Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth is the latest healthcare organization to join Georgia Health Information Network, the state's health information exchange.
GPT is a nonprofit promoting telemedicine programs throughout Georgia. One of the communities the nonprofit serves is school clinics. Now, school systems participating in GPT will be able to exchange clinical information of students with other pediatricians and healthcare providers as well as have access to Georgia's immunization registry.
Approximately 60 schools in Georgia are part of GPT, many of which are in rural settings. School nurses use telemedicine technology to consult with remote healthcare providers about a patient if needed. Written parental consent is required for students participating in the telehelath program.
"The telehealth school initiative is an important factor in equalizing the technology disparity between rural and urban areas," said Denise Hines, executive director of GaHIN. "By incorporating the secure exchange of electronic health information, nurses and physicians will be able to access patient information at the time and place care is delivered, which is shown to improve the quality of care while reducing costs."
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