second round of the Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program. If awarded the near $2.5 million
grant, The TeleConnect GA for Better Health program will utilize telemedicine, broadband adoption & an awareness cam-
paign to address declining health of rural Georgians. Key public and private sector stakeholders will join hands to improve
access to 400,932 poor & underserved in 91 county areas, create 10 new jobs, and promote broadband demand & sustain-
ability through the expanded GPT telehealth network.
Page 3 GPT Connection
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM ATA
Big Win on Proposed New U.S. Rules Governing Credentialing
and Privileging by Proxy for Telemedicine.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will propose new regulations on Wednesday May 26 in the Federal Register
addressing the credentialing and privileging of physicians and practitioners providing telemedicine services in support of the current proc-
ess used by many telemedicine programs.
This has been a long-term priority for ATA. Almost ten years ago, ATA worked with the Joint Commission to develop a process and
standards whereby one accredited hospital could accept the credentialing and privileging of physicians providing telemedicine services from
another accredited hospital – a process referred to as “by proxy.” However, CMS had been insisting that as of July 15 all hospitals would
have to comply with the outmoded Medicare requirement that each hospital fully and independently credential and privilege each telemedi-
cine practitioner in order to qualify under the CMS “Conditions of Participation” for the facility. This would have forced many telemedi-
cine networks to close or shrink.
ATA is still studying the details of the newly proposed rule. The rule appears to ensure that Medicare-participating hospitals will be able to
credential and grant privileges to telemedicine physicians in a manner similar to the Joint Commission process. The new flexibility under
the proposed rule would reduce the burden and duplicative nature of the traditional credentialing and privileging process for Medicare-
participating hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals that are engaged in telemedicine agreements, while still assuring accountability to the
process. However, the proposed rule does not allow such a “proxy” process between hospitals and ambulatory centers and there may be
other concerns as the details become known.
A copy of the proposed rule is available at http://www.americantelemed.org/files/public/policy/Fed_Reg_C_P%281%29.pdf. CMS will accept
comments on the proposal through July 26.
To avoid any problems in the interim, CMS also notified the Joint Commission that it may continue its existing “by proxy” credentialing
and privileging requirements for telehealth practitioners until March 1, 2011 – by which time final CMS regulations should be in place.
Many ATA members, staff within CMS and the Joint Commission and others have been involved in clarifying and resolving this con-
cern. ATA Immediate Past President Karen Rheuban made the issue a top concern during the past year and has spent countless hours on
this issue. It is a big win for telemedicine and bodes well for future dealings with Medicare over using technology and telecommunications
in the delivery of healthcare.
Copyright - American Telemedicine Association - 2010
GPT Moving and Shaking:
15th Annual ATA Conference 2010: San Antonio,TX
Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth is honored to have been among a multitude of vendors at
this year’s annual American Telemedicine Association Conference in San Antonio. This was
the 15th Annual International Meeting and Exposition, and is “The World’s Largest Scientific
Meeting and Exposition Focusing Exclusively on Telemedicine and Telehealth.” Not only did
we have much success exhibiting and promoting our program, but we were also proud to
have had two abstracts accepted for publication. We were honored to have had the opportunity to display and present these
abstracts on Building a Successful TeleHealth Network and TeleHealth in Nursing Homes. Paula Guy, Executive Director was
also presented with the opportunity to participate in the ATA Interviews this year to expand upon how our program began
and current expansion projects. Visit the link below to view her interview.
http://aspenmedia.mediasite.com/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=75041d6a7f90447ba887423c7cbe935a1d
Page 4 GPT Connection
GPT Participates in Ware County High School’s
2010 Splash Day
On Friday May 7, 2010, the computer technologies for the health, Inc. was honored to
Ware County School System networked world.Internet2 participate in 2010 Splash Day.
held its Internet 2 SPLASH will not only provide better GPT representatives con-
Day. As the second school and more appropriate net- nected with Dr. Debra Lister
system in Georgia (Barrow work capabilities to support at Coffee Regional Medical
County was first) to have the research and educational Center in Douglas, GA to
access to the Internet 2, stu- activities of the nation's major demonstrate to students the
dents now have the opportu- universities, but will bring capabilities of telehealth tech-
nity to view the Australian research and academia to- nology. Students were able to
night sky through a remote gether with industry, govern- view real time images of the
telescope, talk with a physician ment and the international inner ear and throat with use
through TeleHealth medicine, community. Internet2 offers of the otoscope as well as
and talk with students in Eng- the performance, speed, and send and receive heart and
land and Canada. Internet2 is advanced services that allow lung sounds wit h the use of
the preeminent national com- for better performance of the digital stethoscope. GPT
puter network for research many different types of ad- looks forward to partnering
and education aimed at devel- vanced applications. with Georgia’s school systems
oping and deploying advanced as a new telehealth project.
Georgia Partnership for Tele-
MOVING
…
Across State Lines
As telehealth continues to expand our network. These look forward to new part-
evolve and revolutionize pending relationships will nerships and telehealth suc-
healthcare, Georgia wants allow facilities in Georgia, cesses.
to continue to be on the Florida, Alabama, and South For a full listing and map of
forefront. As many of our Carolina to expand their current participating sites
current partners in tele- current practices with ease. and specialists please visit
health are already affiliated Physicians must be licensed us online at
with facilities in our in all states in which they
neighboring states, we have will providing services. We www.gatelehealth.org
seen the need to further
IT on the Move
MOVI Solution
The Georgia Partnership Health network. When used application you are running
for TeleHealth is pleased in conjunction with the to share with the party on
to announce our newest Tandberg High Definition the far end. The best part is
offering: Tandberg Movi. This USB camera the results are that it is all secure. As long as
new and exciting product truly remarkable. This cam- the far end is running a
allows high quality video con- era gives a superior experi- Tandberg unit (or other
ferencing with mobil- ence through its 720p resolu- compliant system) the call is
ity. With a laptop computer tion as well as high perform- secured with 128-bit AES
and a quality high speed ance integrated microphone encryption algorithm.
internet connection you can with built in echo cancella-
securely connect to the tion. Furthermore, with Movi Jerad Johnson, IT Coordinator
Georgia Partnership for Tele- you can select any active
GPT Connection Page 5
“Doctor of the Day”
Dr. Debra Lister, Coffee Regional Medical Center
(Atlanta, GA) – Lt. Gover- day she came via computer. care of all Georgians regard-
nor Casey Cagle and House House Speaker David Ral- less of where they live."
Speaker David Ralston met ston received a quick dem-
with the General Assem- onstration and praised the Last year 18,000 consults
bly’s “Doctor of the Day,” system of 116 telemedicine were carried out in Georgia
Dr. Debra Lister, on Thurs- stations around the state. using telemedicine. GPT was
day, March 11th at 1:30 PM excited to facilitate the
to demonstrate telemedi- "I'm very excited about what “Doctor of the Day” connec-
this means for the future of tion with the Georgia General
cine first-hand.
health care in rural Georgia. Assembly and Dr. Debra Lister
Each legislative day the at Coffee Regional Medical
Medical Association of As a son of rural Georgia I
Center in Douglas, GA.
Georgia sponsors a doctor have made a priority of avail-
of a day at the capitol. To- ability and quality of health-
New “Connections”
GPT proudly welcomes our newest partners!
Columbus Regional Pelham Parkway Nursing Home
Cutting Edge Healthcare Toombs Nursing Home
Emmanuel Medical Center Albany Area CSB
Upson Regional Medical Center Coliseum Psychiatry
CHOA: Egleston Emergency Department McKinney Community Health Center
Dawson Health and Rehab Memorial Health University Medical Center
Four County Health and Rehab MCG: Department of Emergency Medicine
Lillian G. Carter Health and Rehab Dr. John Lipman, Atlanta Interventional Institute
Oak View Home
BECOME A PARTNER FOR TELEHEALTH
….
Date: _______________________________ (Please PRINT all information clearly)
Thank you for your sup-
Enclosed is my check in the amount of $________________________ payable to Geor- port. Your contribution is
gia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc. tax-deductible.
Please mail this form and
My name: ________________________________________________________ your check to:
Address: _________________________________________________________ Georgia Partnership for
TeleHealth, Inc.
City/State/ZIP: ____________________________________________________ 914 Memorial Drive
Waycross, GA 31501
Home phone: (______) __________________ (Receipt will be sent to the address
above.)
The Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc. is a
501c-3 nonprofit organization dedicated to im-
proving access to healthcare in Georgia.
Our program was built based on advances in the
914 Memorial Drive continually evolving telecommunications and
P.O. Box 1408 computer industries, and on successes and les-
Waycross, GA 31501 sons learned from other telemedicine programs.
The hallmark of Georgia Partnership for Tele-
Phone: 912.285.0902 Health, Inc. is the open access network, which is
866.754.4325
Fax: 912.285.0938 a web of statewide access points based on strate-
Email: GPT@gatelehealth.org gic partnerships with successful existing tele-
health programs, and the creation of new tele-
health locations, to maximize opportunities for
timely healthcare services.
VISIT US ONLINE! For more information call our office at
www.gatelehealth.org 866.754.4325, and we will help you get
“connected!”
GEORGIA’S FIRST TELETRAUMA CONSULTS:
For further data on Tele-
A SUCCESS! trauma or to schedule an
The Georgia Teletrauma Program have access to trauma surgeons at that assumed the lead interview please contact
began in July, 2009 with a Rural a Level 1 Trauma Center. Within role in this project Paula Guy, GPT CEO @
Health Network Grant from The the first few weeks, we have had 2 under the direction of
Georgia Department of Commu- cases successfully presented via Debra Kitchens, RN, 866-754-4325.
nity Health to The Georgia Part- telemedicine; a gunshot wound CEN, NREMT-P,
nership for TeleHealth . The and a venomous snake bite. One MCCG Trauma Ser-
To schedule an interview
grant’s purpose was to pilot the patient was transferred to the vices Manager and with a representative from
Georgia Teletrauma Program in Trauma Center and one patient trauma surgeons, Dr The Medical Center of
order to help address the trauma remained at the presenting rural Dennis Ashley and Dr.
crisis in our state. Teletrauma hospital. Leon Sykes. Central Georgia, please
enables rural emergency depart- We are thankful to have had this Dodge County Hospital, contact Janie Poulnott at
ment practitioners and trauma opportunity to expand telemedi- Eastman, GA: Andy
patients access to a team of sur- cine into emergency medicine and Hickman, RN, ED Di- 478-633-7107.
geons and specialists at a Level 1 GPT looks forward to partnering rector
Trauma Center. The end result is with other hospitals and medical Fairview Park Hospital,
that innovative and cutting edge centers to further expand tele- Dublin, GA: Allyson
technologies are used to save trauma across our state. Jones, RN, ED Director
lives, increase efficiency, and im- Peach Regional Medical
prove the level of care provided Original Hospital Partners in the Center, Fort Valley,
to Georgians in trauma. Teletrauma Pilot Project: GA: Chris Hobbs, RN,
The Medical Center of ED Director
Great News!! The Georgia Tele- Central Georgia Taylor Regional Hospital,
trauma Program is up and running! (MCCG), Macon, Hawkinsville, GA:
As of April 19, 2010, the pilot GA: MCCG is the Lynn Grant, RN, ED
project’s 4 rural hospitals now Level 1 Trauma Center Director