Three Rural Colorado Medical Facilities to Participate in UnitedHealthcare and Centura Health's New Connected Care Telehealth Program
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-10-15 19:17:33 | Word Count: 725
UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, and Centura Health,
Colorado`s largest health care provider, announced the initial pilot locations
for the Connected Care program in Colorado, giving patients in these rural
locations expanded access to physicians and specialists using advanced
[ advertisement ]
telehealth technology.
The Colorado program is among the first in UnitedHealthcare`s work to build a
national telehealth network. Connected Care links patients with physicians and
medical specialists located hundreds of miles away, using advanced audio and
video technologies and health resources to create an experience remarkably
similar to an in-person doctor visit.
Starting in early 2010, Connected Care clinics will be established at the
following medical facilities in rural Colorado:
* Buena Vista Family Practice in Buena Vista
* High Plains Community Health Center in Lamar
* St. Vincent General Hospital in Leadville
The initial pilot locations were selected based on a variety of factors and are
expected to make more than 3,500 specialist visits per year available in these
communities. Access to the Connected Care clinics will be open to everyone, not
just UnitedHealthcare customers.
Colorado is among the first locations in the nation where UnitedHealthcare will
introduce Connected Care. To select the sites and implement the program,
UnitedHealthcare has partnered with the State of Colorado and Centura Health,
with assistance from the Colorado Rural Health Center and the Colorado Community
Health Network. Connected Care helps Centura Health fulfill its goal of bringing
critical health care support to every corner of Colorado.
The new Connected Care program uses Cisco`s high-definition video conferencing
and other collaborative network technologies to greatly expand physicians` reach
into rural, urban and other underserved areas. In Colorado, the program will
enable more coordinated care between primary care physicians located in the
rural communities and medical specialists located in Denver or elsewhere.
"The introduction of this technology is an example of how the public and private
sectors are working together in Colorado to improve the health and well-being of
residents statewide," said Gov. Bill Ritter. "This impressive collaboration will
help solve critical health care challenges and expand access to health care
services in parts of Colorado that need it most."
The initial locations are the first in a series of Connected Care sites to be
established in Colorado at federally qualified community health centers,
critical access hospitals, rural health clinics or Centura Health facilities. In
the future, the technology may be implemented in retail and workplace locations
and, eventually, homes.
The three pilot sites will improve patient access to medical specialties in
rural areas that are either not currently available or only available on a
part-time basis. These are likely to include Cardiology, Dermatology,
Pulmonology, Diabetes Management and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), among others.
"Bringing Connected Care to Colorado eliminates distance as an obstacle to
accessing needed health care in rural parts of our state," said Beth Soberg,
CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Colorado. "These three sites, and the ones to follow,
will build upon our state`s current health care infrastructure and provide
people in these locations with a more convenient way to receive quality care."
UnitedHealthcare has a history of supporting Colorado health care programs. The
company has provided $7.5 million in grants to support rural health programs
statewide, including for health information technology, facility improvements
and wellness programs.
"As the largest health care provider in Colorado, we believe that it is our
responsibility to bring quality primary care to the communities and families
across our state, regardless of their location," said Gary Campbell, president
and CEO of Centura Health. "With the advanced medical technology that the
Connected Care program offers, we can expand our network of care to communities
and families in rural areas of Colorado that desperately need more quality and
affordable health care services."
