Telehealth program bridges health care gap in CSRA rural areas
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Potentially life-saving care is coming to about half a dozen hospitals in our area.
Wellstar and the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University are helping to expand telehealth to some of our more rural areas.
Hospitals in Burke County, Jefferson County, Jenkins County and more are all getting help that could save the lives of mothers and babies.
In a medical emergency, the difference between travel time can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
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Wellstar and the Medical College of Georgia are bringing equipment like this to help bridge the gap for pregnant mothers needing critical healthcare.
“It would be delivering blindly. Basically, there is no way to monitor mom or baby currently here at this facility,” said Emily Hiebert, nurse manager at Jefferson Hospital.
It’s the reality that Hiebert says many rural hospitals in Georgia face.
With only limited supplies and training, it makes things more difficult when there are emergencies.
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“We’re an hour away from a labor and delivery unit, and so a lot of the times the patients and labor come here, and unfortunately, we don’t have very much equipment for that,” said Hiebert.
Wellstar MCG Health and Augusta University says expanding its telehealth outreach by providing equipment and training to 17 other hospitals across Georgia is a step closer to solving the problems of rural healthcare deserts.
Matt Lyon, director of MCG Center for Telehealth, said: “By bringing the equipment there and then using telemedicine to be able to read and understand how the baby’s doing, we’re able to expand the capabilities of those rural hospitals for taking care of pregnant moms.”
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, 89% of pregnancy deaths are considered preventable.
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Hiebert says it will be more than a game changer for not only her job but for families when these resources become available.
“This is going to save lives. Having this equipment, you know, we can bring the providers from AU on, remotely in the room. We have the capability to do that, and if we have an emergency, they can literally walk us through,” said Hiebert.
Equipment and training will roll out within the next couple of weeks.
They hope this will start the difference in improving maternal outcomes in the state.
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