High speed Internet and $15.5 million telehealth grant help care for rural patients in New Mexico

Healthcare is a serious concern for all Americans. For those who live in rural areas, several hours each way from a major hospital or clinic, it is a serious problem. The trouble and expense of traveling for doctors visits takes a toll on those living in isolated places who need medical help. The FCC knows this, and has given the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center's Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research a $15.5 million grant to expand the telehealth access grid in New Mexico over the next three years.

With telemedicine and telehealth, instead of driving four hours to have an expert examine an X-ray, a rural patient can have the x-ray done close to home and send the image to an expert anywhere in the world. This saves patients, doctors, and hospitals time, effort and money. Luckily, high speed Internet access is helping to solve this problem. Using high speed Internet, through image sharing and video conferencing, hospitals can network with smaller clinics and doctor’s offices to provide care. This will allow rural residents to receive the best medical care possible without the hassle or expense of leaving their communities.

"What we want to do is get every single clinic, hospital and provider connected and offer more and more services and better care." said Dale Alverson, a doctor at UNM's Telehealth Center who's spearheading the project.

The state's existing telehealth network runs through the state universities and is already helping some of those in need, but thanks to this new grant the system will receieve an overhaul. "We can improve rural care for chronic diseases, substance abuse, mental health and diabetes. Hepatitis C, it can be cured with the right treatment, but a lot of doctors in rural areas don't have that information. So we can offer training to improve their knowledge and care for their patients." Alverson said.

The new telehealth system will feature things like training for Psychiatrists, eye exams, and treatments for soldiers returning from Iraq with post traumatic stress disorder. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity for our state," said Alverson. Thanks to high speed Internet access "you don't have to sacrifice health care to live in a rural area."

Telehealth Grid Expands for Better Rural Care (red Orbit)

Telemedicine (Speed Matters)