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May 1, 2007
Marquette General lead agency in Midwest Alliance for Telehealth and Technology Resources (MATTeR)
Marquette General Health System is among a select group of expert telehealth-savvy institutions throughout the country that will advise health care organizations on start-up and operational improvements for telehealth networks.
MGHS is the lead agency in the newly formed Midwest Alliance for Telehealth & Technology Resources (MATTeR). The Alliance is a telehealth resource center funded in part by a $930,000, three-year grant from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) / Health Resources and Services Administration.
Partners in the resource center are Michigan State University, Purdue University, and Kansas University Medical Center.
As the lead agency for the Midwest Alliance for Telehealth and Technology Resources (MATTeR), Marquette General Hospital will provide assistance to other health care providers in acquiring telehealth technologies such as the videoconferencing equipment in use above for a telehealth visit between a dialysis patient and a nephrologist. (MGH photo)
“Each partner has specialized expertise in the field of telehealth,” said Sally Davis, principal investigator and program director for MATTeR. “The Midwest Alliance is one of five regional resource centers whose mission is to help health care organizations create sustainable telehealth services, especially in rural and underserved communities.”
Services are aimed at developing telehealth activities from the ground up, or enhancing existing programs. Resources offered include strategic planning, business planning, telecommunications network development, locating and accessing funding sources, consultations on operating and program management, and development of processes for clinical applications or distance education.
Evaluation tools and design metrics can be implemented to show that programs make a difference. MATTeR can offer guidance in the information technology arena as well.
Implementation of telehealth programs at locations such as critical access hospitals (of which there are ten in the Upper Peninsula), community health centers, and community mental health centers could enhance patient services and improve continuity of care. Many patient services provided via telemedicine are reimbursed by third party payers such as Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance providers.
Other telehealth programs that are efficient alternatives to in-person activities include cost-effective meetings for multi-site organizations and cost-effective access to professional education.
Marquette General Health System is the service hub of the Upper Peninsula Telehealth Network (UPTN). Under the direction of Davis, telehealth initiatives started at Marquette General in 1994 with seven sites supporting approximately ten clinical consults that year.
According to Davis, the UPTN has grown to 42 sites since its inception. The number of annual clinical consults has grown to more than 1200 in 2006. In addition to clinical encounters, the UPTN is used extensively for distance professional education and administrative meetings.
Academic partners Michigan State University Department of Telecommunications and the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering at Purdue University bring the activities of the national learning community to consumers through the Midwest Alliance. MATTeR related activities at MSU focus on research, evaluation and advocacy regarding communication technologies in healthcare and telemedicine. The focus at the Regenstrief Center is to improve access to healthcare and create a more effective and efficient healthcare system by broadening the use of communication and information technologies.
Alliance partner Kansas University Center for Telehealth and Telemedicine (KUCTT) at Kansas University Medical Center has 15 years of experience addressing the healthcare needs of that state’s rural population. The statewide network includes 66 sites supporting innovative clinical applications such as tele-oncology and TeleKidcare®.
Any one of the knowledgeable partners in the Alliance can provide access to the right resources. Services are rendered at no cost to non-profit health care organizations. Inquires should be addressed to Resource Center Director Rose Young RN, MSN. The main office is located at Marquette General Hospital. Call toll free 866-603-4733, e-mail info@midwesttrc.org or visit the website - midwesttrc.org. The website for Marquette General Health System is mgh.org, where you can navigate to the Upper Peninsula Teleheath Network.
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