Technology and Telehealth Model
Services integration programs in rural communities can involve various forms of technology, including telehealth. Telehealth can be a key component of integrated care in rural communities because it connects patients to a range of providers and makes it possible for patients to receive screenings, education, and other services without traveling to a provider’s office. The Rural Telehealth Toolkit includes additional considerations for rural community health programs.
Telehealth is also a promising approach for creating virtual health homes and team-based approaches to care where mental health, human services, nutrition, and healthcare services are integrated. Further, there are opportunities to use telehealth to integrate behavioral health and social services for children living in poverty.
Other common forms of technology include the following:
- Electronic health records (EHRs) – Help service providers easily share patient information in a secure format. Common data standards can also help providers track basic demographic information and facilitate collaboration between service providers. In addition, many aspects of services integration require the support of system-wide computerized information systems that allow data management and effective tracking of utilization and outcomes. EHRs can also be used to determine eligibility for and help enroll people in human services programs.
- Patient registries and chronic disease management systems (CDMS) – Support analysis and reporting to manage health and to identify specific groups eligible for programs and services, including health homes.
- Health information exchanges (HIEs) – Facilitate electronic data-sharing among organizations and can enable care coordination, referrals, and care transitions. HIEs may also facilitate information exchange between clinical and social service providers.
- Prescription assistance programs – Streamline the process of finding low cost or no cost medicines for chronically ill, low-income patients.
- Electronic resource directories – Typically contain information about clinics in rural areas that are accepting new patients and physicians who have discounted fee schedules, for example.
- Patient portals – Provide patients with secure, 24-hour access to their health information from any location with an Internet connection. They can facilitate communication and coordination between clinical providers and patients by allowing patients to schedule appointments, email their providers, review their benefits, and make payments.
- Personal health records (PHRs) – Allow patients to view their medical information in one place, schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and communicate with their providers. PHRs can be a standalone system, connected to a single provider's EHR, or connected to multiple providers' information systems.
Examples of Rural Programs That Use Technology and Telehealth
- The South Georgia Regional Prevention Coalition has used telehealth to address the issues related to transportation and lack of local specialists. Using telehealth technology, rural providers are able to set up consultations with specialists in distant cities. These consultations help providers to determine if patients need to make the long-distance trips in order to see a specialist. Telehealth also assists with follow-up care if procedures need to be performed out of town.
Resources to Learn More
National Consortium of Telehealth Resource
Centers
Website
Offers technical assistance, education, and resources to individuals and organizations providing or seeking to
offer healthcare services at a distance.
Organization(s): The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
Improve Care Coordination
Website
Discusses how health information technology (HIT) — specifically electronic health records — can be leveraged to
improve care coordination.
Organization(s): Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HealthIT.gov