Wyoming Telehealth April Newsletter

The Wyoming Telehealth Network newsletter is your source for information, resources and best practices in telehealth. We support healthcare entities, providers, and specialists through professional development, collaboration, and leveraging of telecommunications technology.

2021 Power of Rural:

Health and Research Conference

May 17/May 18 and May 24/May 25

11:45am - 4:00pm MDT

Join us in May to learn about innovations in the Wyoming healthcare landscape and share information with professionals across the state on topics impacting rural care.

The Power of Rural Conference is sponsored by:

Equality State Research Network

Wyoming Primary Care Association

Office of Rural Health, Wyoming Department of Health

Please register by May 5 in order to receive a special gift by the start of the conference!

Click Here to View Registration

Wyoming Telehealth Network Webinar

Join us for our next Webinar:

School-Based Telehealth Opportunities:

Serving Rural Areas in Innovative Ways

Presenters:

Leslie Ann Gellert, MSW, LCSW

Behavioral Health Provider, Multnomah County Student Health Centers

Kristin Case, FNP

Nurse Practitioner Manager, Multnomah County Health Department

Andrea Shore, MPH

Vice President of Programs, School-Based Health Alliance

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

12:00pm - 1:00pm (MDT)

Click Here to Register for Session

Provider Spotlight

It's no question that Vivian Swallow, BA, has been making a deep impact in her community throughout her career. Helping to implement a telehealth program in Lame Deer, Montana, is just one of her many accomplishments. Currently, Vivian is the care coordinator in Arapahoe, Wyoming, at the Wind River Family and Community Health Care. The mission of the clinic is to provide primary care, traditional healing, preventative care, and wellness promotion to all members of the community as intended by the Creator. Vivian is also an engaged and active member of the Wyoming Telehealth Network, and is passionate about improving health outcomes through telehealth.

Click Here to Read Full Article

When did you begin offering telehealth services? What prompted the need to offer these services?

Vivian Swallow: I am not a "provider" however, as an administrator in rural Montana it was clear how telehealth could improve health outcomes and continuity of care. In Lame Deer, MT -123 miles from Billings, MT our clinic decided to contract services for the 24 hour urgent care with Avera-Sioux Fall, SD. This partnership reduced the number of ambulance and air flights to Billings and empowered our staff to care for patients. The Urgent Care providers have learned advanced care and treatments from the Avera Emergency Department Physicians.

We were prompted by the lack of local access to OB services. Women would present to the Urgent Care fully dilated; without an OB/GYN provider on staff the urgent care providers often would deliver babies in high risk situations.

What motivates you to continue offering telehealth services?

Vivian: Our patients often do not have the means to travel, lack transportation or do not have family support to travel for care in the "Big Cities''. Patients travel through winter storms on shoestring budgets to spend 10 to 15 minutes with the provider for a follow-up visit. Patients at times do not follow-up with providers which impacts the health outcome and quality of care. Telehealth is a way to bring specialists to our patients.

Telehealth Can Make Healthcare More Affordable

Telehealth care can be delivered faster and with more opportunities for monitoring chronic conditions reducing emergency room visits and the cost and time it can take to get to a specialist. This article written by Bradley Tusk and Quinn Shean from the website Fast Company is a snapshot of how we can bring the hospital to patients with telehealth.

Click Here to Read the Full Article

FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program Announcement

The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced that the application filing window for the second round of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program will open on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET. The filing window will last seven calendar days and close on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET.