Wyoming Telehealth Network
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Telehealth News - May 11, 2020
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The Wyoming Telehealth Network newsletter is a source for telehealth information, resources, and current practices to improve telehealth services in Wyoming. The WyTN supports healthcare entities, providers, and specialists through professional development, collaboration, and leveraging of telecommunications technology.
If you would like to contribute information to the newsletter or have your practice highlighted, please email Greg Ronco at
gronco@uwyo.edu
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Wyoming Medical Center has set up all 9 nursing homes/assisted living facilities in Casper with the ability for patients to see all of their primary care providers and specialty practices, via telehealth. This will continue not only during COVID-19, where we everyone is practicing social distancing, but more importantly, for use in the future.
From a St. John's Health patient:
“We had a telehealth appointment for my 4-year-old son. The process to book the appointment was easy and fast...The care we received was nothing less than the best. Our needs were met and we left satisfied. We were so grateful for the telehealth option and impressed with St. John’s prompt response to put telehealth in place to keep our community safe. Thank you!”
From Stephanie Ferris, FNP-C, DNP Cardiology, St. John's Health:
- Medication reconciliations have never been more efficient, with patients at home using their medication bottles to report the correct dose.
- Getting to meet patients' pets and families and seeing them in their home environment relaxed and at ease are some of the highlights
- Healthcare tech advancements have made it possible to document vitals with remote monitoring devices, such as blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters. Patients can also email single lead EKG strips from their Kardia devices or Apple watches.
- Great for management of our heart failure patients, with close monitoring, improved medication adherence, and increased opportunities to counsel on lifestyle modifications, with improved access for our patients in remote communities.
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In April, the WyTN continued to see a huge increase in telehealth implementation:
- 489 additional enrollments into the network in April, bringing total enrollment to 1,975
- 187 technical assistance encounters in April
- 28,948 Zoom telehealth encounters from April 1 – April 30
- 128,212 meeting participants from April 1 – April 30
There were twice as many Zoom telehealth encounters in April as there were from all of July 2019 – March 2020. These numbers don’t just reflect increased need for telehealth at this time, but also all the hard work that practices have put in to support their patients during the pandemic.
The WyTN—with the support of the University of Wyoming and the Department of Health—continues to provide timely and efficient support to everyone joining the network, at no cost to providers and healthcare facilities. We will continue to support care in the state, now and in the future.
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As the WyTN continues to work to improve services and supports across the state, we want to learn more about your evolving needs as telehealth providers. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey.
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Learn about providers and specialties across the state offering services to clients via telehealth.
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Zoom 5.0 Update
For those utilizing WyTN Zoom accounts, please update to Zoom 5.0. After May 30, 2020, all Zoom clients on older versions will receive a forced upgrade when trying to join meetings as GCM Encryption will be fully enabled across the Zoom platform. Learn more about
Zoom 5.0. For more information on how to update Zoom, visit our
Resources page or the
Zoom Support page.
Zoom Open Labs
The WyTN is offering an opportunity for you and your staff to share and receive information, suggestions, and resources about the Zoom™ platform for telehealth.
Open labs via Zoom are on Tuesdays from 9:00 - 10:00 am. To learn more about Zoom and access our guides and resources, visit our
website.
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June 3, from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Presenters:
Mary Ponce, BSN, RN
Director of Critical Care Services at
St. John's Health
Mike Moyer, Battalion Chief, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS
Will Smith M.D., Paramedic, FAEMS, Medical Director, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS
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Special Interest Groups
Telemental Health Special Interest Group
This is a monthly meeting for
all behavioral health professionals delivering services via telehealth to strengthen their practices and provide and receive support.
The next meeting is May 13, 2020 at 10:30 a.m.
The WyTN is currently also facilitating special interest groups in Allied Health, public health nursing, and hospital administration.
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The FCC offers funds to help battle COVID-19 with $200 million in grants to help healthcare providers purchase telecommunications, broadband connectivity, and devices necessary for providing telehealth services.
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New telehealth grants are available through the USDA. Most government entities, federally-recognized Tribes, nonprofits, businesses, and qualified consortia are eligible to apply.
Please note that a second application window has opened and will close July 13, 2020.
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National Tribal Broadband Grant
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Indian Affairs has extended the deadline for the National Tribal Broadband Grant Program. Funding will be for feasibility studies on deployment or expansion of high-speed internet in Native American Communities. The NTBG is open to federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes and is published in
grants.gov
from the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development.
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Noridian CMS Education and Training:
Telehealth tools, education, training, and regulatory references.
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Telehealth & COVID-19 Resources
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Practice guidelines and coverage policies are rapidly changing and differ by specialty, it is important to understand how changes impact your practice.
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Wyoming Telehealth Network
Wyoming Institute for Disabilities
1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 4298
Laramie, WY 82071
307-766-6407
wy-telehealth@uwyo.edu
wyomingtelehealth.org
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