tech-crunch

By: chris walker
Patients in Lamar will be the first in Colorado to experience the "house call for the 21st century." High Plains Community Health Center has been named one of three facilities throughout the state to receive Connected Care clinics as part of a pilot program first announced by Gov. Ritter and others in August. The clinics are part of a joint effort between insurance providers UnitedHealthcare and Centura Health.    Instead of driving long distances to Denver to see a specialist, patients in Lamar will now be able to connect with specialists from their hometown using the latest telehealth technology. The program is open to patients with all types of insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.

"High Plains is very excited to have been selected as a pilot site for UnitedHealthcare's telemedicine outreach. One of the biggest challenges we have is accessing specialty care for our patients. Our medical providers do a great job of caring for most of the conditions presented by our patients," said High Plains Executive Director Jay Brooke.

"When the patient has issues that require specialty intervention the barriers of distance and cost frequently emerge. This program will allow for many specialty services to be provided here at High Plains through electronic technology. We look forward to partnering with UnitedHealthcare to improve the health of our community," concluded Brooke.

Connected Care connects people in rural areas, where evidence shows a higher percentage of low income residents, who tend to be sicker, with specialists hundreds of miles away using the latest telehealth technology, including: --High definition video conferencing equipment that astronauts use --A digital dermascope that allows a doctor hundreds of miles away to view and measure moles --A high-definition camera for throat and nose examinations --A digital stethoscope that allows the remote doctor to hear the patient's heart beat.

--And electronic medical records.

This technology has immediate implications for Coloradoans in rural areas who have limited access to doctors, especially specialists. But the sky's the limit: this technology could be introduced to offices and even home computers, making for much more convenient doctor visits.

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