Sarah Rush, MD, chief medical information officer of Akron Children's, will serve as the Ohio hospital's first endowed chair in telehealth thanks to a recent $1 million donation.
The Marci M. Matthews Endowed Chair in Telehealth will support Akron Children's Hospital's innovation in virtual care technologies and expanded training. Between March and April, the hospital has seen an 88 percent uptick in telehealth visits.
“We believe this to be the first telehealth endowed chair in the nation, and we are so grateful to Marci for this generous gift,” Akron Children’s Hospital President and CEO Grace Wakulchik said in a news release. "Our medical landscape is changing rapidly and the creation of the Marci M. Matthews Endowed Chair in Telehealth will ensure Akron Children’s remains at the forefront of this innovative way to treat our patients and expand access to learning and training."
As CMIO, Dr. Rush oversees Akron Children's clinical information systems and patient care delivery. She is a pediatric oncologist and also serves as the hospital's director of neuro-oncology.