Ramona Midkiff

Source: Post and Courier

Source: Healthcare Finance

#InTheNews: Read all about the challenges and solutions associated with digital and telehealth equity. Even with the rapid advancement of telehealth technology, there’s a notable disparity in access and digital health literacy among different patient populations, affecting their engagement with telehealth services.

PCC is committed to expanding access, improving digital literacy, and ensuring that everyone can benefit from telehealth advancements. The focus on addressing the digital divide and improving digital literacy among patient populations mirrors PCC’s objectives to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, location, age, or race, can access healthcare services effectively and efficiently.

Read the Healthcare Finance article here:

Pictured above: Co-Chairman of the SCTA, Kathy Schwarting and Dr. Jimmy McElligott testifying before a subcommittee of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee.

Source: Campbell Mims, Sweatman Strategies

In coordination and collaboration with the South Carolina Telehealth Alliance and other stakeholders,  Palmetto Care Connections (PCC) has actively supported H. 4159: Telehealth and Telemedicine Modernization Act. The bill outlines the following regulatory goals:

1. Introduce a new definition of “telehealth” which includes all provider types, not only MDs and DOs, who are essential to a patient’s care team in providing increased access to healthcare.
2. Modernize telehealth prescribing language to ensure SC patients can access life-saving treatment to combat the opioid epidemic in our state while maintaining important safeguards. Prescriptions of Schedule II and III narcotics are not permitted when a physician-patient relationship is established solely via telemedicine except when/for:
   • Patient is in hospital being treated by a practitioner
   • When buprenorphine is prescribed for opioid use disorder
   • End of life care, and
   • Other exceptions authorized by the board

On Jan. 24, 2024, the Senate adopted the Committee amendment of H. 4159, and the bill received a second reading as amended. On Jan. 25, the bill was read a third time and returned to the House with amendments with a roll call of Ayes 41; Nays 0. The House concluded in the Senate amendments on H. 4159. Having received a third reading in both chambers, the bill as amended was enrolled by the house on Wednesday, Jan. 31. The bill now travels to Gov. Henry McMaster’s desk for his signature of approval.

Written by Ashlee Parra, Digital Literacy Program Manager, PCC

Going to school. Doing your job. Making a telehealth appointment.

These tasks have become nearly impossible without the Internet, and the Affordable Connectivity Program has successfully made it more affordable and accessible for 22 million American households to get online. However, funds are quickly running out, threatening to unplug those who need it most from affordable internet access.

Today, 425,446 South Carolina households are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program. That’s about 1 in 5 households in the state. Palmetto Care Connections supports the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act so South Carolina seniors, veterans, and students of all ages can stay connected.

Columbia, S.C. (Dec. 7, 2023) – Palmetto Care Connections (PCC), a leading organization dedicated to advancing rural healthcare initiatives, proudly hosted its 11th Annual Telehealth Summit on Dec. 4-6, 2023. The event brought together healthcare professionals, state legislators, technology experts, and more to explore innovations and advancements in telehealth around a two-day summit in Greenville, S.C.

“The 11th Annual Telehealth Summit is a testament to the incredible progress we’ve made in harnessing the power of technology to improve healthcare accessibility. In a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, this summit provides a crucial forum for stakeholders to come together, share ideas, and explore innovative solutions that will ultimately benefit our communities,” said PCC Chief Executive Officer, Kathy Schwarting.

The summit’s agenda includes topics reflecting the multifaceted impact of telehealth in today’s healthcare environment. These topics include policy updates, telehealth within schools, insights from a legislative panel, and more. Attendees had the opportunity to network with peers, engage in meaningful discussions, and gain valuable insights into the transformative potential of telehealth.

In a commitment to highlight the change agents in telehealth and rural health care access in the Palmetto State, the following individuals and organizations were honored as winners at the Telehealth Awards Ceremony, where state Senate President Thomas Alexander served as master of ceremonies:

• 2023 State Telehealth Legislative Champion: The Honorable Bill Herbkersman, South Carolina House of Representatives
• 2023 Telehealth State Champion Award: Dr. Kathyrn King, Medical University of South Carolina
• 2023 Telehealth Pioneer Award: Dr. Divya Ahuja, Prisma Health
• 2023 Program of Excellence: S.C. Department of Mental Health Community Telepsychiatry Program
• 2023 Telehealth Innovator: Dr. Marc Bingham, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
• 2023 Digital Health Equity Champion: Kathy Schwarting, Palmetto Care Connections
• 2023 Dr. Rick Foster Primary Care Telehealth Champion: Posthumously Awarded to Dr. Rick Foster

“This summit is not just an event; it’s a catalyst for change, a platform where ideas converge toward a more accessible, patient-centric, and technologically advanced healthcare field,” said Schwarting.

Palmetto Care Connections is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing telehealth and improving healthcare access in South Carolina. Through innovative solutions and collaborative initiatives, PCC works to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery and promote the well-being of individuals and communities.

Click here to view pictures from the 11th Annual Telehealth Summit of South Carolina.

Source: Medical Xpress and by American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

Minutes matter when a patient may have had a stroke, but being far from a physician with advanced training in neurology no longer needs to be a barrier to rapid diagnosis and intervention.

Telestroke programs are designed to improve access to the limited number of specialists, regardless of the geographic isolation of patients who may have experienced a stroke. Telestroke, or stroke telemedicine, is a form of telehealth in which physicians with advanced training in stroke care use technology to provide immediate consultation to a local health care professional to recommend diagnostic imaging and treatment for patients with stroke at an originating site.

Patients who present within 4.5 hours of when they were last known to be well may be eligible for thrombolytic drug therapy or endovascular intervention, often measured as door-to-needle time.

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Source: Post and Courier

Source: Bloomberg